Draft day is just about here with the big event beginning on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Rams have quite a wait to endure in Round 1, holding the 31st overall pick, but their patience won’t be tested like it was last year when they didn’t have a selection until the third round.
Their draft board is “98, 99 percent done” with the finishing touches being put on, which leads us to our final mock draft of the year. In this edition – created on The Draft Network’s mock draft machine – we tried to create a realistic scenario of what could actually happen this week for the Rams.
Immediate needs at several spots were addressed, as well as future ones, while adding a wealth of talent to an already stacked roster.
Day 1
Round 1, No. 31: NT Dexter Lawrence, Clemson
Some fans might not be thrilled with the Rams spending a first-round pick on a nose tackle who might come off the field on third down, but pairing need with talent, this makes too much sense.
Lawrence plugs a glaring hole on the interior D-line, shoring up the run defense in a big way. He may not offer much as a pass rusher right now, but his athleticism and power present great potential down the line.
The best-case scenario would be a trade down and still landing Lawrence, but with no trades in this simulation, we take him at No. 31 and go home feeling satisfied on Thursday night.