Mock Draft Data: Analyzing the Los Angeles Rams' Most Popular Picks
The Los Angeles Rams are months away from making their most important pick since the first-overall selection of quarterback Jared Goff in 2016. As such, the hype has begun to spread, and mock draft mania can finally include the Rams.
With an aging quarterback and potential departures on the offensive line, many have projected Los Angeles to take the heir to Matthew Stafford’s throne or an additional reinforcement to protect him.
However, the most popular picks for the 19th selection in April’s NFL Draft all come on the other side of the ball.
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Using NFL Mock Draft Database, fans can sort through the prospects teams frequently match with Los Angeles and easily find said mock drafts for additional content. For example, risers in the draft class can be identified, such as Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell being labeled as a “trendy pick.”
Cooper DeJean, Cornerback, Iowa – 12.6 percent
Adding to the intrigue is DeJean’s somewhat low mock draft market share. Despite being taken 12.6 percent of the time, that's a lower mark than several other teams, including the Buffalo Bills and LSU receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (14.7 percent).
This means that Los Angeles is in a unique position given their assortment of needs and how this class may fall. DeJean offers a well-rounded set of athletic gifts that may set him apart as this cornerback class races to the podium. Headlining one of the nation’s best defenses, DeJean has the versatility to play outside, inside, or safety at the next level.
The Iowa product brings a blend of physicality and ball skills and offers several avenues to be a quality starter for the 2024 Rams.
Nate Wiggins, Cornerback, Clemson – 9.3 percent
Part of why Los Angeles seems to have so many options is that one of their positions of need is cornerback, where several cornerbacks seem destined for the middle of the first round.
Wiggins, of course, is one of them. Few, if any, corners in this class possess his level of athleticism, encapsulated by elite speed and fluidity. He’s a good processor and has the technique to ease position coaches’ worries as he transitions to the league.
If there’s a knock on Wiggins, it’s a come-and-go sense of physicality. Where he may surpass DeJean as a pure cover corner, he falls behind in run support and may stick to the boundary. Even so, it’s hard to imagine him not starting from the jump should he be the selection.
Chop Robinson, Edge Rusher, Penn State – 8.9 percent
Of these three prospects, Robinson’s stock has the lowest floor of the group. He had the least pedigree heading into the season.
However, his raw athleticism is impossible to ignore and is a driving force in his pre-draft hype. It’s no surprise the Rams would target high-level athletic traits, but Robinson truly has it in spades. His burst off the line of scrimmage and ability to bend around tackles are both some of the better traits in this class. He struggles with his strength at times and may ultimately be a pass-rush specialist, but some team is going to justifiably buy his skill set early on.
Los Angeles badly needs a pass-rushing threat opposite edge rusher Byron Young, and Robinson is a prime candidate to do so. Addressing the pass rush would go a long way in fixing a defense that fell behind its counterpart on the other side of the ball last season.
