Rams' dreams and nightmares come true in Mel Kiper's latest mock draft

When NFL seasons end, and the annual NFL Scouting Combine has long since passed, the lull in NFL-worthy news was once a desert of no NFL news precipitating for fans. Then came the rainmaker, ESPNs draft guru Mel Kiper, and the NFL offseason landscape changed forever. And I, for one, have loved the difference ever since. Kiper joined ESPN in 1984, and earned just $400 for his efforts of placing himself on the stage as the NFL draft guru.

Since that time, many replications have swarmed to cover the NFL Draft. The NFL itself has changed the format from a crowded smoky room with no thought to a stage or entertainment value, into a three-day made-for-television event that has become the cornerstone of the NFL's offseason marketing campaign.

When Kiper speaks, fans listen. Whether it's to nod in agreement and applaud his perspective, or to gnash teeth and decry his ancestry because he holds a differing view, NFL fans love their love-hate relationship with Baltimore's own Mel Kiper. And it's Kiper at it once more, sharing his 2025 NFL Draft Round 1 predictions after the first wave of NFL Free Agency has swept over teams.

So what does the ESPN draft guru predict for the Rams on draft day? Some nightmares, but a dream too. What do I mean?

Some nightmares

In any NFL Draft, there are bound to be more disappointments than pleasant suprises. NFL fans invariably fixate on specific players, and less upon positions. It's out of the LA Rams control, or any team's control for that matter, who remains on the draft board by the time they make their selection. And if a player or players are not on the board, fans can quickly be disappointed.

In Mel Kiper's latest mock draft, several rookie prospects who are near and dear to Rams fans are chosen by other teams long before the Rams step up to the podium. They are:

(1) Jets select TE Tyler Warren at 7th overall

The New York Jets offense is a mess, and Mel Kiper toys with the idea of projecting a top-tier offensive lineman here. But Penn State tight end Tyler Warren brings superb blocking and a huge offensive weapon to the Jets offense. Unfortunately, Warren to the Jets means no Warren to the Rams.

(2) 49ers select OT Armand Membou at 11th overall

One of the intriguing prospects who would be a curious addition to the Rams roster is Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou. He is a superb blocker, and would be an excellent successor to veteran OT Rob Havenstein. But he was a well-kept secret for a while, but is a secret no longer.

(3) Colts select TE Colston Loveland at 14th overall

Typically, tight ends are not frequently chosen in Round 1 of an NFL Draft, and are even less likely to be chosen in multiples in the first round. But Penn State's Tyler Warren and Michigan's TE Colston Loveland lure NFL teams to double-dip at the position. That bodes well for the Indianapolis Colts, but not so great for a Rams offense that seems to need a legitimate tight end successor to veteran tight end Tyler Higbee.

(4) Chargers select WR Matthew Golden at 22nd overall

If the Rams cannot land one of the top two tight ends, then a great consolation prize would be emerging with Texas WR Matthew Golden. Golden is a 5-foot-11 191-pound wide receiver who boasts amazing speed and great on-field production. The Rams would love to get more 'oomph' from their passing game, and Golden offers the type of explosive big-play offense that the Rams fans want to see once again.

(5) Packers select WR Emeka Egbuka at 23rd overall

Perhaps the deepest cut in Mel Kiper's draft is the fact that the Green Bay Packers select Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 23rd overall pick. At 6-foot-1 and tipping the scales at 208 pounds, Egbuka is already a 'fit' in the Rams wide receiver room. He has meticulously superb route-running skills. He has soft hands. Best of all, he reads defenses mid-route and adjusts to give his quarterback the best target. The Packers seldom draft wide receivers this early. In Kiper's mock draft, they do.

1 dream

Okay, after multiple heartbreaking projections of ideal prospects who will not last long enough to be selected by the Rams with the 26th overall pick, who is left? Thankfully, there are multiple strong prospects who may attract some attention from the Rams. But I was pleased with Kiper's choice, and it's one that I didn't see coming:

Rams select Florida State CB Azareye'h Thomas

The Rams have plenty of areas that need to be addressed in the 2025 NFL Draft. But one of the areas that continues to be an ever-increasing concern to me is the quality of cornerbacks on the roster. The team tried to draft a cornerback in 2023 in Tre Tomlinson, but have since released him. Prior to that, the Rams drafted CBs Cobie Durant in Round 4 and Derion Kendrick in Round 6 of the 2022 NFL Draft. Both Durant and Kendrick are projected to have significant roles in the Rams secondary in 2025.

Kiper cites the Rams' success with Florida State defenders in the 2024 NFL Draft, and projects FSU rookie CB prospect Azareye'h Thomas to the Rams with the 26th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

I did not have Thomas on my radar before Mel Kiper's mock draft, primarily because he has been projected to Round 2, and the Rams simply do not possess a draft pick in that round. But Thomas's stock is rising, and at 6-foot-2 and 197 pounds, he brings a lot of upside to a position that is relatively light in both depth and talent.

Thomas is gifted in press-man coverage, a defense that the Rams may veer more frequently to with DC Chris Shula. He has excellent height, arm length, and the knowledge of how to leverage both to become a huge nuisance to quarterback and receiver alike. Despite a sub-200-pound weight, he exhibits solid physicality in shedding blockers and run support.

Best of all, he joins a Rams team that already has two former teammates on the roster. And both are legitimate rising stars in the NFL.

The Rams finally re-signed former CB Ahkello Witherspoon. Witherspoon is the 6-foot-2 195-pound veteran who has signed with the Rams late in each of the past two seasons. This year, he is onboard early enough to be a full participant in training camp. So, why should the Rams draft a cornerback in Round 1 with Witherspoon returning?

Witherspoon is on a one-year stopgap contract. And the Rams have not invested heavily in the cornerback position recently. Azareye'h Thomas's draft profiles consistently describe a rookie who is on track to become a better-than-average NFL defensive back. That is a role that is lacking on the Rams roster right now. Could Thomas be the fix?

He may not be there when the Rams make their 26th overall selection. Even if he is there, the team may not select him. But if he is the rookie selected in Round 1, he brings a solid football skillset to a team that is in the market for a young and talented cornerback. Well played, Mel Kiper, well played.

As always, thanks for reading.