Barring an unforeseen trade, the Rams will enter their third consecutive draft without a first-round pick, though the lack of a Top 32 selection hasn't necessarily been a detriment to Los Angeles' ability to address its roster needs, as recent examples like 2020 second-round pick Cam Akers (No. 52 overall) and sixth-round pick Jordan Fuller (No. 199 overall) have shown.
When asked by theRams.com about the direction Los Angeles could take at No. 57 overall based on their current needs ahead of both free agency and this year's NFL Draft, NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah said he could see the Rams addressing needs at either offensive line or edge rusher there.
"When you look at them, I think you're trying to find more edge rush. We'll see what happens in free agency," Jeremiah said on a video conference call Tuesday. "And then you can look on the offensive line, both interior and at tackle. So those would be the two places I would look."
As Jeremiah alluded to, whether the Rams choose to add an edge rusher with their first selection depends on how free agency unfolds for them. It's possible they re-sign one or both of Leonard Floyd and Samson Ebukam, who are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next week. Plus, as discussed in each player's respective free agent spotlight, adding their replacement through free agency can't be ruled out, either.
With that in mind, if Los Angeles elects to take an edge rusher in the second round, Jeremiah said Houston senior Payton Turner is a prospect who would make sense for L.A. Turner posted a team-high 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks while playing Bandit – the pass-rushing linebacker position within the Cougars defense.
"He lost some weight a little bit coming into this year. He was pretty dominant at the Senior Bowl," Jeremiah said. "(6-foot-5), 270 pounds, and he can play with his hand down or up. He's got really active hands, he's got speed to power. He's an interesting player that's just outside my top 50 as a rusher."
The Rams could have multiple quality options if they went offensive line instead, as Jeremiah said earlier in the call that he liked the depth of this year's offensive line class. If they chose that route – which could be a possibility with center Austin Blythe scheduled to become a free agent – Jeremiah mentioned Illinois redshirt junior Kendrick Green as a potential prospect that would make sense for them at No. 57.
Green primarily played left guard his first two seasons, starting all 12 games there as a redshirt freshman in 2018, followed by another 12 in 2019, plus one start at center. In 2020, he started all eight games – making three of them at center in place of injured starter Doug Kramer – and his performance earned him Second Team All-America recognition from USA TODAY, as a consensus First Team All-Big Ten selection. Green ended his college career with 33 consecutive starts.
"Somebody like Kendrick Green from Illinois is fascinating to me," Jeremiah said. "He's played left guard, he's played center. He can bend, he's explosive. I thought he's somebody that had his best football out ahead of him. He's listed at 6-4, 315 pounds but he can really move. That would be one as an interior lineman (that) I would keep an eye on just outside the top 50."
Take a look at experts' projections for the Los Angeles Rams first draft pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Alabama LB Dylan Moses
Had a team-leading 80 total tackles, plus 1.5 sacks, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and one interception in 2020 to earn First Team All-SEC recognition from conference coaches and All-American honors.
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Alabama LB Dylan Moses (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
North Dakota State OT Dillon Radunz
All-Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) first team selection in 2019 who started all 16 games and later earned Consensus first team All-American recognition.
(AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
North Dakota State OT Dillon Radunz (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg
First Team All-America selection by Walter Camp, AFCA, Sporting News, FWAA, The Athletic and CBS Sports, as well as a Second Team All-America selection by The Associated Press in 2020.
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
Notre Dame OT Liam Eichenberg (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Washington EDGE Joe Tryon
Opted out of the 2020 season, but produced 27 total tackles (12.5 for loss), eight sacks and one pass breakup the year before to earn Second Team All-Pac-12 recognition.
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Washington EDGE Joe Tryon (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Texas EDGE Joseph Ossai
Posted 55 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss, five sacks, three forced fumbles, two quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and recovered one fumble in 2020 en route to First Team All-Big 12 recognition and All-American honors.
(AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Texas EDGE Joseph Ossai (AP Photo/Austin Gay, File)
Central Florida CB Aaron Robinson
Produced 41 total tackles and a team-high seven pass breakups while starting in all nine regular season games in 2020 to earn Second Team All-Conference honors from The American Athletic Conference.
(AP Photo/John Raoux)
Central Florida CB Aaron Robinson (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Ohio State LB Baron Browning
A Third Team All-Big Ten choice by conference coaches, Browning produced 30 total tackles (13 for loss) two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in seven games to help the Buckeyes reach the College Football Playoff National Championship.
(AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
Ohio State LB Baron Browning (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Pitt EDGE Patrick Jones II
Consensus All-America choice after leading the ACC and ranking fifth nationally with nine sacks as a redshirt senior in 2020. First team All-American by official NCAA selectors Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation; Second Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Associated Press and CBS Sports.
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Pitt EDGE Patrick Jones II
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Oklahoma C Creed Humphrey
Redshirt junior who did not allow a sack on 401 pass plays, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), en route to being named Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2020.
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Oklahoma C Creed Humphrey
(AP Photo/Ray Carlin, File)
Duke EDGE Chris Rumph II
Team captain and redshirt junior who led the Blue Devils in tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (8.0) while starting in all 11 games en route to Second Team All-ACC recognition in 2020. Made 3 or more tackles in every game and finished with 53 total.
(AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Duke EDGE Chris Rumph II
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Cincinnati OL James Hudson
Hudson started all 10 games at left tackle for the Bearcats last season, earning First Team All-American Athletic Conference recognition for his performance.
(AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Cincinnati OL James Hudson (AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Ohio State LB Pete Werner
Werner made 54 total tackles and two forced fumbles as a senior for the Buckeyes en route to First Team All-Big Ten recognition from conference coaches and Third Team All-Big Ten recognition from conference media
(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Ohio State LB Pete Werner (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
North Carolina LB Chazz Surratt
Surratt led North Carolina and ranked sixth in the ACC with 91 tackles in 2020 en route to a First Team All-ACC selection. He started all 11 games and was also voted team captain and defensive MVP. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
North Carolina LB Chazz Surratt (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Alabama OL Landon Dickerson
Winner of the Rimington Trophy – awarded annually to the nation's top center – and a unanimous First Team All-American selection.
(AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
Alabama OL Landon Dickerson (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Ohio State DL Tommy Togiai
Togiai compiled 23 total tackles (4.5 for loss) and one forced fumble in seven games as a junior for Ohio State last season.
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Ohio State DL Tommy Togiai (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Kentucky LB Jamin Davis
Davis tallied a team-best 102 total tackles, plus 1.5 sacks, two pass breakups, three interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick in 10 games as a junior last year en route to First Team All-SEC recognition from PFF.
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
Kentucky LB Jamin Davis (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)
Illinois OL Kendrick Green
A Second Team All-American (USA Today) and consensus First Team All-Big Ten selection, Green has experience playing both left guard and center and finished his college career with 33-straight starts.
(AP Photo/David Boe)
Michigan OL Jalen Mayfield
Mayfield started all 13 games at the right tackle in 2019 and has experience playing left tackle from his freshman year (2018). Mayfield said during his pro day that he's capable of playing all five spots along the offensive line.
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Michigan OL Jalen Mayfield (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Stanford CB Paulson Adebo
In 2019, Adebo was a first team All-Pac-12 selection by conference coaches after tallying 33 total tackles, 10 pass breakups and four interceptions.
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Stanford CB Paulson Adebo (AP Photo/John Hefti)
Missouri LB Nick Bolton
Bolton led Missouri's defense in total tackles, also contributing five pass breakups, two sacks and one fumble recovery en route to being a second team All-American selection by The Associated Press, first team All-SEC choice and Butkus Award finalist.
(AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
Missouri linebacker Nick Bolton celebrates during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
OL Quinn Meinerz
Redshirt junior Meinerz started every game (29 total) at left guard across the 2019 and 2018 seasons. Meinerz's 2018 performance earned him first team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference recognition.
(AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
OL Quinn Meinerz (AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Ohio State C Josh Myers
Myers helped Ohio State produce the Big Ten's No. 1 rushing attack during his junior season, and his overall performance in seven starts earned him first team All-Big Ten recognition for the national runner-up Buckeyes.
(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State C Josh Myers (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
Oregon State EDGE Hamilcar Rashed Jr.
Rashed collected 23 tackles, two tackles for loss and one forced fumble while starting all seven games for Oregon State, receiving All-Pac-12 honorable mention recognition from conference coaches.
(AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
Oregon State EDGE Hamilcar Rashed Jr. (AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
UCLA EDGE Osa Odighizuwa
A consensus first team All-Pac-12 selection as a redshirt senior, Odighizuwa finished second on the Bruins in sacks (4.0), while his 30 total tackles were most among UCLA defensive linemen and sixth-most on the team.
(AP Photo/Young Kwak)
UCLA EDGE Osa Odighizuwa (AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Alabama OL Landon Dickerson
During his time at Alabama, Dickerson earned the Rimington Trophy – awarded annually to the nation's top center – and a unanimous First Team All-American selection. He also shared the SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy.
(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Alabama OL Landon Dickerson
(AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Iowa EDGE Chauncey Golston
Golston primarily played defensive end at Iowa, collecting 45 total tackles (8.5 for loss), plus 5.5 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, one pass break-up and three pressures. Big Ten coaches and media both named him to their all-conference first teams.
(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Iowa EDGE Chauncey Golston
(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Oregon CB Thomas Graham Jr.
Graham entered last year with 39 consecutive starts and as the FBS active leader in passes defended (40) and pass breakups (32). (AP Photo/Chris Pietsch)
Oregon CB Thomas Graham Jr.
(AP Photo/Timothy J. Gonzalez)
Texas A&M LB Buddy Johnson
Johnson led Texas A&M in tackles (86), tackles for loss (8.5) and forced fumbles (2), and ranked second among Aggies defenders with 4.0 sacks while starting in all 10 of their games.
(AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Texas A&M LB Buddy Johnson
(AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Michigan LB Cameron McGrone
McGrone started all five games he appeared in as a junior last fall, making 26 tackles, two for loss, and a half-sack en route to All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition from coaches and media.
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Michigan LB Cameron McGrone
(AP Photo/Tony Ding)
LSU DL Tyler Shelvin
In 2019, he tallied 39 tackles (including 3.0 for loss) while starting in 14 of the national-champion Tigers' 15 games.
(AP Photo/Thomas Graning, File)
LSU DL Tyler Shelvin
(AP Photo/Patrick Dennis)
BYU OT Brady Christensen
A three-year starter at left tackle for BYU (38 total during that span), Christensen capped off his career with First Team All-American recognition from The Associated Press in 2020.
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
BYU OT Brady Christensen
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Miami EDGE Quincy Roche
Roche posted 45 total tackles, including 14.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks while starting all 10 games of his redshirt senior season, also tying for the ACC lead with three forced fumbles and chipping in two fumble recoveries.
(AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Miami EDGE Quincy Roche
(AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Notre Dame OL Aaron Banks
Banks was a an Associated Press First Team All-American and First Team All-ACC selection after starting 12 games for the college football playoff-qualifying Irish which owned the ACC's third-ranked total offense and rushing offense.
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Notre Dame OL Aaron Banks
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Texas DT Ta'Quon Graham
Graham received All-Big-12 honorable mention recognition as a senior last year after producing 23 tackles (seven for loss), two sacks, two quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery as a starter on the defensive line for all nine of the Longhorns' regular season games.
(AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Texas DT Ta'Quon Graham
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
East Carolina OT D'Ante Smith
Smith made 27 consecutive starts at left tackle for the Pirates.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
East Carolina OT D'Ante Smith
(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)
LSU LB Jabril Cox
Originally a grad transfer from North Dakota State, Cox started all 10 games in his lone season with LSU, racking up the third-most tackles on the team (58).
(AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
LSU LB Jabril Cox
(AP Photo/Michael Woods)
Western Michigan WR D'Wayne Eskridge
Eskridge was an explosive playmaker for Western Michigan last year, posting 34 receptions for 784 yards and eight touchdowns plus 18 kickoff returns for 467 yards and one touchdown. Overall, his 213 all-purpose yards per game led the FBS.
(AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Western Michigan WR D'Wayne Eskridge (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
BYU IDL Khyiris Tonga (AP Photo/Tommy Gilligan)
BYU defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga, rear, blocks the pass from California quarterback Chase Garbers as teammate Michael Saffell (53) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, in Provo, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
Syracuse CB Ifeatu Melifonwu
Melifonwu was an All-ACC selection in his 2020 redshirt junior season after logging 55 tackles (three for loss), one sack, one interception and nine pass breakups as a starter in all 11 of Syracuse's games.
(AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Syracuse CB Ifeatu Melifonwu (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
South Carolina LB Ernest Jones
A middle linebacker and team captain, Jones started each of the first nine games of his 2020 junior season before missing the finale with an ankle injury. Despite the setback, he still led the Gamecocks in tackles for the second-straight season with 86.
(AP Photo/John Raoux)
South Carolina LB Ernest Jones
(AP Photo/John Raoux, Pool)
Ohio State OG Wyatt Davis
After initially opting out, of the 2020 season, Davis rejoined Ohio State and went on to start eight games at right guard, becoming a unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year as a redshirt junior.
(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Ohio State OG Wyatt Davis (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)
Ohio State LB Justin Hilliard
Hilliard started four of six games last season, making 33 total tackles (five for loss).
(Perry Knotts via AP)
Ohio State LB Justin Hilliard (AP Photo/Rusty Costanza)
Alabama OL Alex Leatherwood
He started all 13 games at left tackle for the national champion Crimson Tide last season on his way to the Outland Trophy (given annually to nation's top interior lineman) and AP First Team All-American recognition.
(Cooper Neill via AP)
Alabama offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood (70) before an NCAA college football game against Mississippi, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Purdue LB Derrick Barnes
A Second Team All-Big Ten choice in 2020, Barnes paced the Boilermakers with 54 tackles in six games, adding an interception and two pass breakups.
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Purdue defensive end Derrick Barnes (55) in action as TCU played Purdue in an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019 in West Lafayette, Ind. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Houston WR Marquez Stevenson
Stevenson produced 20 receptions for 307 yards and four touchdowns, also returning four kickoffs for 145 total yards and one touchdown while starting in five games for the Cougars as a redshirt senior in 2020.
(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Houston wide receiver Marquez Stevenson (5) catches a pass as SMU defensive back Rodney Clemons (8) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Dallas. Stevenson scored on the play. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
Standford C Drew Dalman
A six-game starter for the Cardinal as a redshirt junior last season, he garnered First Team All-Pac 12 honors for his performance.
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Stanford center Drew Dalman in action against Southern California during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
