Random Ramsdom: Would Rams add USC’s Jordan Addison?

Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 4/24/22

Rams Eyeing Allen Robinson Replacement in Round 2? (si/fannation)

“For the seventh-straight year, the Rams do not have their first-round pick in 2023, this time due to the Matthew Stafford trade in 2021. While the Rams gave up picks in the mid-late first round in previous years, they are giving up the No. 6 overall pick this time around. Missing out on a potential star rookie especially hurts for a team that went 5-12 in 2022.

That said, just because the Rams don’t have that pick doesn’t mean they can’t find stars elsewhere. They still have nine total picks, including an early second-rounder at No. 36, so they have plenty of chances to find impact players.

In fact, a recent mock draft has the Rams landing a star receiver that Los Angeles football fans should be very familiar with. In Pro Football Network’s latest seven-round mock draft, the Rams land USC standout Jordan Addison at No. 36 overall.

“With holes all over the roster, the Rams can easily justify going in any direction here,” Pro Football Network’s Ian Valentino writes. “Trading Allen Robinson to free up cap room also opens playing time. Jordan Addison gets to stay near his collegiate roots and can make a Day 1 impact.”

The Rams do have plenty of needs to address, and wide receiver is definitely one of them. Cooper Kupp is a star, but the depth chart behind him isn’t great. Adding another receiver could help take some of the pressure off of Kupp as he returns from injury.”

Top 5 bold predictions for LA Rams in the 2023 NFL Draft (ramblinfan)

“The LA Rams do not have a first-round pick. Even if the team did have their first-rounder, I would not recommend the team investing in a quarterback early in this class. There is a more talented rookie class of quarterbacks just around the bend in 2024, and that is a much better rookie class to invest a high draft pick.

Keep this QB on your radar

One quarterback to keep on your radar screen is Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker. While he checks all of the boxes as a first-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft at quarterback, some expect him to fall due to the medical flag of suffering an ACL injury late in his NCAA career. That, paired with his age of 25 years old, has reportedly had some teams shying away from him as a first-round quarterback selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The LA Rams are not going to shy away from the guy. If he falls to them at 36, the LA Rams will be more than happy to call out his name. Hopefully, the team will remain patient and not trade up to make the selection.

Hooker offers great skillsets that align well with veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, including standing 6-foot-3, a quick release, intelligent, high character, a strong arm that has solid accuracy, and he can even move the chains with his ability to scramble. His biggest drawback is the consensus from multiple draft scouts that recommend that Hooker is not rushed to start in the NFL too soon.

A year or two behind Matthew Stafford, and the LA Rams may be blessed with a solid QB for the future.”

Buying or Selling Latest 2023 NFL Buzz Entering Draft Week (bleacherreport)

“The 2023 NFL draft is shaping up to be a rather unpredictable affair. We know that the Carolina Panthers will (most likely) take a quarterback at No. 1 overall. We don’t know which quarterback will be selected, and we know even less about the picks that will follow.

“I think the reality of it is anyone who is sitting there and saying, ‘Hey, I know exactly what is going to happen at pick 11 or pick 12 or pick 6 or 20,’ it’s all a guess,” Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said, per Dave Spadaro of the team’s official website.

The pre-draft smokescreens are at their thickest at this point, and every comment or piece of leaked information must be taken with a handful of skepticism. Teams also tend to be quiet about their free-agency and/or trade intentions, as information there could potentially tip their draft-day hands.

Inevitably, though, some rumors will prove to be accurate.

So, how do we view the latest NFL rumors heading into draft week? Let’s take a look.”

2023 NFL Mock Draft: Five QBs selected in first round in ‘what teams SHOULD do’ mock (cbssports)

“It’s been nearly eight months since the start of the 2022 college football season, and with just days to go before the 2023 NFL Draft, I’m doing something a little different in this penultimate mock draft. CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco has been doing this for years — a mock draft on what teams should do — and his ‘23 version comes out on Tuesday. It’s a great idea because it gets you on the record, plus it gives fans an easy way to point out where you were criminally wrong.

So here it is, what I think NFL teams should do on Thursday, during the first round of the draft. A sneak peak: I have five quarterbacks coming off the board (and two of them are selected after teams trade up into the first round), six defensive backs, and five offensive linemen — though the first doesn’t hear his name called until pick No. 9.

Also: remember to check out With the First Pick, the NFL Draft podcast I co-host with former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. We’re live THREE times a week: every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and you can watch us live on the NFL on CBS YouTube channel. And you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

One last thing: there are only 31 picks in the first round of this mock draft because the Dolphins were stripped of their first-round pick due to tampering.”