LA Rams Mock Draft: How to make best with no early picks
By Jason Reed
Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama (33rd Overall Selection)
The LA Rams’ have two holes on the entire roster with only one being significant; middle linebacker. The other hole for the Rams is at tight end. However, with a great offense and youth at the tight end position, they will only get better in that respect. Thus, linebacker has become the team’s biggest need.
And while the Rams can pick up a respectable linebacker later in the draft, they could capitalize on the surplus of draft picks and move up and get a playmaker. Again, this is a best-case scenario for the Rams. Rashaan Evans looks to be a borderline late first-round, early second-round pick. LA would need Evans to fall to the second round, in which they have the first pick.
The Rams would get the pick from the Cleveland Browns, who love stockpiling on picks. With the 35th overall pick, this trade becomes much easier for the Browns to make. Instead of sending the Browns established talent, the Rams can just throw a plethora of picks their way to entice the deal.
Some fans may disagree with this strategy. But with only one true need, it makes more sense to get someone that can have an immediate impact rather than get a surplus of guys that will only contribute on special teams at most.
That is a lot of draft picks to give up, but like I said, it is worth it. It still leaves the LA Rams with a pick in the second, third, fourth and sixth-round. Rashaan Evans is going to have a much larger impact than those five picks would have combined.
Evans is a great playmaker with great athleticism, providing a threat both in the middle and as an edge rusher; two areas where the Rams need help. Walter Football ranks Evans as the second-best middle linebacker in the 2018 NFL Draft.