The Los Angeles Rams get left out of most mock drafts this time of year, being without first- and second-round picks. But Luke Easterling of Draft Wire went three rounds deep and included compensatory picks in his latest projections, including the Rams’ selection at No. 104 overall.
At that spot, Easterling has the Rams adding some much-needed pass-rush help. He projects Ole Miss edge rusher Sam Williams to the Rams, which would be a solid pickup for Los Angeles.
Williams is 6-foot-4 and has 4.46 speed, testing extremely well at the NFL combine this year. He’s a much better pass rusher than he is a run defender, recording 12.5 sacks last season. In his three-year career, Williams had 32.5 tackles for a loss and 22.5 sacks, putting up big numbers with the Rebels.
Williams is a great fit in a 3-4 defense like the Rams’, showing good explosiveness off the edge and displaying the power to go up against stronger offensive tackles. If drafted by the Rams, there’s a chance he’d vault Justin Hollins and Terrell Lewis at some point in his rookie year, and at worst, he’d be a rotational piece the way Ogbonnia Okoronkwo was in Los Angeles.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compares Williams to former Chargers Pro Bowler Shaun Phillips, who had 81.5 sacks in his career.
