With the NFL Scouting Combine set to kick-off in Indianapolis this week, here are five intriguing players who fit the Rams’ needs:
WR John Ross, Washington
A lightning-quick receiver who could be the deep threat Jared Goff sorely lacked his rookie season. Ross, a Long Beach native, caught 81 balls for 1,150 yards and 17 touchdowns — tied for second in the FBS — last season for the Huskies. With free-agent wide receiver DeSean Jackson expressing his desire to play with a “great quarterback,” it may behoove the Rams to just draft the younger version of D-Jax. The MMQB‘s Emily Kaplan’s wrote an excellent piece on Ross, including his relationship with Jackson and close ties to Snoop Dogg.
OT Garett Bolles, Utah
NFL Media’s Mike Mayock said on his pre-combine teleconference Monday that offensive tackle is a weak position group this year.
“In a typical year, ten tackles go in the first three rounds, and I can’t find ten guys that I would give grades to their rounds one through three,” Mayock said.
One of the exceptions is Bolles, who is seen by many draft analysts as a first-round talent. Bolles received first-team All-Pac-12 honors playing left tackle at Utah last season — his lone against FBS competition. Perhaps the Rams will have an outside shot at selecting their future left tackle at No. 37 overall should a run on deeper positions like cornerback and edge rusher dominate Day 1 of the draft.
OLB T.J. Watt, Wisconsin
Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips knows all about coaching a Watt. Phillips ran the defense in Houston when T.J.’s All-Pro older brother J.J. entered the league.
NFL Media‘s Daniel Jeremiah has T.J. Watt as his 34th overall prospect in this year’s draft. Jeremiah said that despite Watt’s lack of starting experience, “he could develop into an outstanding 3-4 outside linebacker at the next level.” A scheme change is coming in Los Angeles, and selecting a player with NFL bloodlines at a position of need gives the Rams another young building block on defense.
G Dan Feeney, Indiana
Guard isn’t the sexiest position, but it may be the most important for the Rams to address this offseason. Feeney was a first-team All-American and All-Big Ten selection in 2016. He blocked for Tevin Coleman and Jordan Howard, two former Hoosiers running backs who have made early impacts in the NFL. According to Feeney’s NFL Draft profile by Lance Zierlein, the four-year starter’s “intelligence and ability to operate in space and protect the quarterback could make him an early starter with a ceiling of above-average NFL guard or center.”
CB Fabian Moreau, UCLA
I wrote about Moreau in detail earlier this month. Mayock said Monday that the former Bruin will run a sub 4.5 40-yard dash. The cornerback depth this year would give the Rams several options in the second and third rounds, which is right where Mayock expects Moreau to be drafted. Free agency, though, will dictate whether corner or one of the positions mentioned above takes early precedence in April.
