2023 NFL Draft Big Board: 100 players the Rams could select on draft night

100 players the Los Angeles Rams could select in the NFL Draft

With less than one week to go before the NFL Draft, teams are finalizing their big boards and making their final adjustments. The Los Angeles Rams and general manager Les Snead are no different.

While there will be over 300 players available to select, teams usually only have big boards up to 175 with players that they see as fits.

With the tweet above in mind, I thought it would be fun to come up with a Rams big board of my own and players that I see as being fits on draft day.

Keep in mind, these are players who I would consider fits. Not every player is going to be on this list. Players like BJ Ojulari and Steve Avila are left off because of player and scheme fit. Ojulari has a hot and cold motor which the Rams don’t like at the edge rusher position and Avila is much bigger and doesn’t fit Sean McVay’s zone-blocking scheme.

Players ranked inside the consensus top-25 are also left off as the Rams don’t select until pick 36. Here are the top-100 players that I could see the Rams selecting on draft day.

Top-10 Options For the Rams at 36

1. EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State
2. CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State
3. WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennesee
4. TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah
5. CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
6. iOL O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida
7. DL Calijah Kancey, Pitt
8. EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Kansas State
9. DL Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
10. TE Luke Musgrave, Oregon State

If the Rams ended up with any of these 10 players with the 36th overall pick, not too many would complain about the player selected. Will McDonald IV remains the top option for the Rams with Emmanuel Forbes right behind him. Both players are great fits and add talent to a depleted defense.

After number five, there’s a bit of a drop-off in talent, but nothing too severe. Anudike-Uzomah would be a good plan B at edge and O’Cyrus Torrence would add some stability to the interior of the offensive line.

10 Options For the Rams in a Trade Down

11. OL Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland
12. iOL John Michael Schmitz, MInnesota
13. CB DJ Turner, Michigan
14. EDGE, Keion White, George Tech
15. iOL Cody Mauch, North Dakota State
16. iOL Joe Tippman, Wisconsin
17. RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Alabama
18. S Jartavius Martin, Illinois
19. CB Clark Phillips, III, Utah
20. CB Julius Brents, Kansas State

In the case of a trade down, it would be a great spot for the Rams to address the offensive line. Jaelyn Duncan has inside-outside versatility. He projects as a guard in the NFL, but could certainly hold it down at left tackle. John Michael Schmitz and Cody Mauch will also hold good value in a trade down.

This is also a good spot for the Rams to address cornerback if they miss out on the top players at the top of the second-round. DJ Turner is a great fit along with Clark Phillips III.

Will They Fall to 69?

21. DL Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
22. OT Matthew Bergeron, Syracuse
23. TE Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
24. DL Zacch Pickens, South Carolina
25. RB Roschon Johnson, Texas
26. EDGE Isaiah McGuire, Mizzou
27. WR Jayden Reed, Michigan State
28. iOL Luke Wypler, Ohio State
29. TE Sam LaPorta, Iowa
30. QB Hendon Hooker

Some of these players will undoubtedly go inside the top-50 and others between 50 and the Rams selection at 69. Still, there should be a few players on this list who the Rams are able to select from when they are on the clock. This is why this selection remains a prime trade-back spot.

This selection seems early for defensive line and running back. However, a wide receiver like Jayden Reed could certainly be on the table. Reed is someone that the Rams have been connected to and compares somewhat favorably to Robert Woods in terms of play-style.

10 Players the Rams Could Select to End Day 2

31. WR Josh Downs, North Carolina
32. WR Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
33. RB Zach Charbonnet, UCLA
34. LB DeMarvion Overshown, Texas
35. LB Daiyan Henley, Washington State
36. TE Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan
37. iOL Nick Broeker, Ole Miss
38. EDGE Yasir Abdullah, Louisville
39. TE Brenton Strange, Penn State
40. DL Colby Wooden, Auburn

Even if the Rams trade back to a later selection from 69 or 77, they should have the ability to end day two on a high-note. This seems like a prime spot to address the offensive side of the ball. There will be plenty of wide receivers available as well as tight ends. Luke Schoonmaker would be a great pick in this spot.

Don’t rule out linebacker either. It would be a relative surprise if the Rams addressed the position before day three. However, Ovvershown and Henley are great fits and would pair nicely with Ernest Jones.

10 Early Options on Day 3 of the Draft

41. WR Parker Washington, Penn State
42. iDL Jalen Redmond, Oklahoma
43. EDGE Byron Young, Tennessee
44. TE Josh Whyle, Cincinnati
45. iOL Ricky Stromberg
46. iDL Moro Ojomo, Texas
47. CB Jakorian Bennett, Maryland
48. WR Kayshon Boutte, LSU
49. RB Israel Abanikanda, Pitt
50. CB Riley Moss, Iowa

This section of the draft is a little bit of a dead zone for the Rams unless they can trade up and acquire a fourth-round pick. As it stands, their first pick on day three is set to happen at pick 167. They’ll have a lot of waiting and many of these players could be gone by the time they are back on the clock.

My favorite offensive line and defensive line prospect for the Rams are in this area with Redmond and Stromberg. Both players would be depth right away as rookies with potential to develop into quality starters. Bennett is also one of my favorite cornerback prospects. Snead will need to find a way to get into this area of the draft.

15 Realistic Day 3 Options for the Rams

51. QB Jaren Hall, BYU
52. S Jammie Robinson, Florida State
53. EDGE Zach Harrison, Ohio State
54. iOL Braeden Daniels, Utah
55. S Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn State
56. TE Davis Allen, Clemson
57. RB Chase Brown, Illinois
58. S Daniel Scott, Cal
59. TE Will Mallory, Miami
60. CB Cory Trice, Purdue
61. CB Kei’Trel Clark, Louisville
62. LB Owen Pappue, Auburn
63. EDGE, Nick Hampton
64. CB Carrington Valentine, Kentucky
65. WR Ronnie Bell, Michigan

Things start to thin out a little bit on day three, especially as you enter the 167 range where the Rams’ first pick takes place. Will Jaren Hall still be on the board and be an option at quarterback? Some edge rushers like Nick Hampton will also be available.

However, this position is a great spot to address cornerback depth or potentially a skill position on offense. Valentine is a great fit for the Rams at cornerback. Meanwhile, Will Mallory and Ronnie Bell would give the Rams options in the passing game.

15 Players Who Would Give Rams Good Roster Depth

66. EDGE YaYa Diaby, Louisville
67. RB Evan Hull, Northwestern
68. CB Starling Thomas V, UAB
69. QB Jake Haener, Fresno St.
70. iOL Jon Ojukwu, Boise St.
71. CB Darius Rush, South Carolina
72. iDL Karl Brooks, Bowling Green
73. OL Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion
74. RB Eric Gray, Oklahoma
75. LB SirVocea Dennis, Pitt
76. iOL Juice Scruggs, Penn State
77. QB Stetson Bennett V, Georgia
78. RB Devon Achane, Texas A&M
79. OL Wanya Morris, Oklahoma
80. DL Byron Young, Alabama

The Rams will need to build some depth on their roster and this group of players should be able to accomplish that. With at least four picks between 177 and 191, Snead will own this section of the draft.

Evan Hull is one of my favorite running back options for the Rams. This is also a good spot to build depth in the trenches. Ojukwu from Boise State and Saldiveri from Old Dominion could provide that on the offensive line. Meanwhile, Karl Brooks and Byron Young are options on defense.

10 Diamonds in the Rough

81. DL Jacqueline Roy, LSU
82. DL Keondre Coburn, Texas
83. LB Dee Winters, TCU
84. iOL Jon Gaines, UCLA
85. OL Warren McClendon, Georgia
86. DL Dante Stills, West Virginia
87. iOL Alex Forsyth, Oregon
88. WR Charlie Jones, Purdue
89. WR Rakim Jarrett, Maryland
90. QB Clayton Tune, Houston

At this stage in the draft, it’s all about finding that diamond in the rough. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rams address the trenches and defense at this stage. Special teams contributors will also be the fold as well as backup quarterback.

10 Late-Round Dart-Throws

91. CB Mekhi Blackmon, USC
92. TE Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion
93. EDGE Ali Gaye, LSU
94. DL Cameron Young, Mississippi St.
95. WR A.T. Perry, Wake Forest
96. S Jay Ward, LSU
97. S Trey Dean III, Florida
98. Tavius Robinson, Ole Miss
99. S Anthony Johnson Jr., Iowa St.
100. K Jake Moody, Michigan

The Rams moved up from 251 to 234 in the Allen Robinson trade. Still, this late in the draft is all about throwing darts and hoping you hit a bullseye. Special teams contributors will be in consideration as well as players who may have some unpolished potential.