LA Rams: Mid-round playmakers to consider in the 2018 NFL Draft
By Jason Reed
Fifth-round: Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia
The LA Rams pursuit of a linebacker should not stop with just Shaquem Griffin. Linebacker is the weakest position on the Rams roster and arguably is the only real hole in both the offense and defense. Thus, the LA Rams should be considering multiple prospects, including a fourth to fifth-round option in Micah Kiser.
Realistically, the Rams should be selecting Kiser with one of the picks in fourth-round to prevent him from coming off the board early in the fifth. However, his actual draft stock likely has Kiser landing somewhere in the early fifth-round. In the Rams’ case, he should be taken off of the board in the fourth.
Kiser has holes in his game but what he does bring would be extremely beneficial to the LA Rams. He is a great pass-rushing linebacker as well as a solid run stuffer in the middle. Kiser could have one-on-one tackling issues with elite NFL running backs but should be fine in plugging the running lanes alongside Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh.
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The only downfall with Kiser is in the passing game, but that is just fine. The LA Rams could use Kiser against two-back formations, manning him up on one of the running backs to disguise his problems in the secondary. Kiser is too good of an athlete and rusher to pass up this late in the draft.