The Los Angeles Rams may not have had a large presence at the NFL Combine, but they were certainly paying attention. It’s hard to imagine head coach Sean McVay didn’t take notice when Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq ran a 4.39 40-yard dash and tested as well as he did. With the Combine wrapping up over the weekend, the next mock draft iteration focuses on players who performed well and may have improved their draft stocks.
13th Overall – TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Many might not be pleased if the Rams were to draft Kenyon Sadiq with the 13th overall pick. However, the only tight end under contract for the Rams next year is Terrance Ferguson. Additionally, the Rams ran the highest rate of 13 personnel in the NFL last season. There is a fit on the Rams for Sadiq and what he brings to an offense.
During the Combine, Sadiq ran a 4.39 40-yard dash. That was the second-fastest ever by a tight end and the same as wide receiver Tutu Atwell in 2021 and his max speed matched Jahmyr Gibbs at 23.2 miles per hour. It was the fastest for a tight end since 2003. Sadiq also had the second-best vertical jump ever by a tight end and the third-best broad jump. The goal of the draft is to select good players. Sadiq is a good player.
29th Overall – CB Chris Johnson, SDSU
There may not be a more undervalued cornerback in the class than Chris Johnson. Had Johnson done in the SEC what he did at San Diego State, he’d be a top-10 pick. Johnson led the nation with a 16.1 passer rating when targeted last season. He’s extremely versatile from an alignment and schematic perspective. Despite his size at 6’0, 193 pounds, Johnson is a good tackler on the boundary as he had just a 4.8 percent missed tackle rate.
61st Overall – Skyler Bell, UConn
This draft class may lack the elite ‘A-Tier’ wide receiver, but there is good value in the second and third rounds. One of those players is Skyler Bell who is one of the best run after catch players in the class. Bell is also a good route-runner and had one of the best “gauntlet” drills in Indianapolis. This is someone that should absolutely be on the Rams’ radar.
93rd Overall – Zane Durant, Penn State
Relative Athletic Score (RAS) is one of many tools out there that help quantify athletic testing. One of its features is finding players who are athletically very similar. Over the weekend, Penn State’s Zane Durant tested well. Durant’s top athletic comparison? Aaron Donald. This isn’t to say that Durant is the level of prospect that Donald was by any means. However, Durant is fast off the ball and wins with speed. Unlike Donald, Durant is much better as a run defender than a pass rusher.
167th Overall – LB Jack Kelly, BYU
Kelly had one of the best weekends at the NFL Combine among linebackers as his 9.81 RAS was third behind Sonny Styles and Anthony Hill Jr. This is exactly the type of linebacker that the Rams like. He plays extremely disciplined and is always in the right place at the right time. Kelly may not be flashy, but the Rams don’t draft flashy linebackers. Immediately, Kelly is an impact player on special teams.
206th Overall – QB Cole Payton, NDSU
One of my favorite quarterbacks in the class put on a show at the Combine. If the Rams end up taking a quarterback in the middle rounds, selecting one with athletic upside and arm talent makes the most sense. Payton has shown that he has the arm talent as he played well at the Senior Bowl and then had one of the best Combine performances in Indianapolis. If Payton had more experience and played at a P4 program, he’d be considered a second-round player at worst. His historical combine comp was Andrew Luck and his RAS comp was Daunte Culpepper.
209th Overall – CB Andre Fuller, Toledo
The Rams need to rebuild the cornerback room. Drafting Johnson at 29 is a good start, but adding depth with Fuller later on would help solidify the position. Fuller brings good versatility and was part of a very talented Toledo secondary. He brings good length and ball-tracking skills. Fuller is also an aggressive, physical player at 6’1, 200 pounds. The Toledo cornerback has had a very good draft process and he continued that at the Combine.
233rd Overall – EDGE Wesley Williams
Jack Kelly at 167 was a selection made with special teams in mind and the same can be said here with Wesley Williams. He has an explosive first step which led to five blocked kicks throughout his career at Duke. That’s the type of playmaker that the Rams need on special teams. At 256 pounds, he also brings some size that the Rams lack on the edge.
251st Overall – S Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa
The Rams like to utilize multiple safeties on the field at the same time and Nwankpa would be a good option to eventually replace Jaylen McCollough. Nwankpa excels in the box close to the line of scrimmage as a ‘see ball, get ball’ type player. Initially, most of his impact will come on special teams.
256th Overall – iOL Dillon Wade, Auburn
Wade has been a consistent pick for me late in drafts and a reason for that is his versatility. The Rams need versatile depth and Wade can play inside, but also has experience at tackle. He tested well at the Combine, especially in the speed drills which displayed his explosiveness and movement skills. Wade didn’t test in any of the agility drills, but the tape shows good footwork with lateral and short area quickness.
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