(Disclaimer: This was published before the Rams’ blockbuster trade with the Tennessee Titans. The Rams no longer have a second-round pick.)
2016 NFL mock draft: Los Angeles Rams snag safety Vonn Bell
The Rams follow up a cornerback in the first round with another defensive back in the SB Nation NFL writers mock draft.
The Los Angeles Rams are back up for their second pick in the SB Nation NFL writers mock draft after taking cornerback Mackensie Alexander in the first round. The Rams have two picks today thanks to the Sam Bradford trade last year. In the real draft, they could use the extra pick to maneuver around in the first round, but since we don't do trades in this mock scenario, here's what Joe McAtee of Turf Show Times is thinking for the pick:
43. Rams: Vonn Bell, S, Ohio State
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McAtee: This was a pretty tough situation for the Rams to be in.
Each of the preceding picks would have made sense here in West Virginia S Karl Joseph, Alabama RB Derrick Henry and Notre Dame LB Jaylon Smith. Having taken Clemson CB Mackensie Alexander at No. 15 overall, there’d certainly be pressure here to address the Rams 32nd-ranked 2015 offense. The question, though, would be with whom.
The second tier of quarterbacks remains untouched. Four wide receivers are gone. So, with the Rams swinging back on the clock in just two picks, the only pick that was sincerely tempting here was Arkansas TE Hunter Henry.
Instead, I went with Bell who the Rams hosted for a visit this week. Bell would make a fine complement to T.J. McDonald and would provide an immediate replacement for outbound S Rodney McLeod who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency.
A pair of rookies in the secondary may not be the most popular haul for the Los Angeles Rams’ first two picks, but it fits the drafting history of the Rams’ brain trust of head coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead and it just might be the most sensible outcome.
Analysis: Bell would be a nice pickup in the second round. He’s my top-rated safety because he has a solid all-around game and can make plays against the run and the pass. He may not make a ton of splashy plays but he won’t whiff on many either.
Dan’s Top 5 players remaining
- 40. Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma
- 41. Joshua Perry, OLB, Ohio State
- 42. Kenny Clark, DT, UCLA
- 43. Will Fuller, WR, Notre Dame
- 46. Le’Raven Clark, OT, Texas Tech
Rams picks
- 1-15: Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson
- 2-43: Vonn Bell, S, Ohio State
- 2-45: Coming at 3 p.m. ET
Coming up at noon ET, we have the Oakland Raiders and Silver and Black Pride making their second-round pick.
Complete draft results:
First round
1. Tennessee Titans - Laremy Tunsil, OT, Ole Miss (Link)
2. Cleveland Browns - Jared Goff, QB, Cal (Link)
3. San Diego Chargers - Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State (Link)
4. Dallas Cowboys - Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State (Link)
5. Jacksonville Jaguars - Myles Jack, LB, UCLA (Link)
6. Baltimore Ravens - Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State (Link)
7. San Francisco 49ers - DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon (Link)
8. Philadelphia Eagles - Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State (Link)
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Noah Spence, DE, Eastern Kentucky (Link)
10. New York Giants - Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame (Link)
11. Chicago Bears - Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Florida (Link)
12. New Orleans Saints - A'Shawn Robinson, DT, Alabama (Link)
13. Miami Dolphins - Eli Apple, CB, Ohio State (Link)
14. Oakland Raiders - Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State (Link)
15. Los Angeles Rams - Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson (Link)
16. Detroit Lions - Taylor Decker, OT, Ohio State (Link)
17. Atlanta Falcons - Shaq Lawson, DE, Clemson (Link)
18. Indianapolis Colts - Ryan Kelly, C, Alabama (Link)
19. Buffalo Bills - Reggie Ragland, MLB, Alabama (Link)
20. New York Jets - Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State (Link)
21. Washington - Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor (Link)
22. Houston Texans - Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor (Link)
23. Minnesota Vikings - Josh Doctson, WR, TCU (Link)
24. Cincinnati Bengals - Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss (Link)
25. Pittsburgh Steelers - William Jackson, CB, Houston (Link)
26. Seattle Seahawks - Jonathan Bullard, DL, Florida (Link)
27. Green Bay Packers - Jarran Reed, DT, Alabama (Link)
28. Kansas City Chiefs - Vernon Butler, DT, Louisiana Tech (Link)
29. Arizona Cardinals - Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss (Link)
30. Carolina Panthers - Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson (Link)
31. Denver Broncos - Paxton Lynch, QB, Memphis (Link)
Second round
32. Cleveland Browns - Michael Thomas, WR, Ohio State (Link)
33. Tennessee Titans - Chris Jones, DT, Mississippi State (Link)
34. Dallas Cowboys - Sheldon Rankins, DT, Louisville (Link)
35. San Diego Chargers- Cody Whitehair, G, Kansas State (Link)
36. Baltimore Ravens - Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech (Link)
37. San Francisco 49ers - Jason Spriggs, OT, Indiana (Link)
38. Jacksonville Jaguars - Leonard Floyd, OLB, Georgia (Link)
39. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State (Link)
40. New York Giants - Karl Joseph, S, West Virginia (Link)
41. Chicago Bears - Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama (Link)
42. Miami Dolphins - Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame (Link)
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