When Les Snead locks in, magic happens. Perhaps there is no better example than the defenses he has been able to build over the years, especially the 2024 Rams defense who only had one first-round player on the field. That was Jared Verse, and Verse was a rookie.
So Matt Miller made his list of needs that the Rams need to address in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, so let's break them down. Miller shared his opinions and what he's been hearing out of Los Angeles.
"Offensive tackle, cornerback and linebacker rank as the Rams' biggest needs early in the draft." Wrote Miller.
"A rival scout I talked to didn't expect Los Angeles to be active on the trade front, predicting that the team would use each of its eight picks because "they need young bodies." The Rams have shifted their philosophy to target more instant-impact players and fewer developmental prospects. The scout also added: "They'll be patient and draft a ready-made player from a big conference."
Let's talk about that last sentence. I don't necessarily agree. While it's very likely they'll take a "draft a ready-made player from a big conference," with the 26th overall selection, watch out as East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel and Toledo's Darius Alexander could be in play.
Linebacker is a need. The Rams historically have not prioritized the position and may feel confident in Omar Speights and Nate Landman as their starters. When it comes to the outside, especially with replacing Michael Hoecht, perhaps Brennan Jackson may be used to fill that position.
It's not offensive tackle, it's right tackle, and it is not an early need in the draft. Alaric Jackson has the left tackle spot locked down for at least this season if not the rest of the decade. Rob Havenstein is back, and while he may need an heir, maybe the team is confident in Warren McClendon.
Miller could be right on the money, and his resume speaks for itself. However, considering the current state of the team, take his words with a grain of salt.
No one knows what the Rams will do at 26. Why? Because the Rams don't even know. There's so much that can happen on draft day that the best thing to expect is the unexpected. However, I agree that they will target instant impact players.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as NFL Analyst Makes Interesting Claim About Rams' Draft Needs.