It’s finally here. The NFL Draft is just days away and for the second time in the Sean McVay era, the Los Angeles Rams could be making a pick in the first round. After selecting edge rusher Jared Verse in the first round last year, the Rams will be hoping for similar success. Throughout the draft process, the Rams do a good job of keeping things close to the vest. Therefore, they are notoriously a hard team to predict.
As a note, my final mock draft is not done with a mock simulator. Instead, I rely on a consensus big board and keep players within a certain range of outcomes. To keep things simple, there are also no trades. That said, a few players have been selected with the anticipation that there may be a trade. Below is not necessarily what I would personally do, but what I think the Rams will do and how they will approach the draft.
26th Overall – TE Mason Taylor, LSU
Trading back from the 26th overall pick seems like the best choice for the Rams. It allows them to recoup some of the losses after moving up for Braden Fiske last year and there isn’t a huge talent gap between pick 26 and pick 46 in this draft. If someone like Colston Loveland is not available at 26, the Rams could trade back into the early second-round and take someone like Taylor who is a great fit for the Rams and the Sean McVay offense.
While Taylor may not be as polished as a route-runner as Loveland, he is a fluid athlete for a tight end when it comes to getting in and out of his breaks. He also has no issues lining up in-line and doing the dirty work as a blocker in the run game.
The Rams may not take Taylor at 26, but he is someone that will be high on their board and could be had in a trade back scenario. Tyler Higbee is in the final year of his deal and the Rams have an out in Colby Parkinson’s contract at the end of 2025 as well. Taylor gives the Rams a future at the tight end position.
90th Overall – OT Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College
Trapilo has been a common selection throughout my mock drafts and for good reason. The Boston College right tackle is a great fit for the Rams and compares well to Rob Havenstein. Trapilo may not start right away, but he provides swing tackle ability as a rookie and then the ability to move into a starting role in year two.
At the end of the day, the Rams need a future at right tackle with Havenstein getting older and on the final year of his contract. Trapilo would get to learn behind one of the more solid right tackles in the NFL and be the heir apparent on the right side that the Rams need. Brandon Thorn of Trench Warfare said of Trapilo,
“Overall, Trapilo has the size, craftiness, play strength and anchoring ability to be a high-level backup at tackle or guard right away and compete for a starting right tackle role as a rookie inside a multiple run scheme that majors in zone concepts.”
It’s possible that Trapilo goes before the 90th overall pick, but as a player with experience in a multiple run scheme and moves well in space, he’s a great fit for the Rams offense.
101st Overall – DL Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
The Rams have one of the best, young defensive fronts in the NFL. However, it is a position group that they need to continue adding to, especially from a depth perspective. Turner is a player that the Rams have met with and after getting more clarity on some of his on-field, off-field, and injury issues, should be a player that they really like.
This is simply the type of player that has a mentality that the Rams need on their defensive line. Per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, one defensive line coach said of Turner,
“He might’ve been a first-rounder if he was in last year’s class. He plays with such an edge. He’s a f—ing asshole. I like his position flex. He can bounce out there and play edge, can kick him to the 3 (technique), kick him to the nose. Watch the tape, he’s the best one from A&M. Holy s—, this fool is coming off the ball. Walter Nolen’s the most explosive, hands down. But he’s not far from him.”
Turner’s motor runs hot and he has the ability to line up almost anywhere along the defensive line. He’s a well-rounded player as he had 17 run stops and 21 pressures. He may not be a big run-stopper, but he plays with toughness and violence which is good to have as depth.
127th Overall – LB Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia
The Rams may not target the linebacker position early, but it’s hard to find a player who fits both stylistically and character-wise than Smael Mondon Jr. This is also a spot where the Rams could go cornerback and take a player like Jacob Parrish or Quincy Riley. After the Ernest Jones trade, the Rams lacked a leader in the back seven on defense. That was a role that Mondon embraced in Mobile at the Senior Bowl.
With Omar Speights in place, the Rams don’t necessarily need a run-stopper at linebacker. They also signed Nate Landman and brought back Troy Reeder who specialize against the run. This is a defense that need a linebacker who is comfortable dropping into coverage, but can hold their own against the run. Mondon is a reliable tackler in the run game as he had a missed tackle percentage of just 2.8 percent last season. While he has dealt with injuries, his leadership presence was missed on the Georgia defense when he missed time. Mondon is the type of player that the Rams defense is missing.
190th Overall – QB Kyle McCord, Syracuse
It’s very possible that McCord ends up going much earlier than this. However, given the lack of quality of the quarterback position, teams may prioritize other positions earlier which forces someone like McCord to fall. If the Rams are able to pick up a fifth-round pick in a trade back, McCord could be taken there as well.
Taking McCord here doesn’t imply that he’s the heir to Matthew Stafford in the same sense that Stetson Bennett wasn’t when the Rams took him in the fourth round in 2023. However, McCord gives the Rams a player who is a perfect fit in the offense and someone that can be a long-term backup and potential bridge if needed for the next quarterback. Essentially, McCord gives the Rams options at the quarterback position. It’s become clear that Bennett isn’t the answer as a long-term backup. He’s thrown eight interceptions over five preseason games. McCord can sit behind Jimmy Garoppolo this year, be the team’s backup in 2026, and then continue to play that role and be the team’s potential bridge in 2027.
The Syracuse quarterback led college football in big time throws in 2024. As Jon Gruden said about McCord, “I think he’s the best kept secret in this draft. Nobody throws the ball down the field better.”
He outperformed and led a 21-0 comeback against Cam Ward and Miami last season. McCord has been through a lot in his college career and while his stint at Ohio State didn’t go as planned, he led Syracuse to their first 10-win season since 2018.
195th Overall – WR Isaac TeSlaa, Arkansas
After re-signing Tutu Atwell and bringing in Davante Adams, the Rams don’t necessarily need to take a wide receiver early. However, both of those are essentially one-year deals and it would make sense to at least draft a player at the position. The Rams have had success finding wide receivers on day three and it’s hard to find a better fit in that range than Isaac TeSlaa.
Said Matt Harmon of Reception Perception on TeSlaa,
“TeSlaa’s route success rate chart is a journey. There’s a big chunk missing on digs and curls, which will just have to be better if he’s going to be anything close to a regular feature in an offense…However, his success rates on slants and nines show an impressive separator who can run by or snap off unsuspecting cornerbacks…Another reason to bet on this guy is that he has pristine hands. He demonstrates the ball skills that will have coaches eager to sign up for the development plan… It’s not at all a clear picture of an easy-to-project prospect with a defined future role. However, he checks multiple boxes that you look for from a power slot receiver, and catches everything. The athletic upside shows up on some big-boy routes.”
While TeSlaa may not be as smooth of a route-runner, the upside is there. This is also a player that blocks like his life depends on it in the run game. With the players that the Rams currently have in the building, it allows TeSlaa to refine his game as a rookie and then take on a more defined role in years two and three.
201st Overall – RB Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
The Rams brought back Ronnie Rivers, but they could still draft a running back. This is a running back room that has become very one-dimensional. A player with some level of explosiveness and ability to break past defenders is needed.
Hunter isn’t necessarily a home-run threat, but he does have the ability to break off big runs. The Auburn running back ranks behind only RJ Harvey in career explosive run rate and 33 percent of his runs between the tackles went for 10 or more yards. Hunter is shifty and finishes runs through contact. He is a perfect fit for what the Rams like at running back and if they don’t bring back Kyren Williams next year, Hunter has the upside to start.
202nd Overall – iOL Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech
It’s hard to know exactly what the Rams have in last year’s seventh round draft pick on the offensive line in KT Leveston. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to add some competition there and continue to add offensive line depth. Rogers is an experienced starter who has played at every position outside of center. He likely provides guard depth at the next level, but could move out to tackle in a pinch if necessary.
