Ranking the fit of every pre-draft meeting for the Rams

Which pre-draft meeting prospects are the best fits for the Rams?

The Los Angeles Rams have met with a plethora of prospects throughout the pre-draft process. Some have been with in-person, while others have had virtual meetings. The Rams have also met with some prospects at their pro days.

During the pre-draft process, it’s always hard to gauge exactly how much stock to put into the meetings with prospects. It could be a smoke screen for other teams. Depending on what happens during the meeting, the player may also go completely off a team’s board.

Below I went through each pre-draft meeting and determined the player’s fit and potential likelihood that the Rams draft them.

1. EDGE Will McDonald IV, Iowa State

The Rams like explosive athletes with a high motor at edge rusher. McDonald fits that bill almost to a “T”. He’s extremely explosive and tested really well at the combine. He also showed some versatility at Iowa State. McDonald fits the Rams size and testing threshold while also matching a lot of their traits. The Cyclone edge rusher would be a great fit.

Fit: 8/10

2. DL Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern

Adebawore is an explosive defensive lineman who versatile and has good initial quickness. He checks nearly every one of the Rams’ boxes at the position. He’s a little small for the position, but the Rams don’t care about size. If the Rams can find a role for him, he can be a very disruptive player. He’ll certainly be in contention when the Rams are on the clock.

Fit: 8/10

3. TE Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan

Schoonmaker is a natural athlete with size and speed and possesses good body control as a receiver. He’s also versatile as someone who can be used as H-back or as a Y-tight end. His production was limited at Michigan, but his potential is there due to his elite athletic traits. The Rams like tight ends with speed and Schoonmaker certainly has that.

Fit: 7/10

4. DL Calijah Kancey, Pitt

The Rams like defensive linemen with a high-motor, quick get-off, and good explosiveness. Kancey checks all of those boxes. His arm length is very short, but the Rams don’t necessarily care about size. However, are his 30.625-inch arms too much of an outlier?

Fit: 7/10

5. CB Carrington Valentine, Kentucky

Out of the cornerback prospects that the Rams have met with, Carrington Valentine might be my favorite. He matches their size/speed threshold and also has good ball skills and production. Valentine had 10 pass breakups last season. He may not be a top cornerback in the class, but could provide good depth.

Fit: 7/10

6. EDGE Derick Hall, Auburn

Hall is a good athlete, but there are some concerns here for the Rams. His 33.5-inch vertical is lower than they’ve targeted in recent years. From a trait perspective, he has an inconsistent motor and can turn it off if the play starts going away from him. Hall is explosive though and his motor issues may be overstated.

Fit: 6.5/10

7. DL Desjuan Johnson, Toledo

Johnson makes a lot of sense for the Rams and he’s someone that they have met with multiple times. He’s extremely quick at the snaps and has a high-motor. Both are things that the Rams will value along with his versatility to play along the entire defensive line. He’s not extremely explosive, but it’s easy to see why the Rams would like Johnson.

Fit: 6.5/10

8. CB Clark Phillips III, Utah

Phillips III is someone who fits a lot of what the Rams look for in their cornerbacks. He’s under 6-feet tall and had 15 passes defended in 2021. He’s small, but plays bigger than his size and he showed good speed in his 10 and 20-yard splits. Clark’s arm length is a little short, but may not be a reason for the Rams to stay away.

Fit: 6/10

9. RB Israel Abanikanda, Pitt

When it comes to the running back position, the Rams like players who play fast and can make an impact in the passing game, whether that’s as a receiver or pass-protector. Abanikanda ran a 4.45 40-yard dash and at 5’10, 216-pounds, he fits their size profile. He finishes his runs and is willing in pass protection Where he lacks is lateral movement. Many players the Rams have drafted tested well in the 3-cone. Abanikanda’s 7.14 3-cone would be the slowest time that the Rams have ever drafted under Snead.

Fit: 6/10

10. S Jaiden Woodbey, Boston College

The Rams like safeties who can tackle and play special teams. Woodbey can do both. He’s more of a safety/linebacker hybrid, but that adds a lot of value to a defense. Woodbey would be a solid Taylor Rapp replacement.

Fit: 6/10

11. CB Anthony Kendall, Baldwin Wallace

Kendall fits a lot of what the Rams look for in their cornerbacks. He’s small, but he plays bigger than his size. He’s also extremely fast, posting good speed scores in his athletic testing. He’s likely an undrafted free agent, but his athletic abilities make him an intriguing prospect.

Fit: 6/10

12. QB Aidan O’Connell, Purdue

It’s tough to gauge exactly what the Rams look for in the quarterback position. Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, John Wolford, and Bryce Perkins don’t necessarily all have a lot in common. With Wolford and Perkins, we can probably say that the Rams want some mobility. They don’t need to be a “running quarterback”, but not necessarily be a statue either. Even Stafford has some mobility. O’Connell does well in play action and does throw with good anticipation. He’s going to be a project at the next level, but with a Goff/Mayfield system, O’Connell could find some success with Sean McVay.

Fit: 5.5/10

13. CB Cory Trice, Purdue

Trice is a little taller than the Rams have typically drafted. The Rams have not drafted a cornerback at 6’3 under Les Snead. However, Trice could change that. He has decent speed and really good ball production with 10 pass breakups last season. Trice has position versatility and would work well in the Rams defensive scheme.

Fit: 5/10

14. TE Zack Kuntz, Old Dominion

The Rams have drafted athletes at tight end in the past and Kuntz is certainly an athlete as he put up a perfect 10 RAS at the combine. However, his entire game is very raw. While he is a good pass catcher and runs good routes, it’s not natural in his game at this point. Kuntz has a lot of potential, but will be a project.

Fit: 5/10

15. QB Clayton Tune, Houston

The Rams seem to like quarterbacks who can perform out of structure. Tune does have good athleticism and is extremely accurate. However, he gets extremely rattled under pressure and has a tendency to bail and wants to make plays outside of the pocket. He might be a reminiscent of a bigger and more athletic John Wolford. From an athletic standpoint, he tested similar as Robert Griffin III.

Fit: 5/10

16. K BT Potter, Clemson

The Rams like kickers who can hit from long and after the Sam Sloman experience, they value kickers who have experience on kickoff duty. Potter is the only kicker that the Rams have met with during the pre-draft process. He doesn’t have an elite leg, but had 64 touchbacks in 81 kickoffs last season. Potter is extremely consistent, going perfect on extra points. You don’t want to have to worry about a kicker and Potter looks to be one of those guys.

Fit: 5/10

7. WR Tank Dell, Houston

The Rams currently have a 5’8, 165-pound wide receiver on the roster. The fanbase might lose it if a second one were drafted. Dell is a good route-runner and explosive, but the Rams already have that in TuTu Atwell.

Fit: 4.5/10

18. WR Tyler Scott, Cincinnati

If the Rams take a Cincinnati wide receiver, it will be Tyler Scott. Scott is extremely explosive as a playmaker and is excellent after the catch. He also brings return value that the Rams are missing. Scott needs to refine his route-running and due to his frame, doesn’t add a lot as a run-blocker. From a testing standpoint, Scott does check a lot of the boxes. His agility scores could be better, but they won’t take him off the Rams’ board.

Fit: 4.5/10

19. iOL O’Cyrus Torrence

Torrence is a lot bigger than what the Rams have drafted at guard in the past at 330-pounds. While he is able to get to the second level, his 8.09-second 3-cone would be the slowest that the Rams have drafted and his 4.81-second shuttle is on the slower side as well. The Rams value quick feet in their offensive linemen and those two scores display his limited foot quickness. Torrence has the potential to transform an offensive line. With that said, the fit may not be there for the Rams.

Fit: 4/10

20. WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee

If the Rams are looking to replace what they wanted Allen Robinson to be, Tillman will be an option. He can win on the outside with his physicality and speed. Tillman is also good after the catch. However, as noted with his 7.32-second 3-cone, Tillman has a limited route-tree and the Rams like sound route-runners.

Fit: 3.5/10

21. RB Kendre Miller, TCU

Miller doesn’t have testing numbers, but he’s taller than many running backs the Rams have drafted in the past and is below average in pass protection. The TCU running back lacks speed and doesn’t show much as a receiver. If the Rams were to draft Miller, it would likely be as a replacement to Malcolm Brown.

Fit: 3.5/10

22. G Tyler Beach, Wisconsin

If an offensive lineman went to Wisconsin, they are almost automatically a fit for the Rams. Beach’s scores are a little on the low-end for the Rams in terms of agility, speed, and explosiveness, but certainly still in their range. Beach has played both tackle and guard. He’s versatile, but lacks agility.

Fit: 3.5/10

23. CB Jordan Jones, Rhode Island

Jones lacks the typical speed that the Rams look for in the cornerback position. However, he has good ball skills as he finished his career with 33 pass breakups which set a Rhode Island record. He plays bigger than his size and could be worth a look late in the draft.

Fit: 3.5/10

24. TE Payne Durham, Purdue

Durham stood out at the Senior Bowl and showed that he could make plays as a pass-catcher after being seen as a blocking tight-end. Still, he doesn’t meet their athletic threshold as he lacks speed and he will have a lot of development to make as a receiver.

Fit: 3/10

25. RB T.J. Cole, Ouachita Baptist

Cole isn’t a bad fit for the Rams. While he ran just a 4.56 second 40-yard dash, his 10-yard split and 20-yard split times were good. His also showed good agility with a 7.03-second 3-cone. While he didn’t put up good explosive scores, the Rams haven’t necessarily valued those.

Fit: 3/10

26. WR Tre Tucker, Cincinnati

The Rams need speed and explosiveness in the offense. However, that player may just not be Tre Tucker. He’s a decent route-runner and brings special teams ability as a returner. However, that’s about where the fit for Tucker ends. His 7.07-second 3-cone would be the slowest that the Rams have drafted since Pharaoh Cooper. The value would have to be really good for the Rams to select Tucker.

Fit: 3/10

27. WR Jake Bobo, UCLA

Bobo compares similarly to someone like Ben Skowronek in the sense that he will be an early project at wide receiver, but it could pay off if he’s able to develop. He’s a detailed route-runner and will have an impact in the run-game as a blocker. Bobo doesn’t have game-breaking speed, but he’s physical and will win 50/50 balls. However, that’s about where the fit ends. Bobo’s 4.4-second shuttle was really slow for a wide receiver and the 7.09-second 3-cone was also less than an ideal testing number. It would be a mild surprise if Bobo was drafted by the Rams.

Fit: 2/10

28. WR Xavier Smith, Florida A&M

When looking at Smith, the poor 3-cone immediately stands out. He does have a good shuttle which may make up for it. Smith runs good routes and also shows a lot of competitiveness despite his smaller size. I’m not sure Smith is someone that the Rams would draft, but if he’s available as an undrafted free agent, they make take a chance on him.

Fit: 1.5/10

29. DL M.J. Anderson, Iowa State

The Rams like athletes on the edge and Anderson is only an ok athlete and lacks explosiveness. He does have a good get-off, but for how raw he currently is, he may not have the athleticism to overcome it early in his career. Anderson is a good late-round flier or UDFA candidate.

Fit: 1.5/10

30. OT Quinton Barrow, Grand Valley State

As a UDFA, Barrow might make some sense. However, the test scores leave a lot to be desired. The tape shows good feet and a player that may be worth stashing on the practice squad to develop. Barrow dominated against small schools, but will that translate to the NFL?

Fit: 1/10

31. DL Brodric Martin, Western Kentucky

Martin is another player where I don’t see the fit. At 337-pounds, he’s much larger than any defensive lineman that Snead has drafted. He’s not quick at the snap and is purely a nose tackle at the next level. His explosive scores in athletic test are very low which doesn’t match the Rams’ profile.

Fit: 1/10

32. DL Darel Middleton, Bethel

The Rams met with Middleton virtually. However, he did not test well during the pre-draft process. Worth a draft pick? Probably not. He may be worth a flier as a UDFA.

Fit: 1/10