The 2023 NFL draft is less than two weeks away, which means we’ll soon know which rookies will be taking the field for the Los Angeles Rams next season. As he does each offseason, Dane Brugler of The Athletic put together a complete seven-round mock draft based on reported visits between teams and players, as well as “league buzz and overall interest.”
For the Rams, he has them taking a pass rusher at No. 36 overall, a running back in Round 3 and two specialists on Day 3. Brugler hits on the Rams’ needs, but he didn’t have them taking a tight end or a quarterback – two positions Los Angeles could address at some point.
Here’s a breakdown of Brugler’s massive mock draft and the picks he made for the Rams.
Round 2, No. 36: EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
McDonald has become one of the most common prospects mocked to the Rams in Round 2, and it makes a ton of sense. He’ll likely be one of the two best edge rushers on the board at No. 36 overall and given the Rams’ need for outside linebackers, he would not only fill a major need, but also be one of the top players available.
Round 3, No. 69: S Quan Martin, Illinois
Martin, who also goes by Jartavius, is an athletic defensive back who many view as a cornerback. He jumped an eye-popping 44 inches in the vertical and ran 4.46 in the 40-yard dash at 194 pounds, so he has the makeup of an NFL cornerback or safety. The Rams need help at both positions so Martin’s versatility will be valuable at the next level.
Round 3, No. 77: RB Tank Bigsby, Auburn
There would probably be some angry fans if the Rams went this route at No. 77, but not because of the player. It’s because of the position. Sean McVay loves drafting running backs early, doing so with Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson Jr., and Bigsby would be next in line. He’s a big, physical runner who gets downhill quickly, which would be a nice complement to Akers. But drafting a running back in the first three rounds is probably not the best idea for L.A.
Round 5, No. 167: G Jordan McFadden, Clemson
With such a big gap between the Rams’ third and fourth picks, they wait a while to draft a lineman. But in the fifth, Brugler has them taking McFadden, who played tackle in college and projects as a guard at the next level. The Rams need guard help so this pick would make a lot of sense.
Round 5, No. 171: LB Noah Sewell, Oregon
Sewell isn’t the most athletic linebacker but he was productive at Oregon, finishing his career with 218 tackles and 7.5 sacks in three seasons. With Bobby Wagner gone, the Rams need a No. 2 linebacker to play alongside Ernest Jones.
Round 5, No. 177: CB Starling Thomas V, UAB
Thomas has a ton of speed at the cornerback spot, running a 4.30 in the 40-yard dash at UAB’s pro day. He also jumped 37.5 inches in the vertical, showing good lower-half explosiveness. Last season at UAB, he broke up 15 passes and had 30 tackles. With 11 picks in the draft, the Rams would be wise to use at least two or three on the secondary.
Round 6, No. 182: WR Parker Washington, Penn State
The Rams are bound to take a wide receiver at some point in the draft and it could come even earlier than Brugler predicts. Washington had three good seasons at Penn State, recording between 489 and 820 yards in each season. He’s not the biggest receiver (5-10, 204 pounds) and has short arms, but he knows how to get open despite a lack of elite athleticism, similar to Cooper Kupp.
Round 6, No. 189: LB SirVocea Dennis, Pitt
The Rams should probably go in a different direction with this pick because they don’t really need two off-ball linebackers, even after cutting Wagner. Dennis has some pass-rushing traits that could translate to the NFL, but I’m not crazy about the Rams drafting two linebackers – even with 11 picks.
Round 6, No. 191: P Bryce Baringer, Michigan State
At the moment, the Rams have no punter, kicker or long snapper. While they could sign one of each before the draft, in all likelihood, they’ll draft at least a punter or kicker. Baringer is one of the best in the class and has a powerful leg, which could make him an upgrade over Riley Dixon.
Round 7, No. 223: EDGE Andre Carter II, Army
Carter has some raw ability and the frame of an NFL edge rusher (6-6, 256 pounds), but he’ll need at least a year or two to develop into a contributor. He had 14.5 sacks in 2021 before that number dropped to just 3.5 this past season, so there are some questions about his production and skills transitioning to the NFL.
Round 7, No. 251: LS Alex Ward, UCF
The Rams don’t have a long snapper. They need one. Thus, this pick makes sense. However, I’d much rather them sign a long snapper and use this pick on more of a project player instead of a special teamer.
