Los Angeles Rams 2016 Mock Draft
By jonfox
This is the third in a series doing a full 2016 mock draft for an individual team. First up is a team that had a very up and down 2015 and will be playing elsewhere in 2016: the Los Angeles Rams. As always this is a mock of what I think that the team will do, not what I would do as the team’s decision maker.
1st: Carson Wentz, QB ND State
Wentz is an interesting prospect that would be going to a team that needs a QB tomorrow. Foles and Keenum aren’t the answer. Wentz reminds a lot of scouts of Aaron Rodgers, but the only question that matters with him is: why were you only at North Dakota State?
2nd: Jaylon Smith, LB Notre Dame
If you draft him, you have to understand that you’re drafting for 2017/2018. It’s going to take that long for him to come back fully from his knee injury. But you would be getting one of the top 5 players in this draft on talent.
3rd: Jalen Mills, DB LSU
The Rams have some decent in the box safety talent, but lack a guy who can cover deep. Mills is a pure cover guy who can quarterback a defense but just don’t ask him to play in the box. This seems like a good fit.
4th: Braxton Miller, WR Ohio State
Bailey is done as an NFL player after his gunshot wounds and who knows what they’ll ever get from Austin in terms of wideout play. They need a big body to make the tough catches that Britt and Austin can’t make. Miller is a project but he didn’t need long to adjust to the position in college.
5th: DJ White, DB Georgia Tech
White is a slick cover corner that played in a power 5 conference. The Rams need better play from their corners until Joyner gets up to speed, so White could come in and contribute as a dime back.
6th: Ronald Blair, DL App State
Blair is a stand up edge rusher who will have to hit the weight room to play down as a strongside end in the pros. He showed good tackling skills and pursuit ability at App State so someone will think that they can develop him as a project.
6th(from New England): Daryl Worley, DB West Virginia.
Worley has some amazing physical tools, but he was a very inconsistent player at West Virginia. He played outside corner for the Mountaineers, but he looks like a slot corner or free safety type in the NFL. It would be great for him if he became a special teams ace and worked hard, but he did neither well at West Virginia.
6th(from Carolina): Dan Vitale, FB Northwestern.
He’s a classic Joe Gibbs style H-Back: decent blocker, smart and can find space as a receiver to be the hot read for a quarterback. You find a way to use him in spots and special teams until he plays his way onto the field.
7th: Jordan Walsh, OL Iowa
You know as an Iowa offensive lineman, he has the fundamentals down. He has an NFL body for a right guard and should get a chance as a developmental project. There’s just nothing he does that well. He lacks an NFL level skill now but he’s worth a flyer here.