Rams Mock Draft 2022: Post Super Bowl Edition

Rams Mock Draft 2022

With the conclusion of Super Bowl LVI comes the end of the 2021-22 NFL season. But even though football season is over, draft season is just beginning, and every pick in the 2022 NFL Draft is finally locked in. The Los Angeles Rams ended their season with a ring after going all-in this year in the quest to secure their first championship since Super Bowl XXXIV. Because of their investments into that “win-now” mindset, the Rams are in a very unique situation in this year’s draft—as are we for this Rams Mock Draft. They won’t have a single pick in the first two rounds—their first-round pick went to Detroit in the Matthew Stafford trade, their second- and third-rounders went to Denver for Von Miller. Even their sole remaining third-round pick is just a compensatory one and lies outside the top 100. Los Angeles still has eight picks in this year’s draft—most of which are in the sixth and seventh rounds—with five projected compensatory picks. With that in mind, I tried my hand at putting together a Rams seven-round mock draft as they finally head into the offseason.

Round 3 (No. 103 overall): JoJo Domann, LB, Nebraska

JoJo Domann followed up a strong final season at Nebraska with a very impressive showing at the 2022 Senior Bowl. Our scouting team named him the American Team Linebacker of the Week and he did plenty to boost his draft stock in Mobile. There were several good linebackers still available here outside the top 100, but Domann felt like the best value and fit for the Rams. Linebacker is one of the (few) weak spots on this Los Angeles roster and the Nebraska product could step in and be a day-one starter for this team. Domann is a solid run defender but really excels in his pass coverage, something that’s not particularly surprising given that he transitioned to linebacker from safety. He’s great at making plays in space, with a strong competitive motor and high football IQ. Especially in a division like the NFC West, one that will likely feature more of a passing game rather than run-heavy offenses, Domann’s abilities and ball production in coverage make him a great fit.

Round 4 (No. 141 overall): Tyrese Robinson, IOL, Oklahoma

The Rams currently have five interior offensive linemen on their active roster, and three are centers. Starting right guard Austin Corbett will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and left guard David Edwards will hit free agency in 2023. With left tackle Andrew Whitworth also likely to retire, it can never hurt to add more offensive line depth. Tyrese Robinson provides just that. He was a stud in pass protection from both guard positions in 2019 and 2020 at Oklahoma and he moved to right tackle in 2021. The Texas native is a total bully up front who uses his physicality and lower-half strength to win in the trenches. While he may not have the length to slot in comfortably at the tackle position, he’s competitive and driven to succeed if needed to fill in on the outside.

Round 5 (No. 174 overall): Jack Jones, CB, Arizona State

Jack Jones could provide the Rams with some depth and extra versatility in their secondary. Outside of Jalen Ramsey, Los Angeles doesn’t have any true lockdown cornerbacks, so Jones could easily compete for a starting job. While not the tallest or biggest secondary defender—he’s listed at 5-foot-10, 174 pounds—the former Sun Devil is super athletic. He’s smooth in transitions and has explosiveness and speed that allow him to compete against bigger and faster opponents. Jones played on the outside during his time at Arizona State, but his size may make him better suited for coverage on the inside. His athleticism and speed should allow him to succeed there, even without much experience inside in college.

Round 6 (No. 209 overall): Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky

If it wasn’t clear the Rams needed help and depth at the safety position earlier in the season, the fact that they felt the need to pull Eric Weddle out of retirement makes it an obvious need. Yusuf Corker fills in that depth. The Kentucky product is a strong downhill defender from the secondary, but he wasn’t a productive ballhawk in pass coverage. His abilities as a run defender make him a possible extra defender to stack the box at the next level, and he has upside as a special teams defender. Even without a lot of production defending the pass, Corker is a decent athlete and could succeed in split safety shells, when he only needs to cover half of the field.

Round 6 (No. 210 overall): Cade Hall, EDGE, San Jose State

Los Angeles can hold onto Leonard Floyd for a few more years, but they still felt the need to give him help in the pass rush this season with Miller. Now that the season’s over, Miller is a free agent and the Rams will need to fill that hole. San Jose State’s Cade Hall is a tough edge defender that uses his physicality and strength to win at the line of scrimmage on pass plays. Those same traits make him capable of defending both playside and backside against the run as well. He may not be the strongest athlete and should pack on some extra mass in the offseason, but his effort and competitive motor allow him to get home with some consistency.

Round 6 (No. 212 overall): Joshua Ross, LB, Michigan

Remember how I said linebacker was one of the weaker spots on this roster? The Rams’ plethora of late-round picks—and strong roster elsewhere—makes the decision to double-dip at the position an easy one. Joshua Ross was a tone-setter for the Michigan defense and was named a captain in his last two years with the Wolverines. He’s a good, physical tackler and constant competitor in the run game. The former Wolverine is able to beat blockers with his physicality and is agile enough to slip through blocking attempts from linemen reaching the second level. Ross is solid in pass coverage as well, but he’s much better in man coverage on short routes than identifying routes in zone.

Round 7 (No. 235 overall): Abram Smith, RB, Baylor

Abram Smith had a very strong final season with Baylor, rushing for more than 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns after starting at linebacker for four games in 2020. Smith excelled in Baylor’s inside zone running scheme, so he could find that same success with a similar playbook in Los Angeles. He has good vision and physicality that allows him to find holes and break through arm tackles to gain yardage. Sony Michel will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, Darrell Henderson has had trouble staying on the field, and Cam Akers is just coming off an Achilles tear. It wouldn’t hurt the Rams to have extra depth and insurance at running back going into 2022.

Round 7 (No. 250 overall): Tyler Vrabel, OT, Boston College

Tyler Vrabel, the son of Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, is a physical, aggressive, and versatile offensive tackle. He spent two seasons at left tackle and one at right tackle, but he may slide into a guard position at the NFL level. Whether or not he does move inside, Vrabel is a strong pass blocker due to his patience and good footwork. In the run game, the Boston College product generates good power in his hands and uses his lower-half strength to make a good push up front. If Vrabel improves his posture and bend, his blocking would be even harder to beat. The Texas native projects well into a zone run scheme, which only furthers his fit with the Rams. With the aforementioned potential of Whitworth’s retirement looming, they would benefit from additional offensive line depth on the outside as well.