The 2020 NFL Draft is finally here with the first round kicking off on Thursday night. Barring a massive trade up, which GM Les Snead called “a little unrealistic,” the Rams won’t participate in the first night of the draft.
They’ll have to wait until the second round where they’re slated to pick at No. 52 and No. 57. They also have two picks in the third round, one in the fourth and one each in the sixth and seventh rounds.
With needs on the offensive line, all across the defense and also at running back, the Rams can go multiple directions with their first few selections. I already laid out what I would do if I were the GM, but now let’s project what the Rams might go with.
In my final seven-round mock draft, I tried to keep it realistic with Pro Football Focus’ simulator, only taking players who have a decent chance to be available at the respective pick.
Here’s what I could see the Rams doing on Friday and Saturday in the draft, barring the inevitable trades Snead is bound to make.
52. OLB Terrell Lewis, Alabama
Lewis would be a perfectly fine pick for the Rams, even a good one. I’d rather go with Josh Uche thanks to his college production and but Lewis’ ceiling is probably higher. If not for injury concerns, he’d probably be a first-round pick. You could even argue he deserves to be a first-rounder as it stands now.
He’s a dynamic pass rusher with excellent length and a developed skill set. That’s not to say he doesn’t have room for improvement, but his potential is as good as any pass rusher not named Chase Young in this class.
The Rams met with Lewis and have shown interest in him during the pre-draft process. And his attendance at the Senior Bowl is the cherry on top for Los Angeles.
57. OL Robert Hunt, Louisiana-Lafayette
Hunt has received interest from the Rams leading up to the draft and could be a target in the second round. He might go a little later than No. 57 if the Rams pass on him, but for a team that desperately needs guard help, he’d make a lot of sense.
Another Senior Bowl attendee, Hunt is exactly the type of player the Rams typically target. He can play guard and tackle, though his best fit in the NFL is inside at guard. He’s a mobile blocker, too, making him a good fit in the Rams’ zone blocking scheme, which requires guards to get out in space fairly often.
84. LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech
Brooks’ draft position is tough to pin down. He could go as soon as the early part of the second round, or he may slide a bit into the third. There’s a decent chance he’ll be around at pick No. 84, and if so, he’d be a great value at this spot.
This linebacker class has a cluster of players in the second-to-fourth-round range, so it just depends which teams prefer which prospects. Brooks is a fast and physical linebacker and would be a nice replacement for Cory Littleton.
He met with the Rams before the draft and also attended the Senior Bowl. Another option at No. 84 is Akeem Davis-Gaither, but he too could be gone by this point.
104. WR Van Jefferson, Florida
In this scenario, the Rams wait a bit to add a wide receiver rather than grabbing one in the second round. Jefferson is someone who piqued their interest, though, as they met with him over FaceTime this spring.
Jefferson isn’t the explosive playmaker that some of the top receivers are, but he’s a refined route runner – maybe the best one in the class. He can also play any wide receiver position, which is valuable in the Rams’ offense.
126. RB Darrynton Evans, Appalachian State
Continuing the trend of the Rams picking players they met with before the draft, I have Evans going to L.A. in the fourth round. Evans is an underrated back in this draft, though he’s quickly risen up draft boards this offseason. He ran a 4.41 in the 40 at the combine, has good receiving skills and is best in an outside-zone scheme.
He checks all the boxes the Rams could want in a running back, which explains their interest in him. As a complementary piece and backup plan to Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown, Evans is as good as it’s going to get for the Rams on Day 3.
199. DL Raequan Williams, Michigan State
These last two picks could probably be flipped and no one would scoff. Williams is a long defender who can play just about anywhere on the defensive line, checking the versatility box that Brandon Staley has mentioned this offseason.
While not the best pass rusher, he can still impact the game in that area, and he’s good against the run. The Rams are stacked on the defensive line with Michael Brockers back and A’Shawn Robinson signed, but Williams would add good depth. He also met with the Rams before the draft.
234. DB Myles Bryant, Washington
Bryant is a smaller cornerback who will be relegated to the slot in the NFL. At 5-foot-8 and 183 pounds with only 4.62 speed, Bryant won’t have the size or speed to play outside. But he does have the quickness to cover slot receivers.
He plays bigger than his size indicates, though, and is scrapping in the running game by often sticking his nose into things. His experience at safety during the 2019 season improves his resume, too, especially in the eyes of the Rams, who could use safety help, as well.
