The Rams came up just short of a Super Bowl title in 2018, but they’ll need to find a quality prospect in Round 1 of this year’s draft to keep things going.
Sean McVay’s innovative offense led the Rams to a great 2018 campaign that culminated in a Super Bowl appearance. Success in the NFL is fleeting though. Los Angeles needs to keep adding high-end talent through the draft if they want to keep contending for titles.
The Rams’ first round pick this season is particularly important because the team doesn’t have a choice in either of the next two rounds. That means they almost have to find a starter with the No. 31 selection. The chances of them finding an impact player are considerably lower when the pick again in Round 4.
The good news for McVay and company is that this roster doesn’t have that many holes. The offense might want to add some young talent on the offensive line, but is electric at the skill positions. It’s hard to imagine the team using their first rounder to boost Jared Goff and company.
Instead, look for Los Angeles to go with defense in Round 1. Finding a defensive tackle to replace Ndamukong Suh might be the most obvious need. The Rams could also look to add a cornerback to help guard against the unpredictable nature of both Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. The linebacking corps could also use a more dynamic player to wreak havoc on the opposition. With that in mind, here are the five players most likely to go to the Rams in Round 1.
5. Dexter Lawrence
Lawrence would be an excellent replacement for Suh in the middle of the Rams’ line. He’s not a great pass rusher, but Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers handle that for this team. The former Clemson star can plug the middle and let the rest of the team’s defensive line make the highlight plays.
The obvious question is whether or not Lawrence will make it this far. That seems to be approximately a 50/50 proposition. The Rams won’t jump up to take him, but they may end his slide if Lawrence makes it this far.