The 2019 NFL draft is officially less than a month away as teams like the Los Angeles Rams are in the final evaluation period of this year’s incoming class. For the Rams, predicting who will be there at No. 31 overall is difficult because of how late in the first round they’re picking, but regardless of how things shake out ahead of them, a quality player will be available.
They’d love to grab someone like Brian Burns or Devin Bush, but it’s highly unlikely either are around late in the first round. With that being said, we picked out eight realistic targets for the Rams at No. 31 overall who they could wind up selecting.
Honorable mentions: Clemson EDGE Clelin Ferrell, Washington safety Taylor Rapp, Alabama LB Mack Wilson, Kansas State OT Dalton Risner, Mississippi State DL Jeffery Simmons
Clemson NT Dexter Lawrence
Ndamukong Suh is all but gone, which leaves a hole at nose tackle. There are few better players who fit that role better than Lawrence in this class, which would make him one of the top targets for the Rams in Round 1. Given the way the NFL devalues true nose tackles, there’s a chance he’ll slide to the Rams at No. 31, too.
He would step in as a starter from Day 1 between Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers, giving L.A. a stout run defender to shore up the defensive line.
Notre Dame DL Jerry Tillery
The Rams met with Tillery at the combine, which shows they have at least a sliver of interest in the versatile defensive lineman. He fits best as a defensive end in the Rams’ scheme, which would likely require Brockers to move back to nose tackle – something Les Snead said the team would be open to.
Tillery is getting somewhat overlooked in the draft process for whatever reason, but the Rams could reap the benefits and land a great player in the first round as a result. Tillery would provide more as a pass rusher than Brockers and is still good against the run.
Florida safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
Gardner-Johnson can play free safety, strong safety or cover the slot, making him a valuable asset in any secondary. The Rams used Lamarcus Joyner in the slot the last two years despite him being a full-time safety, and they could do the same with Gardner-Johnson if he’s drafted by them.
Obviously with Eric Weddle and John Johnson being the starters, Gardner-Johnson would likely just be a backup as a rookie and contribute in sub-packages. But the long-term projection of his game makes him a sleeper to go in Round 1.
Florida EDGE Jachai Polite
Polite has seen his draft stock plummet as a result of the NFL combine where his media session was questionable and his performance on the field was underwhelming. His comments about teams “bashing” him in interviews raised some eyebrows, but he mentioned the Rams as his favorite meeting. Of course, he can’t pick which team he goes to, but it at least sounds like the interview went fairly well.
Polite has a good chance to be around when the Rams go on the clock and while he’s a tier below the top pass rushers, he could still be a rotational player early on and allow Los Angeles to utilize Clay Matthews’ versatility as an inside linebacker, too.
N.C. State center Garrett Bradbury
Bradbury is one of the best interior offensive linemen in the class and could be taken before the Rams get the chance to select him. If he’s available at 31, though, they’ll have to think hard about selecting him to be John Sullivan’s replacement.
Sure, Brian Allen is capable of stepping in and starting, but Bradbury is a better prospect and could be a perennial Pro Bowler at center for a decade. It all depends how the Rams feel about Allen as the heir to Sullivan.
Michigan State CB Justin Layne
Layne is a pre-draft riser after a great performance at the combine and could be the ideal cornerback prospect for the Rams. He said the Rams are among the teams showing the most interest in him, and knowing he probably won’t be available at No. 94, that makes him a target in Round 1. He has great length at 6-foot-2 with 33-inch arms and thrives in man coverage, pressing receivers at the line of scrimmage.
Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters are both entering the final years of their contract and Layne could be a replacement for either one in 2020. Or, the Rams can draft Layne and cut Talib, saving $8 million in doing so.
Texas A&M OL Erik McCoy
McCoy is a pre-draft visitor for the Rams, which is the first connection between the two sides. Couple that with the team’s holes at guard and center, and it’s easy to see why McCoy might be a target for L.A. He can play both positions, which only helps his draft stock, especially for a team like the Rams.
If he projects as a better starter than Brian Allen at center, he can step in there right away. If the Rams feel he’s a better fit at left guard and want to keep Joseph Noteboom at tackle, he can provide help there.
Temple CB Rock Ya-Sin
Ya-Sin looks like he was made for Wade Phillips’ defense. He’s a physical cornerback with less-than-elite physical traits, but he plays as hard as anyone. He’s not afraid to come up and stop the run or bump receivers at the line, matching up well in man coverage.
Ya-Sin is on the second tier of cornerbacks which should make him available at the end of the first round, and like Layne, he’s likely to be a target for the Rams. They don’t need immediate help at cornerback, but with the futures of Peters and Talib uncertain, you could argue corner is the biggest long-term need for the Rams.
