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Rams Address Key Area of Need in Latest NFL Mock

While the Rams certainly have their fair share of needs, in this NFL mock they add a talented defender to the fold.

There is no denying that the Los Angeles Rams have plenty of areas of need to fill this offseason. After all, when you go 5-12, you're going to have plenty of holes to fix. 

One glaring area of need for the Rams is the outside linebacker position, a position that is thin. They do have Leonard Floyd but there is a definite lack of talent after Floyd on the depth chart.

How they can address this need, though, isn't easy as they don't have an abundance of draft picks or cap space. However, Dane Brugler of The Athletic did a two-round mock and addressed the Rams' need for an outside linebacker. 

In his mock, the Rams drafted Georgia's Nolan Smith with their No. 36 overall pick in the second round. 

Smith, coming in at 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, is slightly undersized at the edge position compared to Floyd, Terrell Lewis and Justin Hollins, who are all 6-foot-5. While he is undersized, comparatively speaking, Smith does fit well as a 3-4 edge rusher in the Rams' scheme.

He had a productive four-year career at Georgia, recording 12.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss in 38 games. In his last season, he recorded seven tackles for loss and three sacks, helping bolster one of the best defenses in college football. 

If the Rams do address the outside linebacker need in the draft, don't be surprised if Smith trades his red and black for the Rams' blue and gold come April. 


You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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