Los Angeles Rams Mock Draft: Post Marcus Peters trade edition

With the 87th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams select:

First things first, the Los Angeles Rams do not have a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, dating back to the Sammy Watkins trade. Los Angeles received Watkins and the Bills’ sixth-round pick in exchange for cornerback E.J. Gaines and the Rams’ second-round pick.

Quite frankly, though, it is not going to hurt them too much. Sure, Watkins could walk this season in free agency, but the Rams now have four sixth-round picks at their disposal to potentially move back up in the draft.

Regardless, in the third round, the Los Angeles Rams need to address the other area of need heading into this off-season, outside linebacker. Connor Barwin is set to hit free agency and would be a pretty decent loss for the Rams. However, LA must focus on re-signing Aaron Donald and deciding whether to franchise tag Watkins or LaMarcus Joyner.

All signs are pointing to Joyner, leaving the Rams to focus on re-signing Donald and Watkins, not Barwin. And that is okay, Barwin is easier to replace than those two guys and could be done in the third round.

Josh Sweat is a naturally gifted athlete that could fall to the 87th overall pick. Walter Football has Sweat as the eighth best 3-4 outside linebacker and projects him to fall in the third to fourth round. This is because Sweat struggled to put together the numbers that scouts expected at Florida State.

With the right coaching (something the Rams have with Wade Phillips) Sweat can turn into something legitimately dangerous at the NFL level. His six-foot-five frame does not take away his explosiveness and speed. As he continues to mature and gets into a proper NFL strength program, Sweat can be a monster.