The Los Angeles Rams waited to address the pass rush in last year’s draft and it led them to trading for Dante Fowler Jr. mid-season. They re-signed Fowler this offseason, but only for one year so the long-term future at outside linebacker is hardly settled.
If they are to draft an edge rusher this year – which many expect the Rams to do – there are intriguing options in each round. Below, we’ve laid out one potential target in every round from one to seven.
Round 1: Chase Winovich, Michigan
It’s difficult to peg which pass rusher the Rams might take at No. 31 because many of the top guys will be gone by then. Brian Burns or Clelin Ferrell would be ideal, but they’re not likely to be available. Instead, Winovich could be an option. He plays with a relentless motor and while not a polished pass rusher, he can impact the game in multiple ways.
He’d be an upgrade to the run defense and join a rotation of Dante Fowler Jr., Samson Ebukam and Clay Matthews outside.
Round 2: Jaylon Ferguson, Louisiana Tech
Ferguson could be a target at No. 31 and was a frequent pick in early mock drafts for the Rams, but his stock has slid some. He’s a huge prospect at 6-foot-4, 271 pounds, which would give him the versatility to play outside linebacker and kick inside to defensive end in sub-packages.
If the Rams move down out of the first round, Ferguson would be a nice pick-up somewhere in the range of 35-45. He has the skill set to be an early contributor for the Rams, both as a pass rusher and run defender.
Round 3: Jachai Polite, Florida
Polite is tumbling down draft boards and is in danger of falling out of Day 2 entirely. The Rams, who he said were his best interview at the combine, could end his slide with the 94th or 99th overall picks. His college tape is very good and the production is there, but his athleticism and motivation have come into question.
His combine performance was disastrous and he didn’t improve at his pro day, running an official 5.04 40-yard dash. Some of that could be attributed to a lingering hamstring injury, but he admitted he made mistakes and wasn’t ready for the combine mentally.
Round 4: Joe Jackson, Miami
Jackson is a large defender at 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, so like Ferguson, he could play both outside linebacker and defensive end at times. That versatility only improves his draft stock and he could be a player the Rams target either late on Day 2 or early on Day 3. Grabbing him in the fourth round might require a move back from Round 3 or trading up from No. 133.
He’s somewhat of a raw prospect who absolutely needs coaching at the next level, but with his athletic traits, the potential is there. If the Rams want a mid-round rotational player who won’t be relied upon initially, Jackson should be on their radar.
Round 5: Wyatt Ray, Boston College
Ray didn’t display great athleticism at the combine with disappointing times in the 40-yard dash (4.83) and three-cone drill (7.34), though his 20-yard shuttle (4.31) was solid. Unlike the other players ahead of him on this list, he won’t be an early impact player for whichever team drafts him.
Still, if he can improve his play strength and refine his skills as a pass rusher, Ray can turn into a future starter.
Round 6: Jalen Jelks, Oregon
Jelks’s 4.92 40-yard dash at 256 pounds was severely disappointing, as was his 4.59 short-shuttle time. His combine performance likely hurt his stock some, but that shouldn’t prevent the Rams from taking a flier on him in Round 6 if they don’t address outside linebacker earlier in the draft.
Jelks played quicker on tape than he showed in drill testing, so there’s hope he can still get after the quarterback in the NFL, but there are obvious flaws in his game.
Round 7: Malik Reed, Nevada
Reed was a pre-draft visitor of the Rams, so they’ve got their eye on the Nevada product. He could very well go earlier than the seventh round, but given his smaller frame, he’s really limited to playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, which shrinks the number of teams that could be interested.
Late-round prospects don’t come with high expectations, so for the Rams, he wouldn’t even be guaranteed a roster spot. But his potential and Wade Phillips’ history of working with smaller pass rushers makes it an intriguing pairing.
