Rams mock draft roundup: Latest expert projections for LA

[ASFN Admin]

We've reached the final stretch before the 2025 NFL Draft, with just over a week to go until the first round begins on April 24 in Green Bay. The Los Angeles Rams haven't revealed much about their intentions leading up to the draft but with the first round right around the corner, it's clear experts believe they'll go defense at No. 26.

In our latest mock draft roundup, nine of the 12 most recent mocks have the Rams taking a defensive player with their top pick. The only exceptions are Josh Simmons, Jaxson Dart and Matthew Golden, who got picked by the Rams in one mock draft each.

UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger has become a popular target for the Rams in mock drafts, though it's admittedly hard to see Los Angeles spending premium draft capital on a position that they've consistently undervalued over the years.

Here's a look at the latest projections from experts.

USA Today: CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame​

He picked off nine passes during his first two seasons with the Irish before a hip injury sidelined him in 2024. Now healthy – Morrison will work out next week for NFL teams – his ball skills, smarts and size (6 feet, 193 pounds) could reaffirm him as a Round 1 prospect, and certainly one who would fit well on a young Rams defense that could use help at corner.

USA Today: CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky​

With Matthew Stafford back, the Rams have to balance developing a young roster with capitalizing on the competitive window propped open by their veteran gunslinger. Bolstering the outlook at cornerback would serve both goals, and Los Angeles' defensive scheme should help Hairston tap into his playmaking prowess in coverage.

Draft Wire: LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama (trade back to No. 33)​

The Rams almost never go LB in the first round, and thanks to the trade they don't have to use a first on Campbell, though he's worthy of the selection at 26.

ESPN: CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky​

Speed and ball skills. Hairston ran the combine's fastest 40-yard dash (4.28 seconds) and had six interceptions and 13 pass breakups over his final two seasons. He'd absolutely boost the Rams' cornerback corps.

Bleacher Report: CB Jahdae Barron, Texas​

Texas' Jahdae Barron being available here is a boon for the organization. His versatility, communication skills and outstanding play make him the perfect addition.

Boston Globe: OT Josh Simmons, Ohio State​

They race to the podium to pick Simmons, an excellent athlete who only falls to 26 because he’s coming off a torn patellar tendon.

CBS Sports: QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss​

Given the fact that they won't be drafting in the top five anytime soon, the Rams may opt to go the Packers route and take a swing on a quarterback in the first-round a few years before they need it. Dart won't be NFL-ready coming from a simplistic Ole Miss offense, but he has the tools to develop.

NFL.com: WR Matthew Golden, Texas​

After the signing of Davante Adams to pair with Puka Nacua (both possession-style receivers with 4.5 to 4.6 speed), the Rams' 11-personnel-heavy offense lacks a true vertical threat to stretch defenses. Golden offers that missing element with his top-end acceleration and explosive playmaking ability. His presence would help open space underneath for Adams, Nacua and Kyren Williams in Sean McVay’s layered passing attack.

33rd Team: LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA​

The Rams, in the right circumstances, may be thinking of quarterback at No. 26 overall. I don't think the board broke their way at this point, leaving the team with a chance to add a difference-maker to the depth chart elsewhere.

Few pairings could net a bigger upgrade and a more exciting development for the Rams than adding Schwesinger to play, being their fast and relentless front.

Underdog Fantasy: LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA​

Surprise! The Rams are unconventional in their draft approach, and Schwesinger is a high IQ coverage linebacker for a team that's really, really struggled at that position. The former walk on identifies route concepts in zone and has the speed to play man coverage, even with just one season of starting experience. He just seems like a Ram, and the moving fees for him would be low coming from UCLA.

Pro Football Focus: CB Trey Amos, Ole Miss​

None of the Rams' outside cornerbacks earned PFF coverage grades above 63.0 in 2024. Trey Amos is a scheme-diverse cornerback who tallied 75.0-plus PFF grades in both man and zone coverage in 2024.

The Draft Network: LB Carson Schwesinger, UCLA​

A name that has consistently popped, Carson Schwesinger is a bowling ball with knives in the middle of a defense and projects as a green dot for a long time. Considering the youth movement up front for L.A. over the last few drafts, adding a player like Schwesinger fills a need at the position while plugging in one of the draft's elite triggermen and one-on-one tacklers. He'd play off the likes of Braden Fiske, Jared Verse, Byron Young, and Kobie Turner extremely well.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL mock draft 2025: Rounding up latest expert projections for Rams

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