Believe it or not, the 2024 NFL Draft is only 19 days away. This year, the Rams select 19th overall. Here’s who experts think they’ll take.
ESPN (Field Yates): Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State
With the retirement of Future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, L.A. has a huge hole to fill on defense. Donald played tackle but had 111 sacks in his 10-year career. Yates considered sending Texas lineman Byron Murphy II to the Rams but went with the more explosive player:
“While his modest sack production (four in 2023) will be something teams dig in on, I see the best first step for any pass-rusher in the entire class and a player who can bend the edge in a hurry.”
No one expects him to be Donald, but with 4.48 speed at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, an athletic player like Robinson offers a high ceiling. With better sack numbers, he might be considered a top-10 pick.
Fox Sports (Nick Wright): Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois
At 6-foot-2 and 304 pounds, Newton might be undersized for a tackle, but his good hands and quick feet allow him to set up and get around blockers. The two-time All-American and 2023 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year had 184 tackles and 18 sacks, with 7.5 of those sacks coming in 2023 and two forced fumbles for Illinois.
The Florida native scored second-best among defensive tackles at the NFL Scouting Combine. According to walterfootball.com, the Rams haven’t met with Newton but could bring him in over the next few weeks.
CBS Sports (Chris Trapasso): Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
Fautanu played left tackle for the Huskies, but Trapasso can see him playing either guard or tackle in the NFL, saying, “Fautanu is a super-mobile blocker with a guard frame but tackle length.” He also adds, “Sean McVay will love him.”
What’s not to love? After starting at left tackle in all 15 games last year, Fautanu won the 2023 Morris Trophy as the top offensive lineman in the Pac-12, as voted by the league’s defensive linemen. He also won the Joe Moore Award as the nation’s top offensive lineman.
The Rams just gave former Lions guard Jonah Jackson $51M to play left guard so Fautanu would likely compete at left tackle with Alaric Jackson, who beat out Joe Noteboom for the job last season.
