The Rams are slated to make their first selection in the 2024 NFL Draft at 19th overall, but general manager Les Snead has left all options on the table between trading up, staying put and making a pick, or trading back.
Mock drafts have consistently projected Los Angeles addressing its pass rush by selecting an edge rusher or interior defensive lineman. Whether L.A. addresses defense or offense, what might their options be based one of those three aforementioned paths?
Asked that question during his conference call on Wednesday, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah reinforced those two positions as logical moves whether they move up or stay put in exploring those scenarios.
As of April 17, the Rams have 11 total picks heading into this year's draft, tied with the Cardinals and Packers for most among all 32 teams.
"They have the ammunition if they want to move up," Jeremiah said.
If the Rams decide to do so, Jeremiah – responding to a separate question about the Broncos' options at 12th overall – could see that being a spot the Rams move up to and drafting a tackle. Jeremiah pointed to Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II as a logical target for them to move up for, or one of the three best available edge rushers on the board if the Rams have a preference among that trio.
For edge rushers, Jeremiah has Alabama's Dallas Turner ranked No. 12 on his current Top 50 overall prospects, followed by Florida State's Jared Verse at 14, UCLA's Laiatu Latu at 16 and Penn State's Chop Robinson at 21. Turner is widely projected as the first edge rusher to go off the board this year, though Jeremiah said some teams have Latu as their No. 1 at the position. Jeremiah has Latu going 19th overall to the Rams in his most recent mock draft for NFL.com.
"There's a lot of people out there that think that Chop Robinson could end up being the second edge rusher to go," Jeremiah said. "Those four guys, I think there's a decent chance one of those four guys is just going to be right there for them at 19, and that would not be a bad way to go."
And of course, knowing how Snead operates, Jeremiah didn't rule out the team trading back and accumulating more picks, and said "you could made an argument that might be the smartest course of action there." Los Angeles entered the 2023 NFL Draft without a first-round pick, but still had 11 picks at their disposal heading into Day 1 and ended up making 14 total by the end of it.
"(19th), that was one of the spots I thought, okay, that would be the most Les move ever, is they finally have a first round pick after all these years, and right when they go on the clock, they announce they've traded out to get some assets here in the second round," Jeremiah said.
