A New Era – Los Angeles Rams 2024 Draft Profile

The Los Angeles Rams were a team with nothing to lose and everything to gain last season. They entered the league year with no expectations, but with a solid draft class saw their stock rise throughout the season. They now enter the 2024 season with obstacles to overcome, but another good draft can remedy and make for another successful campaign.

 

Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State

DJ James, CB, Auburn

Gabriel Murphy, DL, UCLA

 

L.A. lost their legendary defensive captain, Aaron Donald, to retirement this past offseason. It’s tough enough to replace a good player, but a great player is a task that is as tough as any. Regardless, Sean McVay will have to give it  his best shot and look to the first round to do so.

No one has had a more meteoric rise in their stock than Florida State’s Braden Fiske. The star interior defensive lineman has shown excellent athleticism and movement skills for a man of his stature, wowing the judges.

Fiske uses that athletic prowess to wreck opposing offensive lines with quick moves and good closing speed on ball carriers. He routinely creates interior pressure, moving opposing quarterbacks off their spots and throwing off the timing of plays. Fiske has the hand discipline to clog up run lanes, and keep linebackers clean as well. He may not be anything close to Aaron Donald, but Fiske can make an impact all his own for this Rams’ front.

The Rams have a serviceable cornerback room, but they are in need of a game changing defensive back. The 2024 class is deep and will yield solid players in the mid rounds, which is where L.A. could find their guy.

D.J. James is one of the most physical players in the draft class regardless of position. He seems to enjoy playing press man coverage, displaying good hand-foot coordination when making contact with opposing receivers. James has the ball skills to create turnovers at the NFL level, and relies on technique rather than athleticism to get into position. Pairing him with a veteran like Darious Williams would give the Rams a stout outside duo to pair with an improved front.

L.A. can’t stop at adding just one player in the front seven. They will need to get multiple players to replace the production that they lost with Donald’s departure.

Gabriel Murphy is a mound of clay waiting to be molded into a NFL pass rusher. He has exceptional athleticism for the position, displaying good change of direction when in pursuit of ball carriers. He needs work on his technique when rushing the passer, but can get away with beating tackles with his speed in the early part of his career. Once he gets under a NFL coaching umbrella, Murphy could turn into a highly productive defensive end at the next level.

The new era of the L.A. Rams begins in Detroit, Michigan in April. This draft could dictate how the post-Donald era goes for the foreseeable future, and if done right it could be just as fruitful as before.