2018 NFL Draft: Los Angeles Rams 7-round mock
By Conor Dorney
The Los Angeles Rams engineered one of the most impressive turnarounds in football in 2017 and will look to continue that momentum with a strong 2018 NFL Draft.
No team in the NFL enjoyed quite the turnaround that the Los Angeles Rams enjoyed in 2017. New head coach Sean McVay rejuvenated the organization, leading the club to its first playoff appearance in 13 seasons.
Quarterback Jared Goff looked much more like the franchise cornerstone that the team envisioned when it selected him with the first overall pick in 2016 and running back Todd Gurley cemented himself as one of the best in the NFL at his position.
General manager Les Snead has already been active this offseason, agreeing in principle to acquire Marcus Peters from the Chiefs and dealing Robert Quinn to the Dolphins. Both moves show that the Rams aren’t comfortable resting on their laurels heading into next season and a strong draft would go a long ways to maintaining their spot atop the NFC West.
So, without further ado, here’s your 100-percent accurate seven-round Rams mock draft.
1st round
With Robert Quinn on his way to Miami, the Rams could opt to target an edge rusher with their first-round selection. Boston College’s Harold Landry could go higher than this spot, but he would be a great fit for Wade Phillips’ defense with the 23rd overall selection.
There is a lot of talk that that Rams could go with a cornerback to offset the loss of Trumaine Johnson in free agency, however I think that the depth of this cornerbacks class could allow them to wait until the middle rounds.
Landry (6-foot-2 and 252 pounds) is undersized compared to most of the edge rushers in this class, but he makes up for it with outstanding athleticism. He tested extremely well at the Combine last week, with an blazing 6.88-second 3-cone drill (same as Alabama wide receiver Calvin Ridley) that put his short-area quickness on display. He can create tons of havoc in the backfield as a pass rusher, as evidenced by his 16.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles for the Golden Eagles in 2016.
Landry missed four games due to injury last season and, to be honest, probably would have gone inside the top fifteen selections had he entered the 2017 Draft. Alas, his down season could pay dividends for a team at the end of the first round looking to bolster their pass rush. Adding a versatile talent like Landry, who can play outside linebacker in a 3-4 as well as with his hand in the dirt as a pass rusher, would be an excellent pickup for Wade Phillips’ defense.