Once again, the Los Angeles Rams treated the draft as a nonessential process to team building. The Rams traded their first-round pick for Matthew Stafford before last season. They traded their second and third-round picks to the Denver Broncos for half of a season from Von Miller. All told, the Rams made eight picks, but they only made two in the first four rounds. However, the Rams did win the Super Bowl, so maybe they have the right approach to the draft by ignoring it.
Make sure to check out all of our other NFL Draft Recaps.
Best Pick: Derion Kendrick (Round 6, Pick 212)
Kendrick has as much big-game experience as anyone in the entire class. Before transferring to Georgia, Kendrick played on a trio of CFP-bound Clemson teams. While he started as a wide receiver and kick returner, Kendrick moved over to playing cornerback in 2019. Kendrick should find a home in the slot in the NFL. He recognizes routes well because of his time spent on offense. He has excellent short-area quickness, and he has strong ball skills. There are off-the-field concerns, but as a player, Kendrick is much better than a sixth-round pick.
For more on Kendrick, check out our scouting report on him.
Grade: A-
Worst Pick: Logan Bruss (Round 3, Pick 104)
Bruss is a solid player, but the Rams passed up a bevy of superior offensive line prospects. Just in the fourth round, Daniel Faalele, Max Mitchell, Spencer Burford, and Zach Tom found new homes. Tom in particular was a tough player to pass up as he has five-position versatility. Instead of gunning for a potential game-changer along the line, the Rams settled for a “meh” pick and horrendous value at the position. Bruss could develop into a starter for the Rams, but if he can develop, the subsequent offensive linemen almost certainly could have developed with the Rams.
Grade: F
Sleeper Pick: Decobie Durant (Round 4, Pick 142)
If Durant had gone to South Carolina rather than South Carolina State, he probably would have found a home on Day 2 of the NFL Draft rather than on Day 3. He is a ball-hawking menace who should be a strong slot option in the NFL. However, the scary fit could be as a Darious Williams replacement on the opposite boundary of Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey will have the freedom to travel to the slot regardless, but the Rams have been successful with smaller boundary corners. Williams is an inch shorter than Durant, but he defended 27 passes in his three full seasons with the Rams. Durant could be the next in line.
Grade: B+
Summary
Despite whiffing on their only pick in the first three rounds, the Rams salvaged the draft with their pair of defensive backs. Kyren Williams had a horrific combine, but he is an interesting fifth-round pick as well. The Rams have bigger priorities than the draft, but for a team that does not care too much about the draft, they had a rock-solid draft. However, they will likely continue to mortgage the future to maintain their current Super Bowl window. This strategy has already netted one Super Bowl.
Grade: C+
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