Av’s FINAL 2023 Rams Draft Board (Top 40)

[AvengerRam]

This is my final pre-draft ranking of players FOR THE RAMS. It only includes players I think have a reasonable chance of being there at No. 36, and also excludes what I view as non-priority positions (i.e. QB, ILB, S).

Critique away!

1. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama
2. Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia
3. Nolan Smith, EDGE, Georgia
4. O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida
5. Will McDonald, EDGE, Iowa State
6. Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern
7. John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
8. Cody Mauch, OT, North Dakota State
9. Felix Anudike-Uzoma, EDGE, Kansas State
10. Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia
11. Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina
12. B.J. Ojulari, EDGE, LSU
13. Israel Abanikanda, RB, Pittsburgh
14 Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA
15. Steve Avila, OG/C, TCU
16. Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State
17. Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee
18. Mazi Smith, DL, Michigan
19. Keion White, DL, Georgia Tech
20. Darius Rush, CB, South Carolina
21. Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State
22. Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland
23. Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse
24. Isaiah Foskey, EDGE, Notre Dame
25. Derick Hall, EDGE, Auburn
26. Zach Harrison, EDGE, Ohio State
27. Joe Tippman, OG/C, Wisconsin
28. Luke Wypler, C, Ohio State
29. Eli Ricks, CB, Alabama
30. Sean Tucker, RB, Syracuse
31. Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane
32. Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami
33. Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
34. Jaylon Jones, CB, Texas A&M
35. Terrell Smith, CB, Minnesota
36. Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M
37. Rochon Johnson, RB, Texas
38. Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa
39. Andre Carter, EDGE, Army
40. Emil Ekiyor, OG, Alabama

 

[Merlin]

I would consider trading up to the top of day 2 for McDonald if he's there. I think he'd be fantastic next to Donald and there would be room for jokes and shit due to the surnames.

Feels like a trade down is ahead though and maybe more than one. Needs are that numerous and this draft has some nice depth at our need positions.

Also I do wonder what our DL looks like if they were to take say Mazi Smith after a trade down. Feels to me like defense is going to be heavy in this draft, with maybe a TE early and an iOL later. But the Rams generally are very hard to predict. I just hope it's someone we like as a consensus, someone with good film not some BS upside pick who will take 3 years to start or can't get off the trainer table.

 

[dieterbrock]

As much as I have been looking for the Rams to add an inline blocking TE, I just dont see where Washington will offer anything beyond that, which makes spending a 2nd rounder on him seem a bit of a waste. Rams apparently have enough trouble with generating receiving opportunities for a guy like Hopkins who was an NFL ready receiver, much less developing a guy without a lot of skill
Something tells me if Hooker is there, McVay may jump on it. Cant say I'd prefer that, but the lack of backup QB on the roster right now seems to indicate they have a plan

 

[Flatlyner]

Very solid list. Few Q's:

Forbes - have him as no chance we have a crack at him, I'm assuming? I'd think Smith is more out of our range then Forbes personally

Izzy - Above Charbonnet, interesting and I might like it. Particularly considering how much later Izzy is supposed to be available

Ringo - He was pretty disappointing last year when I got to see his games IMO. Great size and athlete, but, got beaten like a drum a lot last year (at least in the games I saw). A perfect body/athletic type for a Ramsey replacement, but, needs a lot of work IMO.

Washington - I know you love him, but man, above Smith, Adebawore, JMS, McDonald, etc...? I just don't see that at all. I think Washington is still a project outside of likely blocking, which he is admittedly very good at.

 

[Flatlyner]

As much as I have been looking for the Rams to add an inline blocking TE, I just dont see where Washington will offer anything beyond that, which makes spending a 2nd rounder on him seem a bit of a waste. Rams apparently have enough trouble with generating receiving opportunities for a guy like Hopkins who was an NFL ready receiver, much less developing a guy without a lot of skill
Something tells me if Hooker is there, McVay may jump on it. Cant say I'd prefer that, but the lack of backup QB on the roster right now seems to indicate they have a plan

I honestly considered McVay drafting Hooker too, but he has recently been in 1st round mocks and, most importantly for us I think, he's already 25 and will be 26 in his rookie season and coming off an ACL. I think if we are taking a QB, its going to be a shot later with the idea that if Stafford goes down this season, we are going to be in range for the elite guys in the draft next year regardless. While taking a shot on a late guy that might develop, but with less capital invested. Its a gamble worth taking

 

[dieterbrock]

I honestly considered McVay drafting Hooker too, but he has recently been in 1st round mocks and, most importantly for us I think, he's already 25 and will be 26 in his rookie season and coming off an ACL. I think if we are taking a QB, its going to be a shot later with the idea that if Stafford goes down this season, we are going to be in range for the elite guys in the draft next year regardless. While taking a shot on a late guy that might develop, but with less capital invested. Its a gamble worth taking

He's only a year older than Levis, and by all accounts will be ready for TC.
I agree that the preference is too take the late round guy (I'm a huge fan of Tune) but I just feel like McVay wouldnt be able to resist grabbing a guy who would have been a top 10, maybe 5 pick, if h were to be there.
I dont think there's any part of SM thinking that the team will tank and be drafting high in '24

 

[Flatlyner]

I'm not big on us taking Levis either, since we'd likely have to trade far up for him. Did not realize Levis was going to be 24 shortly either honestly.

I agree with the thought that a offensive player of some sort is going to tickle the fancy of McVay and potentially grab a guy we don't really expect, but, I expect that guy to be Gibbs.

 

[PhillyRam]

I would consider trading up to the top of day 2 for McDonald if he's there. I think he'd be fantastic next to Donald and there would be room for jokes and shit due to the surnames.

Feels like a trade down is ahead though and maybe more than one. Needs are that numerous and this draft has some nice depth at our need positions.

Also I do wonder what our DL looks like if they were to take say Mazi Smith after a trade down. Feels to me like defense is going to be heavy in this draft, with maybe a TE early and an iOL later. But the Rams generally are very hard to predict. I just hope it's someone we like as a consensus, someone with good film not some BS upside pick who will take 3 years to start or can't get off the trainer table.

Agree with trade downs. A lot of good players from 45 through say 125.... get as many picks in that range as possible.

And the more picks you have, the easier it is to draft and let the board come to you so you can avoid reaching for a need only at a given pick. Take the best talent matching need at each selection.

 

[TheTackle]

Looking at that list and considering some of those edge defenders may be off the board I would be tempted to trade back a little and pick Steve Avila. That would lock up the guard position with two decent prospects in the last two years

I don’t see a CB whose value matches 36 unless one falls which is probably unlikely

 

[Billy Baroo]

Gimme the Pitt RB “Izzy” over Gibbs - kid’s special.

 

[Flatlyner]

Looking at that list and considering some of those edge defenders may be off the board I would be tempted to trade back a little and pick Steve Avila. That would lock up the guard position with two decent prospects in the last two years

I don’t see a CB whose value matches 36 unless one falls which is probably unlikely

Agree with that for the most part. There is only 4 CB's that I feel are good to great values at 36, and 3 of them have no chance of falling: Witherspoon (my man crush at CB), Gonzalez, Porter Jr, Forbes. Forbes has a realistic chance of being there, but, I'm of the opinion he will get taken in the first. That kind of elite ball hawk is generally highly coveted. There is definitely some guys that would be values later in the 2nd if we were to trade back.

 

[AvengerRam]

Very solid list. Few Q's:

Forbes - have him as no chance we have a crack at him, I'm assuming? I'd think Smith is more out of our range then Forbes personally

Izzy - Above Charbonnet, interesting and I might like it. Particularly considering how much later Izzy is supposed to be available

Ringo - He was pretty disappointing last year when I got to see his games IMO. Great size and athlete, but, got beaten like a drum a lot last year (at least in the games I saw). A perfect body/athletic type for a Ramsey replacement, but, needs a lot of work IMO.

Washington - I know you love him, but man, above Smith, Adebawore, JMS, McDonald, etc...? I just don't see that at all. I think Washington is still a project outside of likely blocking, which he is admittedly very good at.

Forbes - expected Day 1 pick

Smith - you may be right

Abanikanda/Charbonnet - nearly tied, in my book

Ringo - some risk, but he’s got a lot of potential

Washington - I just see him as a unique OT/TE hybrid who could create incredible mismatches

 

[Tano]

But the Rams generally are very hard to predict. I just hope it's someone we like as a consensus, someone with good film not some BS upside pick who will take 3 years to start or can't get off the trainer table.

It will be a 120 LB Towel Boy from Michigan

 

[AvengerRam]

It will be a 120 LB Towel Boy from Michigan

GO BLUE!!!

 

[fanotodd]

Gotta admit, I wasn’t for taking a CB at #36, especially over Edge and OL, but if cam smith was there…

 

[Flatlyner]

Gotta admit, I wasn’t for taking a CB at #36, especially over Edge and OL, but if cam smith was there…

I'm warming up to the idea of Smith at 36, like him a lot. Still couldn't have him on the "wish" board above those edges though (Smith, Adebawore, McDonald)

 

[AvengerRam]

As a supplement, here are my Top 5 players I’d want if we could have anyone in this draft:

1. Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State
2. Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama
3. Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
4. Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
5. Joey Porter, Jr., CB, Penn State

 

[Merlin]

Replace Bijan with Jaxon Smith and I'd like that top 5 list a lot better.

Feels to me like a lot of corners are about to go off that board round one. You have 6 guys who I think are legit in terms of going by the end of round one. Gonzalez, Witherspoon, Banks, Porter, Forbes, and Smith. That's a legit group up top IMO. I'd love to have any of them.

Rams gonna be looking hard at Brents when they're up. Also I know some really like Stevenson but I have an aversion to Miami players. Not fair I know just a bias I have.

Hodges might be a guy they look at later but his size bothers me. I don't mind a smaller corner here and there but you don't want to collect them.

 

[Flatlyner]

As a supplement, here are my Top 5 players I’d want if we could have anyone in this draft:

1. Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State
2. Will Anderson, EDGE, Alabama
3. Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas
4. Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon
5. Joey Porter, Jr., CB, Penn State

Honestly shocked that you don't have Witherspoon on that list, but have Gonzalez and Porter. I think Witherspoon is far and away the best CB prospect in this draft and in a tier of his own. Paris Johnson is also a surprise to me. Just off the top of my dome, mine:

1. Will Anderson
2. Devon Witherspoon
3. Calijah Kancey
4. Peter Skoronski
5. Anthony Richardson - perfect to sit behind Stafford next 2 years and develop.

 

[Tumak61]

I think if the Rams are really committed to Stafford for the next few years then they go Oline early and often. I see two Offensive Linemen being drafted with their first 3 picks. Maybe 3.