Los Angeles Rams Pick Rising Cornerback in Two-Round NFL Mock Draft

The Los Angeles Rams may find themselves chasing upside in this year's NFL Draft. Should they allocate heavy resources to the defense or add upside to a strong offense?

The Los Angeles Rams are facing an offseason critical to their Super Bowl window, but there are still a variety of directions general manager Les Snead can go.

For the first time since 2016, they’ll have the opportunity to use their first-round pick during the NFL Draft. Whether they stay at No. 19 or commit to the bit with a trade into the draft’s second day is yet to be seen. But for now, Los Angeles can confidently be mocked quality players in the middle of the first round.

However, there are no particularly strong signals as to which direction the Rams will go. The defense needs more help than the offense – both in the secondary and the pass rush – but the offense can use reinforcements, too. The offensive line is set to lose some talent to free agency and an heir to quarterback Matthew Stafford is yet to be found.

Sep 17, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) is hit by Toledo Rockets cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) as he catches a touchdown pass during the first half of the NCAA Division I football game at Ohio Stadium / Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch Ncaa Football Toledo Rockets At Ohio State Buckeyes

In Chris Trapasso’s recent two-round mock draft, Los Angeles prioritizes defense but addresses both sides of the ball with top-60 picks.

With the 19th pick, Los Angeles took Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.

“Mitchell was always around the football in his long and illustrious career at Toledo,” Trapasso wrote. “He can start his career as the de facto No. 1 outside corner in Los Angeles.”

Mitchell has been one of the fastest-rising corners in this year’s class, ascending from an anonymous small-school prospect to a legitimate candidate to be a top-20 pick. He’s physical, explosive, and a ball-hawk in every sense of the word.

Simply put, the Rams cannot expect to find as much defensive success next year without improvements to the secondary. Explosive plays were a glaring issue, and while Mitchell isn’t a finished product, he’s an immediate boost to the unit’s talent.

In the second round (52nd pick), Los Angeles finds itself a tight end of the future.

Texas’ Ja’Tavion Sanders is largely viewed as the second-best tight end in this year’s class, behind the elite talent that is Brock Bowers. While head coach Sean McVay doesn’t favor 12 personnel, incumbent starter Tyler Higbee had his least productive season since 2018. He’s not getting any younger and could be a cut candidate after the 2024 season.

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Sanders could find success if he spends most of his time in the slot, challenging the seam and turning shorter routes into chunk gains with his abilities after the catch.

He isn’t the smoothest fit in McVay’s offense, nor is he an immediate need, but sustainability requires an influx of talent and the opportunity to adjust schematically when necessary, both of which Sanders can provide.