Mock Draft
1/20/25
8 min read
Los Angeles Rams 2025 7-Round NFL Mock Draft: Jalen Milroe Is Stafford's Heir Apparent
The Los Angeles Rams face another difficult offseason, but general manager Les Snead has the opportunity to revamp his roster with a second straight home-run draft.
The Rams lost 28-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles but looked way more dangerous than expected at the beginning of the season because of a terrific rookie class. Jared Verse is the likely Defensive Rookie of the Year, while rookies Braden Fiske, Omar Speights, and Kamren Kinchens all played key roles on the defense.
Snead will have to balance keeping LA's Super Bowl window open while planning for the inevitable post-Matthew Stafford era. If the Rams GM wants to play both sides, here's what a seven-round mock draft would look like.
Rams 2025 NFL Mock Draft
A few Jalen Milroe deep balls #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/POT4C86AoD
— Matt Holder (@MHolder95) January 17, 2025
Round 1, 26th Overall
Pick: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama 
Stafford is 36 years old, and while he's still playing some top-tier football, the wheels will fall off at some point.
Instead of waiting to figure out what to do once Stafford retires, the Rams could draft his successor and allow him to develop behind a future Hall of Famer for a year or two before becoming the long-term starter.
This might be the perfect landing spot for Jalen Milroe, who is very much a work in progress. However, he's also one of the best, if not the best, deep-ball passers in this class. He has terrific arm talent and excellent mobility but can be erratic with his mechanics and decision-making.
Instead of an NFL team rushing Milroe onto the field, the Rams could afford to be patient with his development. It's the perfect QB-team pairing in this draft, and while he was available in this mock, there's a chance the Rams might have to move up a few spots to pull this off in April, especially if the Alabama quarterback thrives in the pre-draft process.
Jalen Milroe's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Round 3, 90th overall
Pick: Grey Zabel, OT, North Dakota State
Offensive line depth has hurt the Rams multiple times in the last few seasons. He might be a small-school prospect, but North Dakota State's Grey Zabel would be a terrific starter/depth piece to plug and play into multiple positions.
Zabel has played tackle, guard, and even a little bit of center during his time with the FCS powerhouse. He's got a good frame at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds with solid length, along with good athletic ability to operate in space, whether it's gaining depth in pass protection or climbing to the second level in the run game.
Zabel's hand placement isn't consistent, and it looks like he could benefit from adding some weight to his frame. However, he also plays with good pad level and foot speed to handle a variety of responsibilities, regardless of the position.
The Rams could use help all over their offensive line, so they could draft Zabel and let the coaching staff figure out where he'd best fit.
Grey Zabel's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Danny Stutsman (LB, Oklahoma) looks much more physical this year.
— Tyler Brooke (@TylerDBrooke) October 4, 2024
Intriguing prospect at 6-foot-4, 241 pounds with length and athletic ability. pic.twitter.com/SlSidpVGxy
Round 3, 100th overall
Pick: Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma
The Rams linebackers got picked on in the divisional round, with the Eagles pulling blockers and running to the outside to get their offensive linemen 1-on-1 in space with Los Angeles' inside backers.
A prospect like Danny Stutsman would make teams like the Eagles think twice about spamming those outside gap runs. He's an inside linebacker prospect with great size and length at 6-foot-4 and 241 pounds, but also the play speed and stopping power to pursue sideline to sideline.
On top of that, Stutsman also has great post-snap processing to trust his keys and instincts to get in position quickly instead of getting caught flat-footed. He's not the best linebacker and handling the point of attack against blockers, but he's come a long way from his tape in 2023.
There isn't another ILB at the top of the draft class with Stutsman's physical tools, and he could quickly become a real contributor playing alongside the rest of the Rams' young defensive talent.
Danny Stutsman's Full Scouting Report, Pro Comp
Round 4, 125th Overall
Pick: Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech 
The Rams have had to rely on journeyman veterans to fill the cornerback room, but the position desperately needs some young players who could eventually emerge as long-term starters.
Waiting on a pick at the position is a bit risky, but the Rams still find good value in the fourth round with Dorian Strong. He's a long-limbed cornerback prospect at 6 feet, 185 pounds, with good tenacity to be effective in both press coverage and run support.
Strong is also a fluid athlete capable of moving his feet when trying to jam while also moving well from a bail technique after flipping his hips. His biggest issue is that his aggressiveness can work against him when the ball is in the air, leading to holding and DPI penalties with his habit of continuing to be physical down the field with receivers.
It's much harder to teach aggressiveness than it is to reel it back, so the upside on Strong makes him a great value pick in the fourth round.
THE BATTLE FOR THE CY-HAWK 🏆 IS HEATING UP
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) September 7, 2024
Folks, get to CBS & @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/tWh65g1fKq
Round 6, 188th Overall
Pick: Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
The Rams don't necessarily need another receiver right now. However, Cooper Kupp is 31 years old, and injuries continue to pile up for the former Triple Crown winner.
An eventual successor to Kupp in the slot is a valuable long-term move, especially one who can stretch the field vertically to get on the field as a rookie for Stafford. Jaylin Noel fits that build as one of the more explosive slot receivers in this draft class.
Noel is 200 pounds but still flies out of his stance to fly past defensive backs who are caught flat-footed. He can fly in and out of his breaks and is capable of running double moves deep down the field without losing that speed.
In addition to his speed as a receiver, Noel brings tremendous value as a return specialist, even winning Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year. His modest length hurts his catch radius, and his smaller frame and play strength hurt his effectiveness through contact.
Still, Noel is such a unique prospect that he could contribute to WR-heavy personnel packages and special teams as he matures into a more developed player.
Round 6, 199th overall
Pick: Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon
Injuries continue to pile up for 32-year-old tight end Tyler Higbee. Davis Allen and Hunter Long have had flashes as backups, but the room could use some competition heading into next year's training camp.
Terrance Ferguson brings positional versatility, coming into the league with a big-bodied frame at 6-foot-5, 255 pounds. He was a more-than-efficient pass catcher for Oregon, particularly this past season, averaging 2.05 yards per route run.
Ferguson isn't a polished route runner, but he can still do enough with a limited route tree to win with his size and athletic ability. He doesn't take blocking plays off, either, showing solid technique and good play strength to be an asset on that front.
There are other tight ends in this class with way more polish and athletic ability. However, Ferguson's profile will still have him finding jobs in the NFL for years to come, even with limited upside.
Darius Alexander (DL, Toledo #9) is an interesting small-school sleeper.
— Tyler Brooke (@TylerDBrooke) January 16, 2025
Play strength consistently pops up on tape, as well as some good short-area quickness for moves like this one. pic.twitter.com/FHWQu27dQX
Round 6, 200th overall
Pick: Darius Alexander, DL, Toledo
The Rams did a remarkable job of replacing Aaron Donald's production in the aggregate this season with all of these young players up front. Continuing to add competition on that side of the ball will elevate the team instead of allowing anyone to get complacent.
Darius Alexander has a real chance to skyrocket up draft boards in the coming months. Although he played for a MAC program in Toledo, his film is consistently impressive by dominating the point of attack with good play strength, while also showing the short-area quickness to provide value as a pass rusher.
Once Alexander cleans up his pad level, he could become a legitimate three-down player at the NFL level. Scouts will have a much better idea of what he's capable of when he faces competition from bigger programs at the Senior Bowl.
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