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With the NFL Combine on the horizon, it’s time for another Rams mock draft
The Los Angeles Rams may not be going to the NFL Combine next week, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be paying attention. While the Rams may not be going, I will once again be making the trip to Indianapolis for a second consecutive season. Before we get into all of the Combine talk about who’s testing well and running fast 40-times, let’s get in one more mock draft.
If the Los Angeles Rams are unable to bring back Alaric Jackson, Josh Simmons from Ohio State is one of the few offensive tackles in this draft that teams should feel comfortable with on the left side. Simmons was one of the best left tackles in the country last year before his injury. If the Rams can take advantage of that and get a “Christian Darrisaw” level offensive tackle at 26, that’s very good value. Simmons did a film session with Brandon Thorn of the Trench Warfare Substack which is worth checking out.
This week is going to be huge for Simmons, specifically when it comes to the medical portion of the Combine. Simmons has experience as a three-year starter, but tore the patellar Tendon in his knee against Oregon in October. How high he goes will depend on how comfortable teams are with his recovery. Simmons doesn’t have a history of injuries, but a knee injury for an offensive lineman will be something that teams want to do their research on before making a commitment.
Higgins may end up being one of my most-mocked players to the Rams. However, in the case that they don’t take a wide receiver like Matthew Golden in the first round, Higgins fits exactly what they need at the position on day two. He’s a wide receiver with size that can win on the boundary.
The big thing for Higgins at the Combine will be how fast he runs. Higgins doesn’t necessarily have that long speed to run past cornerbacks. However, he hit 19.81 miles per hour at the Senior Bowl. By no means is he slow, but teams will want to see how fast he runs the 40-yard dash. His speed in the gauntlet drill will also be something to watch.
If the Rams look to draft a cornerback, the third round seems like a good spot to do it. There will be some value there and plenty of fits in that area. Strong will be one of a handful to watch for the Rams. He’s a highly competitive defender which the Rams like in their cornerbacks and he has extremely good ball skills. Both of those are prime traits to look for in Rams cornerbacks.
The question here will be the speed. Much like Higgins, Strong is said to lack the long...
