Rams Pick Aaron Donald Replacement in Latest Mel Kiper Jr. ESPN NFL Mock Draft

The Los Angeles Rams have a big hole to fill after the retirement of Aaron Donald, and ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. thinks he knows just the guy for the job.

The Los Angeles Rams lost the best defensive player in franchise history last week when superstar defensive tackle Aaron Donald announced his shocking decision to retire. 

And with a sudden gaping hole at the defensive tackle spot, the Rams must scramble to find a solution. 

Obviously, the odds of selecting the next Aaron Donald are incredibly row and unrealistic, but there is one player with a first-round grade that could have a shot - at least in terms of playstyle and motor.

We are speaking, of course, about Texas Longhorns defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, who RamDigest.com was first to suggest as a potential draft target for L.A. on the day of Donald's retirement. 

Now, ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has caught on to the trend, sending Murphy to the Rams at No. 19 in the latest rendition of his mock draft.

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"I didn't have defensive tackle on my list of needs for the Rams ahead of free agency, but that all changed Friday. Aaron Donald announced his retirement, and the future Hall of Famer leaves a giant hole to fill," Kiper said. "Murphy is the best interior pass-rusher in this class, and at 6-foot-1, 297 pounds, he has a similar build to Donald. I'm not saying he will become a perennial All-Pro, but he has intriguing tools at the position. He had five sacks and created 33 pressures last season. This match makes a lot of sense."

Alongside T'Vondre Sweat, Murphy was one-half of the country's most dominant defensive tackle tandem and top-ranked rushing defenses, and in the past, has drawn comparisons to Donald in terms of his skillset, motor, and ferocity.

No, Murphy is not Donald. No one is. But he could provide the kind of traits that the Rams would be looking for as a replacement, and fit their defensive scheme.

Aaron Donald Retires; Texas Tackle Byron Murphy Rams NFL Draft Focus?

“He’s built like a pit bull, man,” Murphy's college head coach Steve Sarkisian said. “He’s strong. He’s got really strong shoulders. He’s extremely quick and powerful. He’s got a very high football IQ, and he plays hard. Those are all really cool prerequisites that you want to have as a defensive lineman, especially with his stature.”

Of course, the crux of the situation is that Murphy could be gone well before the Rams pick at No. 19 next month. That said, if Kiper's projections come to fruition, they could get lucky.