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It's the fun of the offseason, so I'll take another stab at this. Since it's so hard to predict this early where guys will fall in the Draft, I'm going to generally try to adhere to this consensus big board: https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/big-boards/2025/consensus-big-board-2025. What I mean by that is won't draft guys lower than 10 picks of where they are on the big board. I may draft some guys higher because I like them. There are also some players I anticipate going higher than they are rated, so I will stick to my gut on them and not take them at the lower spot.
Cut
TE Colby Parkinson (Post June 1st)
CB Darious Williams
Unfortunately, our 2024 FA class was mostly a dud. Parkinson is one of those duds. His snap count dropped as the season progressed. I don't know what McVay saw, but he clearly didn't love it. D-Will provided solid play, but he's aging and not worth the cap number. Plus, we need more size at CB. It's why I am choosing Spoon on a cheap deal over D-Will.
Re-sign
LT Alaric Jackson (franchise and extend)
CB Ahkello Witherspoon
WR DeMarcus Robinson
WR Tyler Johnson
OL Dylan McMahon (ERFA)
I think we have to keep Jackson. He's a solid LT, the position is in demand, and we don't need to be trotting out a rookie on Stafford's blindside. I expect Witherspoon is a cheap re-sign. He's not great, but he's a competent player and gives us size in the secondary. McVay seems to love D-Rob, and with him facing a suspension, he's likely to be a relatively cheap re-sign. Johnson will also be a cheap depth re-sign. We try to keep Hoecht and Brown, but we're outbid for their services.
Free Agency
ILB Zack Baun
Baun is a risky signing because he's a one-year wonder at this point, but he was also arguably the best ILB in football this year. I loved him coming out of Wisconsin and was hoping the Rams would draft him and convert him to an ILB. I don't think this year will prove to be a mirage. We need an impact player at LB. Baun can be that.
CB Paulson Adebo
This year's CB class has a handful of interesting options. Adebo is the youngest of them. He's more of a ballhawk than a shutdown CB, but after a rough start to his career, he's been outstanding the past year and a half. I say year and a half because he broke his leg around the midpoint of the season. That might drive down the price a little. Still only 25 years old, Adebo offers size and ball-skills to our secondary. Adebo's one big weakness is penalties.
WR Darius Slayton
Slayton is beloved in New York for being a great locker room guy, leader, and mentor to younger WRs. He does the dirty work as a WR. But the biggest benefit he offers us is his vertical speed. We need a guy who can threaten defenses deep. Slayton can do that. Drops were a problem for him, but he has cut down on them the past two years.
OT Jaylon Moore
After struggling in his early years, Moore played well this year as the 49ers' swing OT when asked to step in for Trent Williams. We could use a solid veteran at swing OT. I don't think Moore will cost an arm and a leg.
DT Greg Gaines
A blast from the past here, Gaines has mostly been in a rotational role in Tampa. It should make him relatively cheap to bring back. He can provide a solid veteran presence in the middle.
Trades
Rams trade WR Cooper Kupp and Round 6 Pick #14
Steelers trade Round 4 Pick #21
It's hard to know what sort of value Kupp has around the NFL. The Steelers were reportedly interested in acquiring him at the deadline. Based on the trade value chart, this has him at early 5th round value.
Rams trade OL Jonah Jackson and Round 6 Pick #25
Giants trade Round 5 Pick #16
Keeping this from my last mock. The Giants were reportedly interested in signing Jackson last offseason. While we could just keep Jackson for another year to provide (incredible) depth, I think we're okay with Justin Dedich and Dylan McMahon. I think Jackson will have some trade value because starting caliber OLs are always in demand, and he's still relatively young.
Rams trade Round 1 Pick #26
Jaguars trade Round 2 Pick #3 and Round 3 Pick #24
The Jaguars might be looking to move up to add an offensive piece here if they go defense with their first pick. With the Coen-McVay connection, I could see us as a logical trade partner. The Jaguars have an extra third (and fourth), so they can afford this sort of deal. We're comfortable moving down with the players available.
Rams trade Round 3 Pick #24 and Round 3 Pick #36
49ers trade Round 3 Pick #11 and Round 4 Pick #38
Rams trade up for a WR they're targeting. Despite our rivalry, the 49ers are happy to move down and grab an additional Day 2 pick.
NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #3 - Harold Fannin Jr. TE Bowling Green
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFgJ1D28yoo
Analysis: We reportedly were in love with Brock Bowers last year. I think we'll value Fannin for the same reasons. At 6'3" 238, he's only 5 pounds lighter than Bowers. He led all of college football with 1,555 receiving yards in 2024. Fannin is a special athlete whose acceleration off the line, physicality, top-end speed, and strong hands (only 2 drops in his career) make him a mismatch in the passing game. Despite being a smaller TE, Fannin is a violent and ferocious blocker. He won't be an inline TE, but as a move TE and big slot, his blocking will be a plus. His game needs some polishing, but I think he is a special player. Think prime Jordan Reed.
Round 3 Pick #11 - Savion Williams WR Texas Christian
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ178XLrEo0
Analysis: This is a boom/bust pick and one I've really been wrestling with. I generally avoid players who have drop problems. Williams definitely has that issue. Thing is, he also caught the ball well for parts of the season, so he's not one of those guys who just can't catch the ball. Why am I picking him anyways? Because he is an absolutely stellar athlete at 6'4" 225. He played WR, HB, wildcat QB, and TE for TCU this year. He's a former QB who is a special talent with the ball in his hands. He needs to polish his route running, improve his hand technique, and work on the finer points of WR play, but the tools and physicality are there.
Round 3 Pick #26 - Quincy Riley CB Louisville
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e4sjUn6zEY
Analysis: Riley really impressed me at the Senior Bowl. At 5'10 192, he's a tad undersized, but he's physical, strong, and does a great job of staying in phase with the WR. He also mirrors well and doesn't panic when he's beaten. He found a way to recover multiple times and deflect passes after the WR appeared to have gained an upper hand. Riley is an experienced ballhawk of a CB who has great instincts and the ability to play the slot or outside. While his size can hurt him as a run defender, he's a willing tackler. I've been wanting us to get bigger at CB, but I like Riley's game enough to make an exception.
Round 4 Pick #15 - Kurtis Rourke QB Indiana
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R6eioUZQ84
Analysis: Rourke is an interesting guy. He is an older prospect who has a lot of starting experience. He transferred to Indiana from Ohio and led them to their best season in program history. At 6'5" 225, Rourke has prototypical QB size. He isn't the most toolsy guy, only having average arm strength and mobility, but he shines in a lot of other areas. He is a full-field reader, is comfortable working through progressions, throws with anticipation, is very accurate (especially in the intermediate range), has a quick release, and maneuvers the pocket well. The two big negatives I saw (besides his average tools) are inconsistent deep ball accuracy and a loss of composure when his OL is struggling. But the latter is often true of pocket passers. He's a smart rhythm thrower who usually makes the right read.
Round 4 Pick #21 - LeQuint Allen Jr. HB Syracuse
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyy1QkeGArA
Analysis: I'm a big fan of Allen's game. With the Rams looking likely to extend Kyren, I think he's a great complement to what Kyren brings to the table. Allen possesses explosive acceleration, which makes him a big play threat, despite not possessing elite top-end speed. He's a slippery runner who has a good feel for running lanes. But where he is truly special is in the passing game. Allen is like another receiver on the field. He run routes and catches the ball like a WR. He's the sort of kid who embarrasses LBs when they are forced to guard him.
Round 4 Pick #38 - Jackson Hawes TE Georgia Tech
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byTOumtzF2g
Analysis: While Hawes is expected to go far later on the big board, I think he's the type of player who NFL teams will value more than draftniks. He's very raw as a pass catcher, particularly as a route runner, but he's a sneaky good athlete who runs with physicality after the catch. Where Hawes is special is as a blocker. He is a mauler in the running game who can wipe out DEs on down blocks, blow up LBs as a puller or when put in motion, and he blocks well in space. He's also a damn good pass protector. He's like having another OT on the field. IMO, he has the athleticism to potentially develop into a pass-catching threat, but even if he doesn't, he'll still be an invaluable role player just because of his blocking.
Round 5 Pick #16 - Femi Oladejo EDGE UCLA
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwsTztQmTAA
Analysis: Oladejo started the year playing ILB and then converted to EDGE because of team need. He had an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl, including in the Senior Bowl game, showing off a lot of pass rushing tools and good instincts. He unsurprisingly defends the run well, even if he's still learning to play on the edge. As a pass rusher, he's still putting the pieces together, but he has the size (6'3" 261 with 33.5" arms) speed, power, heavy hands, and enough bend to potentially be a quality player in that regard. At minimum, he'll offer a team nonstop motor, ILB instincts, and plenty of physicality.
Round 6 Pick #26 - Cam'Ron Jackson NT Florida
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51NeVUHoFD0
Analysis: Cam Jackson is a massive man at 6'6.5" 340. He played NT in Florida's 3-3-5. Jackson is a physically gifted player who has a great first step and good quickness for a man his size. He was an inconsistent player in 2023, but I thought he played much better in 2024, particularly after UF allowed him to be more aggressive getting into the backfield. Jackson even has some pass rush potential at his size. However, the most important thing he'll do for us is run stopping. I think he needs clean up his body a bit and improve his strength to handle NFL double teams. But if he does that, he has a shot to be a very effective NT.
Starting Lineup
QB: Matthew Stafford
HB Kyren Williams
WR: Puka Nacua
WR: Darius Slayton
TE: Harold Fannin Jr.
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Alaric Jackson
LG: Steve Avila
C: Beaux Limmer
RG: Kevin Dodson
RT: Rob Havenstein
DE: Kobie Turner
NT: Greg Gaines
DE: Braden Fiske
OLB: Jared Verse
ILB: Zack Baun
ILB: Omar Speights
OLB: Byron Young
CB: Paulson Adebo
CB: Ahkello Witherspoon
SLCB: Quentin Lake
FS: Kam Kinchens
SS: Kam Curl
K: Joshua Karty
P: Ethan Evans
LS: Alex Ward
KR: Savion Williams
PR: Xavier Smith
Cut
TE Colby Parkinson (Post June 1st)
CB Darious Williams
Unfortunately, our 2024 FA class was mostly a dud. Parkinson is one of those duds. His snap count dropped as the season progressed. I don't know what McVay saw, but he clearly didn't love it. D-Will provided solid play, but he's aging and not worth the cap number. Plus, we need more size at CB. It's why I am choosing Spoon on a cheap deal over D-Will.
Re-sign
LT Alaric Jackson (franchise and extend)
CB Ahkello Witherspoon
WR DeMarcus Robinson
WR Tyler Johnson
OL Dylan McMahon (ERFA)
I think we have to keep Jackson. He's a solid LT, the position is in demand, and we don't need to be trotting out a rookie on Stafford's blindside. I expect Witherspoon is a cheap re-sign. He's not great, but he's a competent player and gives us size in the secondary. McVay seems to love D-Rob, and with him facing a suspension, he's likely to be a relatively cheap re-sign. Johnson will also be a cheap depth re-sign. We try to keep Hoecht and Brown, but we're outbid for their services.
Free Agency
ILB Zack Baun
Baun is a risky signing because he's a one-year wonder at this point, but he was also arguably the best ILB in football this year. I loved him coming out of Wisconsin and was hoping the Rams would draft him and convert him to an ILB. I don't think this year will prove to be a mirage. We need an impact player at LB. Baun can be that.
CB Paulson Adebo
This year's CB class has a handful of interesting options. Adebo is the youngest of them. He's more of a ballhawk than a shutdown CB, but after a rough start to his career, he's been outstanding the past year and a half. I say year and a half because he broke his leg around the midpoint of the season. That might drive down the price a little. Still only 25 years old, Adebo offers size and ball-skills to our secondary. Adebo's one big weakness is penalties.
WR Darius Slayton
Slayton is beloved in New York for being a great locker room guy, leader, and mentor to younger WRs. He does the dirty work as a WR. But the biggest benefit he offers us is his vertical speed. We need a guy who can threaten defenses deep. Slayton can do that. Drops were a problem for him, but he has cut down on them the past two years.
OT Jaylon Moore
After struggling in his early years, Moore played well this year as the 49ers' swing OT when asked to step in for Trent Williams. We could use a solid veteran at swing OT. I don't think Moore will cost an arm and a leg.
DT Greg Gaines
A blast from the past here, Gaines has mostly been in a rotational role in Tampa. It should make him relatively cheap to bring back. He can provide a solid veteran presence in the middle.
Trades
Rams trade WR Cooper Kupp and Round 6 Pick #14
Steelers trade Round 4 Pick #21
It's hard to know what sort of value Kupp has around the NFL. The Steelers were reportedly interested in acquiring him at the deadline. Based on the trade value chart, this has him at early 5th round value.
Rams trade OL Jonah Jackson and Round 6 Pick #25
Giants trade Round 5 Pick #16
Keeping this from my last mock. The Giants were reportedly interested in signing Jackson last offseason. While we could just keep Jackson for another year to provide (incredible) depth, I think we're okay with Justin Dedich and Dylan McMahon. I think Jackson will have some trade value because starting caliber OLs are always in demand, and he's still relatively young.
Rams trade Round 1 Pick #26
Jaguars trade Round 2 Pick #3 and Round 3 Pick #24
The Jaguars might be looking to move up to add an offensive piece here if they go defense with their first pick. With the Coen-McVay connection, I could see us as a logical trade partner. The Jaguars have an extra third (and fourth), so they can afford this sort of deal. We're comfortable moving down with the players available.
Rams trade Round 3 Pick #24 and Round 3 Pick #36
49ers trade Round 3 Pick #11 and Round 4 Pick #38
Rams trade up for a WR they're targeting. Despite our rivalry, the 49ers are happy to move down and grab an additional Day 2 pick.
NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #3 - Harold Fannin Jr. TE Bowling Green
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFgJ1D28yoo
Analysis: We reportedly were in love with Brock Bowers last year. I think we'll value Fannin for the same reasons. At 6'3" 238, he's only 5 pounds lighter than Bowers. He led all of college football with 1,555 receiving yards in 2024. Fannin is a special athlete whose acceleration off the line, physicality, top-end speed, and strong hands (only 2 drops in his career) make him a mismatch in the passing game. Despite being a smaller TE, Fannin is a violent and ferocious blocker. He won't be an inline TE, but as a move TE and big slot, his blocking will be a plus. His game needs some polishing, but I think he is a special player. Think prime Jordan Reed.
Round 3 Pick #11 - Savion Williams WR Texas Christian
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ178XLrEo0
Analysis: This is a boom/bust pick and one I've really been wrestling with. I generally avoid players who have drop problems. Williams definitely has that issue. Thing is, he also caught the ball well for parts of the season, so he's not one of those guys who just can't catch the ball. Why am I picking him anyways? Because he is an absolutely stellar athlete at 6'4" 225. He played WR, HB, wildcat QB, and TE for TCU this year. He's a former QB who is a special talent with the ball in his hands. He needs to polish his route running, improve his hand technique, and work on the finer points of WR play, but the tools and physicality are there.
Round 3 Pick #26 - Quincy Riley CB Louisville
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e4sjUn6zEY
Analysis: Riley really impressed me at the Senior Bowl. At 5'10 192, he's a tad undersized, but he's physical, strong, and does a great job of staying in phase with the WR. He also mirrors well and doesn't panic when he's beaten. He found a way to recover multiple times and deflect passes after the WR appeared to have gained an upper hand. Riley is an experienced ballhawk of a CB who has great instincts and the ability to play the slot or outside. While his size can hurt him as a run defender, he's a willing tackler. I've been wanting us to get bigger at CB, but I like Riley's game enough to make an exception.
Round 4 Pick #15 - Kurtis Rourke QB Indiana
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R6eioUZQ84
Analysis: Rourke is an interesting guy. He is an older prospect who has a lot of starting experience. He transferred to Indiana from Ohio and led them to their best season in program history. At 6'5" 225, Rourke has prototypical QB size. He isn't the most toolsy guy, only having average arm strength and mobility, but he shines in a lot of other areas. He is a full-field reader, is comfortable working through progressions, throws with anticipation, is very accurate (especially in the intermediate range), has a quick release, and maneuvers the pocket well. The two big negatives I saw (besides his average tools) are inconsistent deep ball accuracy and a loss of composure when his OL is struggling. But the latter is often true of pocket passers. He's a smart rhythm thrower who usually makes the right read.
Round 4 Pick #21 - LeQuint Allen Jr. HB Syracuse
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyy1QkeGArA
Analysis: I'm a big fan of Allen's game. With the Rams looking likely to extend Kyren, I think he's a great complement to what Kyren brings to the table. Allen possesses explosive acceleration, which makes him a big play threat, despite not possessing elite top-end speed. He's a slippery runner who has a good feel for running lanes. But where he is truly special is in the passing game. Allen is like another receiver on the field. He run routes and catches the ball like a WR. He's the sort of kid who embarrasses LBs when they are forced to guard him.
Round 4 Pick #38 - Jackson Hawes TE Georgia Tech
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byTOumtzF2g
Analysis: While Hawes is expected to go far later on the big board, I think he's the type of player who NFL teams will value more than draftniks. He's very raw as a pass catcher, particularly as a route runner, but he's a sneaky good athlete who runs with physicality after the catch. Where Hawes is special is as a blocker. He is a mauler in the running game who can wipe out DEs on down blocks, blow up LBs as a puller or when put in motion, and he blocks well in space. He's also a damn good pass protector. He's like having another OT on the field. IMO, he has the athleticism to potentially develop into a pass-catching threat, but even if he doesn't, he'll still be an invaluable role player just because of his blocking.
Round 5 Pick #16 - Femi Oladejo EDGE UCLA
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwsTztQmTAA
Analysis: Oladejo started the year playing ILB and then converted to EDGE because of team need. He had an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl, including in the Senior Bowl game, showing off a lot of pass rushing tools and good instincts. He unsurprisingly defends the run well, even if he's still learning to play on the edge. As a pass rusher, he's still putting the pieces together, but he has the size (6'3" 261 with 33.5" arms) speed, power, heavy hands, and enough bend to potentially be a quality player in that regard. At minimum, he'll offer a team nonstop motor, ILB instincts, and plenty of physicality.
Round 6 Pick #26 - Cam'Ron Jackson NT Florida
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51NeVUHoFD0
Analysis: Cam Jackson is a massive man at 6'6.5" 340. He played NT in Florida's 3-3-5. Jackson is a physically gifted player who has a great first step and good quickness for a man his size. He was an inconsistent player in 2023, but I thought he played much better in 2024, particularly after UF allowed him to be more aggressive getting into the backfield. Jackson even has some pass rush potential at his size. However, the most important thing he'll do for us is run stopping. I think he needs clean up his body a bit and improve his strength to handle NFL double teams. But if he does that, he has a shot to be a very effective NT.
Starting Lineup
QB: Matthew Stafford
HB Kyren Williams
WR: Puka Nacua
WR: Darius Slayton
TE: Harold Fannin Jr.
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Alaric Jackson
LG: Steve Avila
C: Beaux Limmer
RG: Kevin Dodson
RT: Rob Havenstein
DE: Kobie Turner
NT: Greg Gaines
DE: Braden Fiske
OLB: Jared Verse
ILB: Zack Baun
ILB: Omar Speights
OLB: Byron Young
CB: Paulson Adebo
CB: Ahkello Witherspoon
SLCB: Quentin Lake
FS: Kam Kinchens
SS: Kam Curl
K: Joshua Karty
P: Ethan Evans
LS: Alex Ward
KR: Savion Williams
PR: Xavier Smith
