Los Angeles Rams: Way too early 2018 NFL mock draft
By Jason Reed
Update: Marshall decided not to declare for the NFL Draft and instead opted to return to USC for his senior season. This article was completed before that news broke.
I guess you can tell what the Los Angeles Rams’ needs are for the draft. Last season, the Rams went all in on the passing game and brought in multiple guys — Cooper Kupp being the most significant — to help Jared Goff develop. With that in mind, the Rams focus may turn to the other side of the ball, hence the fourth defensive selection in the draft.
In the fifth round, with the 151st overall selection, the Los Angeles Rams selected hometown kid Iman Marshall out of USC. Quite frankly, this is a pick with a ton of upside that is a bit of a gamble for the Rams. However, if the gamble pays off, it will pay off in a huge way.
Marshall has been in a great USC secondary since his freshman season. Until this season, Marshall played in the shadow of now Tennessee Titans cornerback Adoree’ Jackson. In his first season as the number one corner, Marshall’s stats did not impress. He did not intercept a single ball this season.
Thus, his draft stock plummeted. Marshall still has all of the athletic tools to be a great corner in the NFL. All he needs is some coaching up in the right system to utilize his talents to the best of his abilities.
Marshall can find that on the Los Angeles Rams under defensive genius Wade Phillips. If it does not work out, the Rams got a decent corner to throw into nickel packages. If it does work out, they get an NFL level starting cornerback.