The Senior Bowl is one of the most important events on the offseason calendar, particularly when it comes to scouting college prospects. The Los Angeles Rams often scour the Senior Bowl for talent that they wind up drafting a few months later, including Cooper Kupp, John Johnson and Gerald Everett.
Practices have already begun in Mobile, with the game being played on Saturday afternoon, so we’ve put together a list of positions the Rams should focus heavily on this week. That doesn’t mean they should ignore other spots like the defensive line or safety, but the following positions are important to watch during Senior Bowl week.
Interior O-line
David Edwards is a pending free agent and Coleman Shelton didn’t exactly excel at guard when healthy, either. The Rams could use some help on the interior of their offensive line, especially given Brian Allen’s injury history and struggles at center, too.
John Michael Schmitz out of Minnesota is one of the best centers in the draft and should have a solid week in Mobile. USC’s Andrew Vorhees is another intriguing prospect at guard for the Rams to consider in the second round, if he makes it that far.
Edge rusher
The Rams’ biggest need this offseason is edge rusher. They don’t have anyone reliable to start opposite Leonard Floyd and desperately need help at that spot in order to improve as a defense. It can be challenging to find instant-impact pass rushers outside the top 15-20 picks, but this is a deeper class and the Senior Bowl will give us a taste of that.
Georgia Tech’s Keion White is an athletic but raw pass rusher who could end up going in the top half of the first round, while Isaiah Foskey of Notre Dame is another pass rusher who could stand out at the Senior Bowl this week.
Quarterback
Quarterback isn’t one of the Rams’ biggest needs since Matthew Stafford is coming back, but they absolutely should not ignore in Mobile. They could use a new backup quarterback to replace John Wolford and Bryce Perkins, assuming Baker Mayfield leaves for a job elsewhere in free agency.
The Senior Bowl is a great place to find a quarterback for teams outside the top 20, particularly for those without first-round picks. This isn’t to say the Rams should take a quarterback at No. 36, but there will be decent options in the mid-rounds.
Max Duggan could improve his stock at the Senior Bowl, as could Fresno State’s Jake Haener.
Tight end
Tyler Higbee has lost a step as a receiver and no longer looks like the threat he once was down the seam. Most of his catches in 2022 went for fewer than 10 yards, seeing very few targets more than 10 yards downfield.
Purdue’s Payne Durham is a player for the Rams to watch in Mobile, bringing a good combination of size and receiving ability. Davis Allen from Clemson is another, though he’s not the most impressive athlete.
Cornerback
Cornerbacks get a lot of attention during Senior Bowl week because of how often they go up against wide receivers in one-on-one drills. That’s arguably more important than their play in the game itself on Saturday.
The Rams need a player or two at cornerback after finding very little consistency outside of Jalen Ramsey in 2022. There’s no guarantee Derion Kendrick or Cobie Durant will be the players to step up.
Miami corner Tyrique Stevenson is a willing tackler on the outside and has the size and speed to contribute right away. He’s the top cornerback at the Senior Bowl this week.
