Which linebackers should Rams target in the NFL Draft

One of the bigger positions of need for the Los Angeles Rams during the NFL Draft will be at linebacker. However, given how little the Rams have invested in the linebacker position in the past, it is fair to question when they will finally opt to address one of their biggest needs on defense.

It’s unlikely that the Rams take a linebacker in the first round. With that said, there will be a lot of value at the linebacker position on Day 2 and even Day 3 of the draft. If the Rams want to wait until outside the top-100, they should still be able to find a quality player that can eventually find their way on the field as a starter.

Heading into the draft process, one of my goals was to try to match my evaluation process relatively close with how the Rams operate. Obviously, it will never be exact without actually being in the room. At the same time, based on the information that is public and matching player traits with what they’ve drafted in the past, it is possible to get a picture of the type of player the Rams draft and what that process looks like.

One of the big changes that I’ve made this year is placing players into “buckets”. The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue called “Finding Rams” which outlined this bucketing process. Said Rodrigue,

“On his screen, which the scouts cannot see, Snead manipulates what he calls “the call sheet” as they discuss prospects. The sheet looks like a series of rectangles that split players by position into different buckets. There are no round-by-round grades, only four overall tiers into which players are then “bucketed.” By mid-April, all draft-eligible players are split into nine buckets based on the Rams’ finished evaluations, which include the medical and character checks completed in March and, for some, notes from Sugarman’s visits. The buckets aren’t always “rankings” — some are lateral to others.”

Those buckets are broken up into nine different categories which are:

• Bucket 1: Math Changer, Total Package
• Bucket 2: Reliable Starter
• Bucket 3: Math Changing Starter, Range of Caution Flags
• Bucket 4: Impactful Contributor, Clean Profile
• Bucket 5: Talented Enough to Contribute, Less Predictable
• Bucket 6: Trustworthy, but Less Talented
• Bucket 7: Late IQ or PQ
• Bucket 8: Major Concerns, Off Board, or Reconsider After Draft
• Bucket 9: Likely Drafted, Not a Rams Fit

These buckets aren’t rankings or necessarily even tiers. It’s simply a way for scouts to easily visualize the role that they see for a player at the next level and a way to define their fit on the roster. Players can be placed into multiple buckets as no single prospect is just one thing. As Rodrigue noted, in Puka Nacua’s case, he would have been a three, five, and seven.

Eventually, I’ll have fit grades and a full Rams big board

I’ll be doing this with every position group outside of quarterback and will be starting with the linebacker position.

Bucket 1: Math Changer, Total Package

• Carson Schwesinger, UCLA

There is a good reason why Carson Schwesinger has been a popular pick for the Rams at 26th overall. Again, it’s unlikely that the Rams take a linebacker in the first round. However, in the case they were to trade back, Schwesinger begins to make a lot of sense.

Schwesinger is the complete package at linebacker. He can have an impact in the run game and also provides value on special teams. Schwesinger just narrowly missed being the only player in college football with a 30 percent tackle rate on plays against the run and a 30 percent pressure rate in pass rush opportunities.

If the Rams want a player at the linebacker position who can hold on to the green dot for the next decade, Schwesinger is that guy. As is always the case with the linebacker position, the question becomes whether or not the Rams would invest what it will take to acquire Schwesinger.

Tru Media

Bucket 2: Reliable Starter

• Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
• Shemar James, Florida
• Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
• Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina
• Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
• Cody Simon, Ohio State
• Colin Oliver, Oklahoma State

Shemar James might be one of the better Rams fits at linebacker and he should be available when they usually target the position on day three. He’s explosive and has the range and fluidity in space to make him an ideal coverage linebacker to pair next to Omar Speights. The Rams also like to run a lot of simulated pressure looks and James shows a lot of potential when used as a blitzer as well. Given time, the Florida linebacker could develop into a quality starter in the Rams defense.

Back in 2021, the Rams drafted Ernest Jones with the 103rd overall pick out of South Carolina. Going back to the South Carolina pipeline wouldn’t be a bad thing. Knight offers a similar profile as Ernest Jones, especially in the run game. Like James, and Jones, he can also be used as a blitzer from depth. Knight may not be a three-down player right away, but he brings a legitimate special teams profile and can still contribute early.

Bucket 3: Math Changing Starter, Range of Caution Flags

• Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
• Shemar James, Florida
• Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
• Barrett Carter, Clemson
• Jalon Walker, Georgia
• Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia
• Colin Oliver, Oklahoma State
• Jalen McLeod, Auburn

Carter may not be your typical MIKE linebacker, but he has sideline-to-sideline speed and brings ‘pop’ when he goes in for a tackle which the Rams currently lack at the position. The Clemson linebacker can hold his own in coverage against running backs and tight ends and should fit in the Rams defense. Carter has good tape, but his on-ball production, especially in coverage, dipped after his sophomore year. He fits what the Rams need as a coverage linebacker, but there are questions about if he can continue to have an impact in that area at the NFL level.

Mondon is more in the mold of the coverage linebacker that the Rams need to pair next to Speights. He brings sideline-to-sideline speed and should be able to contribute immediately as a special teams ace. He’s dealt with injuries throughout his career, but if he can stay healthy, he matches up well with what the Rams prioritize in their depth linebacker roles.

Bucket 4: Impactful Contributor, Clean Profile

• Teddye Buchanan, Cal
• Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
• Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina
• Jalon Walker, Georgia
• Cody Simon, Ohio State
• Jackson Woodard, UNLV
• Kain Medrano, UCLA
• Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
• Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss
• Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
• Karene Reid, Utah
• Tyreem Powell, Rutgers

If the Rams draft a linebacker, it would not be surprising if it ends up being a player out of this specific bucket. Specifically, players like Teddye Buchanan and Jeffrey Bassa make a lot of sense as players that can be drafted late on day two or on day three. Bassa is a player that I’ve enjoyed watching throughout the draft process and fits exactly what the Rams are currently missing at the position. He brings value on day one as a coverage linebacker and can star on special teams. Bassa profiles as the fast, versatile, high-upside linebacker the Rams like to develop. His background as a safety is something that the Rams will value and in the Rams’ gap-controlled front on the defensive line should help him in the run game, allowing him to use his speed and read steps cleanly without climbing through a phone booth.

Buchanan has similar instincts to Bassa in coverage, but is a player that could be selected later in the draft. He’s a fluid mover with twitch and reactive traits that can run and cover in the middle of the field. Buchanan may start out as a special teams player, but the potential is there to develop into a reliable starter.

Bucket 5: Talented Enough to Contribute, Less Predictable

• Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
• Shemar James, Florida
• Barrett Carter, Clemson
• Eugene Asante, Auburn
• Jackson Woodard, UNLV
• Kain Medrano, UCLA
• Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
• Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kentucky
• Francisco Mauigoa, Miami
• Jalen McLeod, Auburn
• Bam Martin-Scott, South Carolina

Woodard won’t be the MIKE linebacker in a defense, but paired with a player like Omar Speights, he can flourish. His coverage instincts make him a very interesting option for a Rams defense that leans into match zone. Woodard is fluid in space, has good route-anticipation, and has the ability to close in on passing windows. He’s not as good as a run defender, but should bring some special teams upside.

Bucket 6: Trustworthy, But Less Talented

• Kobe King, Penn State
• Jay Higgins, Iowa
• Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
• Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss
• Carson Bruener, Washington
• Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota
• Francisco Mauigoa, Miami
• Karene Reid, Utah
• Tyreem Powell, Rutgers

Kobe King may not be the coverage linebacker that the Rams need, but he fits their profile especially as a run defender. His power and hand usage at the point of attack when taking on blocks make him a true thumper in the middle of a defense. He has a keen ability to diagnose blocks and has the ability to blitz from depth. King is an old-school MIKE linebacker with modern-day IQ. If the Rams are looking for a tone-setter, King is exactly that.

Bruener is another ‘see ball, get ball’ player as he had 104 tackles this past season. He’s an instinctive, smart tackler with special teams experience and the intangibles that the Rams look for in players on their roster.

Higgins is a limited athlete, but he brings the football intelligence and strong communication skills to lead a defense. However, he can be led out of position by play fakes. Higgins is a reliable tackler with good run-fit discipline. He’s someone that can start on special teams before working his way into a potential starting role.

Bucket 7: Late IQ or PQ

• Eugene Asante, Auburn
• Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia
• Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kentucky
• Power Echols, UNC
• Bam Martin-Scott, South Carolina

If the Rams are looking for a coverage linebacker to pair next to Speights, there will be a lot of depth in that type of player in this draft. Asante brings coverage upside, but lacks instincts. He’s more reactive than he is instinctive. Still, he has high-upside and can develop into a role player.

Bucket 8: Major Concerns, Off Board, or Reconsider After Draft

• Power Echols, UNC

There are some things to like about Echols as a player. He has the tackle production with over 100 tackles in each of the last two seasons. The UNC linebacker also has good short-area quickness. At the same time, Echols has a lot of major size concerns. He’s only 5’11 and didn’t post good testing numbers at the NFL Combine. Echols is also limited on special teams. If Echols is available as an undrafted free agent, the Rams may take a look.

Bucket 9: Likely Drafted, Not a Rams Fit

• Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
• Jalon Walker, Georgia

Both Campbell and Walker will likely both be gone before the Rams are on the clock. While the Rams don’t draft linebackers early, Campbell would actually be a very good fit for the defense, especially if they can get the most out of him as an off-ball linebacker and pass rusher. Unfortunately, Campbell may not be available.