2024 NFL Mock Draft: Los Angeles Rams full 7-round projection in early-February

The Los Angeles Rams finished the regular season on a 7-1 streak and were the hottest team going into the playoffs. They would lose to the Detroit Lions 24-23 in the Wild Card round, and the team is forced to go back to the drawing board for 2024. They had the eighth-best scoring offense (23.8 points per game) last season and racked up the seventh-most yards in the league (6,108).

Free agency will be hard on the Rams' defense and is likely to grab starting guard Kevin Dotson. They are expected to have $35 million in cap space, so they could retain some of their talent, or replace it with other players on the market. What holes remain will need to be filled via the 2024 NFL Draft. The team has nine picks (six of those are in rounds 5 and 6), and since no trades were made in this mock draft, the Rams will make their selections where scheduled (19, 51, 83, 156, 157, 214, 216, 218, 221).

Round 1, Pick 19: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA

It would be nice to get Aaron Donald some help in the pass rush, even though nose tackle Kobie Turner and linebacker Byron Young stepped up in 2023. The team ranked 22nd in hurries (41) and 23rd in sacks (41) last season. With their first pick, they stay close to home and select UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu.

Latu is 6-foot-1 and 261 pounds and runs the forty in 4.70 seconds. He racked up 85 total tackles (34 for a loss), 81 hurries, and 23.5 sacks the last two seasons at UCLA. Latu was the Pac-12 defensive player of the year and also took home the 2023 Lombardi Award and Ted Hendricks Award. 

The Consensus All-American uses advanced hand techniques, explosive quickness, and an array of pass-rush moves to beat blockers and get to the quarterback. He can drop into coverage if needed but is better suited as a zone defender. Latu has a non-stop motor with a goal of creating turnovers and disrupting the offense. He does need to develop better awareness and recognition in the run game.