As much as it would make sense for the Los Angeles Rams to take an edge rusher with their first pick in the draft this year, there’s no telling what Les Snead and Sean McVay will choose to do when they go on the clock. With how many holes the Rams have, they could go in a number of different directions – including wide receiver or running back.
Fortunately, this is a deep class of edge rushers and there will be talented prospects available from Round 1 to 7. The Rams just have to find the right one(s) to draft.
Round 1: Myles Murphy, Clemson
Murphy is projected to go in the first round and not’s easy to see why. He’s a physically gifted pass rusher with great size and college production, recording 18.5 sacks and 36 tackles for a loss in three seasons at Clemson. If the Rams really like Murphy, they could consider trading up for him toward the end of the first round. At 6-foot-5 and 268 pounds, he has the frame that Los Angeles often looks for in its edge rushers.
Round 2: B.J. Ojulari, LSU
Ojulari is a realistic option for the Rams in the second round and would make for a great addition to the defense. He’s on the smaller side at 6-foot-2, but that’s OK for a 3-4 edge rusher in a scheme like the Rams’. He had 16.5 sacks and 25.5 tackles for a loss in his career at LSU and has great upside as a pass rusher in the NFL. He just needs to improve as a run defender on the edge, which is critical in the Rams’ system.
Round 3: Nick Herbig, Wisconsin
In the last two seasons at Wisconsin, Herbig had 20 sacks and 30 tackles for a loss, putting up big numbers as an edge rusher for the Badgers. He’s also slightly undersized, being 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds with only 31 1/4-inch arms, which is why he’s projected to be a Day 2 pick instead of potentially a first-rounder. He ran a 4.65 in the 40-yard dash, which was a bit disappointing, so the athleticism is lacking.
Round 4: Isaiah McGuire, Missouri
McGuire is a powerful edge rusher with good length thanks to his near-34-inch arms, but he didn’t put up big numbers in college, only recording 17.5 sacks in three years as a contributor for the Tigers. He does have a knack for getting into the backfield, though; he had 14 tackles for a loss in each of the last two seasons.
Round 5: Yasir Abdullah, Louisville
Abdullah spent five years at Louisville and played 52 total games, finishing with 23.5 sacks and 42 tackles for a loss. What hurts Abdullah’s prospects as an NFL edge rusher is his size, being just 6-foot-1 and 237 pounds. He did run a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash, which was outstanding, and his vertical jump of 36.5 inches showed his lower-half explosiveness.
Round 6: Viliami Fehoko Jr., San Jose State
Fehoko put up great numbers at San Jose State last season, recording nine sacks and 19 tackles for a loss in just 12 games. He’s on the heavier side for a 3-4 outside linebacker at 276 pounds, but he could also slim down if the Rams want to make him a full-time edge rusher. If not, he can be a versatile player up front, capable of lining up at 5-tech and outside the tight end as a stand-up rusher.
Round 7: B.J. Thompson, Stephen F. Austin
Thompson is already 26 years old, which will certainly knock him way down some draft boards. But at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, he has the size and length to intrigue teams in the draft as a late-round prospect. He originally started his career at Baylor before transferring to Stephen F. Austin, recording five sacks in his senior season last year.
