Drafting Makai Lemon has been a common selection for the Rams in most first round mock drafts, but what could L.A. do on day two? Despite already having one of the most talented young defensive fronts in the league already, perhaps Les Snead will continue to bolster a unit with Jared Verse and Byron Young.
In a “penultimate” 3-round mock draft for his Sports Talk substack newsletter, Sam Teets has the Rams double-dipping on defensive line on day 2 after a familiar pick in round one:
13. Los Angeles Rams (Via Falcons): Makai Lemon, WR USC
61. Los Angeles Rams: Romello Height, Edge Texas Tech
93. Los Angeles Rams: Rayshaun Benny, IDL Michigan
Much has been said about Lemon already, he’s 10th overall on Teets’s big board, but who are Height and Benny?
Romello Height, Texas Tech
Height ranked just 91st on Teets’s big board, implying that this is a “get it while you can” pick for Snead.
The six-year college athlete played at Auburn, USC, Georgia Tech, and Texas Tech. Extend your career long enough and who knows what will happen. Finally, Heights reached his ceiling in 2025 with the Red Raiders, totaling 10 sacks in 14 games.
He had 6.5 sacks in his first five seasons.
The 239 lbs edge rusher ran a 4.64 at the combine and Lance Zierlein says he can’t stop adding weight:
Must add more muscle mass to hold up as a pro. Lacks instincts and post-snap recognition. Will struggle to hold the point and leverage gaps as a pro. Missing base and contact balance to keep from getting jostled around. Lacks the play strength to fight through redirect blocks.
An edge defender with a lean, angular frame, Height will need a heavy dose of weight-room work to compete at the pro level. His rush is fast and relentless. He uses long strides to challenge at the top and can leap inside the protection. However, his lack of play strength and contact balance allow blockers to bounce him around. Height needs to improve his skill level and refine his approach if he’s going to make an impact as a designated pass rusher, but he has the talent to cause some chaos in the pocket.
In Chris Shula’s hands, can Height hone his athletic and physical gifts to challenge Josaiah Stewart for snaps?
Rayshaun Benny, Michigan
Coming in at 91, Benny is 6’3, 300 lbs, but considered an effective two-gapper at 3-tech.
Benny is a tricky evaluation as a 3-technique. He has good length and is consistent entering into block battles. He’s an effective two-gapper who locates the ball-carrier and quickly sheds. On the flip side, he’s not a true wide-body and struggles to drop a sudden anchor when challenged by downhill double teams. He lacks ideal explosiveness and is unlikely to be much of a disruptor. Benny is capable of competing for a backup role as an early down interior lineman who can play in one- or two-gapping fronts.
As opposed to Height, Benny spent all five college seasons at Michigan, going back far enough to be teammates with Aidan Hutchinson. Surprisingly, he’s another reach on Teets’s own list, as Benny was 142nd on the big board but goes 91 here.
Now what would the Rams defensive line room look like after this class?
Imagine a Rams defensive line like this in 2026:
- EDGE Jared Verse
- EDGE Byron Young
- EDGE Josaiah Stewart
- EDGE Romello Height
- DT Kobie Turner
- DT Poona Ford
- DE Braden Fiske
- DT Rayshaun Benny
- DT Tyler Davis
- DT Ty Hamilton
- DE Desjuan Johnson
- DE Larrell Murchison
Overkill?
Maybe. Perhaps Teets is looking at it from the perspective that Turner, Young, Murchison, and Johnson are free agents in 2027, then Verse, Fiske, Ford, and Davis in 2028.
The Rams will most likely need a Ford replacement, while it could be difficult to retain both Young and Verse.
We have no idea if Stewart is even going to be a hit or a miss yet. Plus, if either Benny or Height are steals, they could end up eclipsing the value of someone like Fiske or Young.
You can never have too much defensive line.
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