LA Rams 2025 NFL Mock Draft: Top 3 corner, hot USC QB headline McVay's future in L.A.

The Los Angeles Rams currently sit at 1-4 through the first five weeks of the 2024 NFL season.  If the season ended today, they would have the No. 3 overall pick and head coach Sean McVay could find himself on the hot seat or further hint at retirement.

Fortunately for the Rams, the season does not end today and McVay is the type of coach an owner would have a tough time moving on from.  Given the injuries, the current state of the Rams is impacted to all those losses.  Key injuries include Puka Nacua and multiple players along their offensive line on IR.  That list includes Jonah Jackson, Joe Noteboom and Conor McDermott.  Even without the injuries, O-line help will be a need come 2025 NFL Draft, so expect the Rams to dip into that talent pool. 

Another area where McVay will look for improvement is the secondary where they will be looking for a No. 1 caliber corner.  With all the youth in the front seven, an off the ball linebacker will be on the team’s radar as well.  As far as the rest of the season, the Rams just need to get healthy, improve on defense and win the close games.  Three of their four losses were one possession games.

Current state of the Los Angeles Rams

2024 NFL season record: 1-4, 4th in the NFC West

Team offense: Rank 16th (324.0 yards per game)

Team defense: Rank 29th (372.8 yards per game)

2025 NFL Draft position: No. 3

Top positional needs: CB, LT, LB

2025 NFL Draft outlook

The Rams currently have the No. 3 overall pick. Given the injuries the team has been shellacked with, this may not change much once the 2025 NFL Draft comes around.  One of the biggest needs for the Rams will be at cornerback and there will be plenty to choose from in the draft.  Top cornerback options include Michigan’s Will Johnson, Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter, Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison and Ohio State’s Denzel Burke.  Each of those options will help anchor the Rams’ secondary in 2025.

At tackle, the top options are Texas’ Kelvin Banks Jr. and LSU’s Will Campbell.  With where the Rams are currently selecting, both could be early round options.  Other highly touted prospects include Campbell’s teammate Emery Jones Jr., Arizona’s Jonah Saviinaea and Georgia’s Earnest Greene III.  Day 2 selections include Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr, Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery and Anthony Belton of N.C. State.  The Rams could afford a later round option they could develop behind Rob Havenstein and Alric Jackson.

Some other positions of need for the Rams are off the ball linebacker, more offensive line dept and the team should be thinking about a quarterback with Stafford getting up there in age and attrition. Here is an early-season look at what Rams GM Les Snead and the Rams will do in this three-round NFL Mock Draft.

The Rams will be looking to rebuild the secondary and what better way to do that than draft one of the nation’s best corners in Colorado’s Travis Hunter.  A Heisman Trophy frontrunner, Hunter is stamping himself as one of the best players in the nation with his outstanding play at the cornerback position.  This fills an obvious need for the Rams, but what is most intriguing is Hunter as a receiver under McVay. 

Although Hunter’s top value is at corner, any team who drafts him will utilize his offensive skills as well.  McVay will find ways to get Hunter involved.  Wide receiver isn’t a huge need for the Rams, but drafting Hunter will both provide an upgrade at corner and depth at receiver.

The Rams will have to decide whether their biggest need is at corner or tackle selecting this high up in the draft.  With Hunter being too much of a prize to pass up, the Rams will take advantage of a deep class at the tackle position by selecting Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. on Day 2.

Currently, the Rams’ O-line has been hampered by injuries.  They have Alric Jackson at left tackle, but with Rob Havenstein getting up there in age and Joe Noteboom hitting free agency, the 6-foot-4-, 315-pound Conerly Jr. will be a nice player to bring in and learn behind Havenstein.  As an elite pass protector, he could challenge to take over at left tackle.

The Rams could fill other needs here, but why not use a third-round pick on one of the hottest QB’s in college football.  With Matthew Stafford approaching 37, it’s time for McVay and the Rams to draft the next guy.  USC’s Miller Moss could be that guy.  Considered a top 10 QB prospect, Moss is a QB with a quick trigger and an NFL ready pocket presence that will give McVay something to work with.  Unless a need at QB becomes urgent, selecting a QB in the third round give the Rams a future option to groom.