SB Nation NFL mock draft: Rams keep building defensive identity at No. 26

The Rams made a late-season surge into the postseason where they knocked off the 14-3 Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round. Everything seemed to come together for Los Angeles as their young stars appeared to truly hit their stride down the final stretch of the schedule.

Because of this, it’s understandable that expectations are now raised and the fan base will be looking for them to be even better in 2025. So where do they go here in the first round? What position will they feel gives them the best chance of improving this season?

Well, without further ado, with the 26th pick in the SB Nation Community Mock Draft, Blaine Grisak of Turf Show Times is selecting edge rusher James Pearce Jr. out of the University of Tennessee.

Grisak: This may seem like an odd selection given that the Rams just drafted Jared Verse and also have Byron Young. However, Pearce adds to the identity of the defense which is the young pass rush. With Verse and Young in place, the Rams can use Pearce as a designated pass rusher early as he develops into a full-time starter.

Analysis: I have to respect Grisak and the Rams for continuing to lean into this young and talented pass rush. They’ve got the quarterback and offensive weapons on the other side. Nothing wrong with heavily investing in the position group that helps get them the ball back.

Pearce is a little less developed than most of the other edge rushers expected to go in the first round but you can’t argue against the production and upside he brings to an NFL team. He’s got the ideal length but most teams will want him to add another 10-15 pounds to give him the best chance of being a three-down player in the near future. At 245 pounds on his 6’5 frame, he does already show a surprising ability to turn speed into power, but that same play strength doesn’t show up as consistently when playing the run.

Overall Pearce has elite speed to surprise and blow past blockers, but he’s a little more tight-hipped than you’d like, making him a very linear rusher at this point in his development. However, I believe the Rams would already have a plan in place to get the most out of him as a rookie.

Top five remaining players:

Our top remaining edge rusher has come off the board. The Baltimore Ravens are up next and it’s probably a safe bet that they invest in the defensive side of the ball after that unit underperformed in 2024. Will they end up taking the best remaining edge rusher in Donovan Ezeiruaku? What about our top remaining interior defender in Darius Alexander? Either would be great fits with Baltimore, in my opinion.