The Los Angeles Rams signed Bobby Wagner before the 2022 season to bolster their inside linebacker position, pairing him with Ernest Jones. But after just one season with the organization, Wagner was released and reunited with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency this offseason.
With Wagner no longer in the picture, the Rams could elect to use one of their 11 picks in the 2023 NFL draft on an inside linebacker. Jones is expected to be No. 1 on the depth chart at the position, however, they’ll need someone to pair with Jones moving forward.
If the Rams want to address the inside linebacker position on Day 3 of the draft, Dorian Williams out of Tulane is an enticing prospect.
Background
After not playing much in his freshman season at Tulane, Williams proceeded to be active in 38 games for his final three seasons. Williams finished his collegiate career strong with 132 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles in 2022.
Following a four-year tenure at Tulane, Williams attended the Senior Bowl earlier in the offseason. He would then record a 4.49 40-yard dash (4th among ILBs) and a 1.54 10-yard split (2nd among ILBs) at the NFL scouting combine.
How he fits the Rams
Williams might be undersized to some, but we’ve seen the league trend toward having smaller linebackers that are athletic with teams throwing the ball more. During his time at Tulane, Williams flashed upside in coverage and he uses his instincts to mitigate his lack of strength against offensive linemen.
With Raheem Morris looking for versatile, athletic players on defense, Williams fits the description of someone that would fit as an inside linebacker on the Rams. A duo of Jones and Williams could give the Rams an athletic pairing that is capable of remaining on the field for all three downs, and at the very least, he can provide contributions on special teams to begin his career.
Draft projection
After a strong showing at the NFL scouting combine, Williams has improved his draft stock. The majority of mock drafts have the Tulane product going on Day 3, primarily in the fourth-to-fifth-round range.
The Rams may not currently possess a fourth-round pick, but they have three fifth-round picks and they have an opportunity to trade up if they need to. If the Rams are truly interested in replacing Wagner via the draft, then Williams is a prospect that makes sense in the middle rounds.
More prospect profiles
Here are the previous linebacker prospect profiles that have been completed already:
