Los Angeles Rams 7-round 2021 mock draft after Matthew Stafford trade
The Los Angeles Rams don’t get enough love when it comes to 2021 mock drafts.
Okay, to be fair, the Rams only have three selections at this point in time, but that is going to change in the near future.
The Rams wasted no time making the biggest splash of the 2021 offseason (so far) by trading away Jared Goff, two first-round picks, and a third-round pick for Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford.
As many first-round picks as the Los Angeles Rams have traded in the last five years, it should come as no surprise that the most recent first-round pick on the team’s roster right now is Aaron Donald, a pretty solid selection by the team in the 2014 NFL Draft.
The Rams have not had a first-round pick to use since Goff was selected in 2016. They won’t have another first-round pick (barring any other trades) until 2024.
Despite it all, the Los Angeles Rams have constructed one of the best rosters currently in the NFL, and they obviously believe Matthew Stafford can help put them over the top. It helps that Detroit hired a former Los Angeles Rams front office personnel member Brad Holmes so there was a direct line of communication there.
So where will the Rams turn in the 2021 NFL Draft now? Here’s a 7-round mock draft using some projected compensatory selections through a mock draft simulator.
Los Angeles Rams 2021 mock draft
The majority of NFL fans probably couldn’t name the two primary off-ball stack linebackers the Los Angeles Rams used in their top-ranked 2020 defense.
Micah Kiser and Kenny Young led the Rams’ off-ball linebackers in snaps played in 2020, but Troy Reeder and Justin Hollins also split time out there.
Although the Rams clearly figured out a championship-caliber formula defensively in 2020, new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris might prefer someone who can play at least 70 percent of the snaps if not more.
A player like Pete Werner could come in and be a true difference-maker for the Los Angeles Rams’ defense as a rookie. He is tremendous on all three downs, not just as a blitzer but also in coverage.
By the time the 2021 NFL Draft rolls around, don’t be surprised if Werner is way priced out of the Rams’ draft range. For the time being, he is a fun potential fit in the middle of that talented defense.