Even if not in Round 1, Rams know they need to find pass rushers in draft

UCLA’s Laiatu Latu and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell walk off the field after a Play Football Prospect Clinic with Special Olympics athletes in Detroit. “If you’re going to move up, that’s a proactive attempt to strike from a distance per se, maybe get an explosive play in the football world, and we’ll see what happens.” Unlike most of the last seven years, the concrete possibility of picking in the first round gave Snead, McVay and Rams scouts impetus to evaluate elite prospects they have a realistic chance to select on the first night of the draft. “Sometimes the hard part about the first round is who not to pick, not necessarily who to pick, and actually also who’s available when you do pick.” Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy could be a target of the Rams in the NFL draft. “Some of those guys got afforded opportunities that maybe others wouldn’t have in previous years,” said McVay, who has guided the Rams to five playoff appearances in seven years. And even though we do have a little bit more draft capital earlier on, there’s going to be some big-time players in this draft that contribute in later rounds.” Snead referenced Donald, who he termed a “North Star” to guide the Rams as they evaluated which prospects might fit.