Top 10 sleepers for LA Rams heading into 2023 NFL Draft

Sleeper II: Viliami Fehoko, EDGE, San Jose State

It is no secret that the LA Rams need reinforcements at the outside linebacker position and that the team will be hard-pressed to saturate that need exclusively during the 2023 NFL Draft. But there are talented prospects at the position throughout the draft. Edge rusher Viliami Fehoko out of San Jose State is just one such example.

What I don't like about him: Any edge rusher who weighs 276 pounds but is noted as not having enough strength to hold his ground and shed blockers is not exactly an inspiring description. At 6-foot-4 and 276 pounds, you really look for a guy who can explode off the line, handle his business against blockers, and pressure the quarterback. Fehoko is not a clear projection at the NFL level at that role.

What I do like about him: You love to see players whose skillset translates into versatile roles in the NFL, and Viliami Fehoko is that. While he certainly fits the jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none adage, more and more defenses are embracing the belief that deception and scheme have at least as much impact on a player's success. Fehoko is that type of swiss-army-knife player who can put his hand in the dirt or spring into a two-point stance. The LA Rams have had enviable success with former DL Michael Hoecht. Does the team double down with a rookie like Viliami Fehoko?

Fehoko is not just versatile. He has incredibly well-honed instincts and a smell for the football that transcends good technique. He is a snarler, a defender who imposes his will at the line of scrimmage and does so with authority, usually to a high success rate. He has a swift burst once the ball is snapped, and bends like Gumby as he turns the corner to close on the quarterback. The Rams' defense can find plenty of ways to deploy Viliami Fehoko if they can draft him that is.