The Los Angeles Rams will have the No. 19 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. For those that don't remember, Rams fans have had no reason to watch the first day of the draft for quite some time now. But they finally will this year.
Going back to trades where the Rams acquired Brandin Cooks in 2018, Jalen Ramsey in 2019, and Matthew Stafford in 2021, the Rams have been void of a first-round draft pick since 2016. That means since Sean McVay arrived, he has yet to make a first-round pick for his team. He has won a Super Bowl, though, which is a result of trading a lot of those first-round picks away.
The last first-round pick that the Rams made was for Jared Goff at No. 1 overall in 2016 under then-head coach Jeff Fisher. As we know, Goff would later be used in a trade with the Detroit Lions that brought in Matthew Stafford to replace him, even after the former Cal quarterback led Los Angeles to a Super Bowl.
The Rams are sort of one of the teams to watch in the 2024 NFL Draft, if for nothing else, just to see what they do with their first-round draft pick in eight years. But also, it will be to see which position they value improving the most. Remember, Matthew Stafford is on the wrong side of 30 now and has plenty of mileage on him. Aaron Donald retiring also may have determined where the Rams look now, though.
With that said, let's look at three players the Rams should target in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
There's no one that can reasonably replace Aaron Donald and the Hall of Fame career he had, especially considering he could have played a few more years at a high level. But the Rams can at least look to find somewhat of a reasonable replacement with Texas' Byron Murphy II.
Murphy had a 91.5 pass rush grade, an 80.5 run defense grade, and an overall 91.1 defensive grade, per PFF. At 6-foot-1, 305 pounds, he's a very athletic, strong interior defender, giving him a true pass set pass rush grade of 91.9 and a pass rush win rate of 19.6 percent.
Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
The last first pick the Rams made that was a defensive player, albeit in the second round, was back in 2019 when they drafted safety Taylor Rapp who is no longer with the team and currently playing for the Buffalo Bills. If they're not replacing Aaron Donald just yet, they may target a cornerback instead, like Clemson's Nate Wiggins.
Wiggins was a first-team All-ACC selection last year, having 29 total tackles, six passes defended, and two interceptions, one being a pick-six. “The Rams' defense severely lacks building blocks in the secondary, but Wiggins can be an immediate starter,” ESPN's NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid said.
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
When Matthew Stafford signed an extension back in 2022, it was for four years and $160 million, with $63 million guaranteed. The Rams and Stafford are going into just Year 2 of the contract in 2024, but it seems pretty evident that Stafford isn't getting any younger and the team may need to start preparing for his departure.
Though Stafford had a much more productive season in 2023, he suffered some crucial injuries in 2022, only playing in nine games. He played in 15 games last season, throwing for almost 4,000 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. But how much longer does he have left?
Perhaps McVay and the Rams take a different approach with their first-round pick this time, keeping it and risking finding their next heir apparent at quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. could very well still be available at No. 19.
Penix would more or less sit a year and learn under McVay and Stafford. Or maybe he even comes into replace an injured Stafford? The only problem is that Stafford would still have two years left on his deal after this season, where the Rams will own him still over $60 million. That could create a problem in Los Angeles, but nonetheless, the Rams should be preparing for a future without Stafford, as backup Jimmy Garoppolo is probably not the answer either.
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