Best CB prospect for the Rams in each round of the draft
Cornerback became a need for the Los Angeles Rams when Troy Hill signed with the Cleveland Browns in free agency, opening the door for Les Snead to take a defensive back early in the draft. The team’s pre-draft meetings have featured a lot of corners, indicating it could be a position the Rams address in Round 2.
But if they don’t, there will be other great options later on Day 2 and into the final rounds of the weekend. We highlighted one cornerback prospect for the Rams to target in each round of the draft, even though they don’t have a first- or fifth-round pick.
There are a lot of quality options on this list, many of whom could be early starters.
Round 1: Greg Newsome, Northwestern
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Obviously, Patrick Surtain II or Jaycee Horn would be the best first-round corners for the Rams, but there’s no chance of them falling to a range where LA could trade up. The Rams won’t move up for Newsome, either, but he’s a late first-round prospect more likely to slip than Horn or Surtain. Newsome wasn’t a ball hawk in college after pulling down just one interception but he has great athleticism and instincts, which makes him a perfect man coverage corner capable of matching up with top receivers.
Round 2: Asante Samuel Jr., Florida State
Samuel looked like he would have a great chance to be available at No. 57 early in the draft process, but that seems less likely by the day. He could sneak into the end of the first round, but if were to fall into the Rams’ lap, they’d be foolish not to strongly consider him. While he’s not the biggest or most athletic corner, he has good ball skills and the versatility to play either in the slot or on the outside. Samuel had four picks and 29 passes defensed in 31 career games, with 97 total tackles. He would be one of the few perfect prospects for the Rams.
Round 3: Paulson Adebo, Stanford
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Adebo is a draft crush of many in this year’s class because of his ceiling and college production. He broke up 27 passes and had eight interceptions in just 22 games played at Stanford, performing exceptionally well when he was targeted by opposing quarterbacks. He has good size (6-foot-1, 198 pounds), too, which makes him a perfect fit as an outside corner. There are areas of his game that must be cleaned up with regards to his technique, but as a potential third-round pick, he’s someone who can become a Pro Bowler down the line with proper coaching.
Round 4: Zech McPhearson, Texas Tech
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McPhearson isn't a name that gets mentioned much, making him somewhat of a sleeper who could go on Day 3. A team might give him a shot as a third-rounder, but the better spot is in Round 4, even if he doesn’t make it to the Rams at No. 141. His versatility in man and zone coverage, as well as his ability to cover the slot or line up outside make him an intriguing prospect for the Rams because of how frequently they like to shuffle their cornerbacks to put Jalen Ramsey on the opponent’s best player. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was in consideration at No. 103, but he’d be an even better value at 141.
Round 5: Kary Vincent Jr., LSU
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Vincent is a smaller corner who will almost exclusively play in the slot as a pro, standing only 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. But he’s a good athlete with the speed to run with any wideout, allowing him to make up for missteps in coverage. Where he needs to improve is in his tackling, which is a crucial trait for every slot corner with how often they must come up and fill running lanes. If he can get better as a tackler and play with more physicality, he has a chance to be a starter down the road. The coverage skills and athleticism are both there, but there’s room for improvement in other areas.
Round 6: Tay Gowan, UCF
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Gowan is a player the Rams have met with, putting him on their radar as a potential Day 3 pick. He has the frame to play outside corner in the NFL and is a physical defender who’s not afraid to come up and tackle, but his coverage skills still need work. At 6-foot-1 and 186 pounds, he utilizes his size well at the line of scrimmage when pressing receivers. But one of the biggest issues with Gowan is his lack of experience. He only played 13 games at the college level, 12 of which came in 2019 with UCF. He opted out of the 2020 season, so his tape is extremely limited – and is lacking reps against top-level competition.
Round 7: Darren Hall, San Diego State
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Hall could go a bit earlier than the seventh round, but that’s where I think the Rams should consider him. He has experience at cornerback and safety, starting for three seasons at SDSU. He picked off six passes with 25 total breakups, also forcing three fumbles with 8.5 tackles for a loss. Hall brings good position flexibility, is a solid tackler and showed impressive ball skills in college, which make him worth a late-round pick. Regardless of whether the Rams draft a cornerback early, they should consider taking Hall – whom they met with – in the late rounds.
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