The Rams have the 209th overall pick in the 2021 draft. It will be their fifth pick of the 2021 draft. With their earlier picks, the Rams will have to address their need for depth on the offensive and defensive line, at inside linebacker, and depth behind Leonard Floyd. They may also look for another offensive weapon for Matthew Stafford. That could be a speedy deep threat wideout or a pass-catching running back.
With those needs met, the 6th round options will be players that the Rams can use to shore up a few what-if scenarios. For the 6th round, the Rams will target a safety, a defensive tackle, or a quarterback.
To take a look at the Rams round 2 options, go here.
Round 3 options, here.
Round 4 options, here.
Los Angeles Rams 6th Round Draft Options
Mustafa Johnson – Defensive Tackle – Colorado
Some may dispute the following claim. But it is on pretty good authority that Aaron Donald is, in fact, human. Some evidence for this claim was revealed in last season’s playoff games. Some of Donald’s human cartilage came dislodged from where it was supposed to be. This caused the very human response commonly referred to as pain. While Donald generally doesn’t feel pain, this pain caused him to play about half the amount of football he usually plays.
His absence was felt profoundly. The Rams managed only four pressures on Aaron Rodgers. The Rams averaged 9.2 pressures per game in the rest of 2020. The Rams’ lack of depth behind Donald was felt for essentially the first time. They haven’t had to think of what to do if Donald is injured because he just hasn’t been.
Knowing now that Donald is in fact not superman, the Rams need to start to consider the depth and the future of the defensive line.
And that isn’t even considering the erosion of the d-line in the last few weeks. Morgan Fox signed in Carolina and Michael Brockers was traded to free up cap space. Meaning the Rams have even less depth today than they did when they couldn’t get pressure against Green Bay.
Mustafa Johnson is, most likely, not the heir apparent to pass rush supremacy. That’s not what the 6th round is for. (Insert a thing about Tom Brady) But it’s a great place to add developmental depth and that’s what the Rams need the most in this draft, especially on defense.
Comparing Johnson to Donald is simply unfair to the young man, but the comparison is being made. When asked who he would compare him to, Mel Tucker, Colorado’s former head coach said, “I was going to say Aaron Donald, but I can’t say Aaron Donald.” It’s a comparison that Johnson doesn’t shy away from and he sees the similarities. Johnson says “Height and weight [wise], we’re about the same. He uses his hands to rush. That’s how I play — I try to keep guys’ hands off of me.
When put side by side the comparison isn’t analogous. Donald was much further along in his development than Johnson is at the same point in his career. Coming out of college, Donald was faster, stronger, and more agile than Johnson. That said, Johnson is one of the faster linemen in the draft. He had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and also posted some impressive times during his pro day.
Because he still has work to do on his game and moreover, because he isn’t the prototypical size, Johnson will drop to day three. If he is still available at 209 he would be a great option for the Rams in the 6th round.
Mark Webb – Safety – Georgia
The big “what-if” that can be addressed with this 6th round option is; What if Taylor Rapp and Terrell Burgess can’t get healthy? If that was the case then an area that was once an area of depth now would look scant. So drafting a safety, as a safety net, makes a lot of sense in the 6th round.
Mark Webb would give the Rams some depth at safety, but he also has experience at corner. While some label this as versatility, others label him as a tweener. Not good enough in coverage to be a corner, but not ferocious enough of a hitter to be a safety. Often when the league can’t pigeonhole a player they drop to the later rounds.
What isn’t in doubt is his pure athleticism. At his pro day, he put that on display. He posted numbers that were similar to safeties that were going in the 2nd and 3rd rounds last season. One of new DC Raheem Morris’ best abilities is developing defensive talent, and defensive backs were often his focus on the defensive staff. The Rams also were able to develop Jordan Fuller from a sixth-round draft pick in 2020 to the front-runner for defensive play-caller in 2021.
If the unit is healthy, he will have more than enough time to find his place on the team. But in the meantime, he would be an interesting pass rusher and could be used in rushing situations to assist the linebackers when they are stretched horizontally. He can use that speed to get sideline to sideline and has a knack in run defense, in addition to being an above-average open-field tackler.
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Peyton Ramsey – QB – Northwestern
Try this one on for size. What if your starting QB shatters his throwing hand and then your backup QB gets popped in the bean and your last remaining option is your punter? No, that could never happen, but what-if, right?
Well, let’s just say maybe, for just a time as that, the Rams ought to entertain the idea of having three quarterbacks on the roster. The 6th round would be a good place to add one. (Insert something else about Tom Brady.)
Peyton Ramsey isn’t ready for the NFL and there are questions if he can ever be a starter in the NFL. But he has some very interesting traits that would make him a good option for the Rams in the 6th round. He is an accurate passer. In his best season in college, he completed 68% of his throws.
He turns it on when the pressure is high. His two best statistical games came in the Big 10 Championship and Northwestern’s Bowl appearance against Auburn. He completed 68.6% of his passes for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns and ran for another score in that game. The Wildcats were outmatched against the Buckeyes, but Ramsey threw for 224 yards, and his 34-yard scramble set up the team’s only touchdown.
On a larger scale, Ramsey was a big reason why Northwestern was able to turn the program around after a 3-9 season in 2019. He was a graduate transfer after four seasons in Indiana. It’s hard to quantify when a player is able to put his team on his shoulders and make them successful, but it is an accomplishment and one to take note of. It denotes that Ramsey has several leadership qualities that propelled him to be a captain for the Hoosiers and for the Wildcats.
But back to the more tangible reasons, the Rams would be interested in him as an option in the 6th round. One that stands out the most is his similarity to John Wolford. Sean McVay loves what Wolford has done on the field and for the practice squad. So bringing in Wolford 2.0 to free him up to get reps alongside Matthew Stafford would have long-term benefits.
Starting at the top, Ramsey and Wolford approach the game in a similar way. They are both cerebral quarterbacks that rely heavily on preparation to gain an advantage. They are mobile quarterbacks. They can move outside of the pocket and make plays with their legs. They are of a similar size and their throwing ability is about the same. That is to say, adequate arm strength. Where they are different is Wolford is more mobile and Ramsey is more accurate of a passer.
For these reasons, Ramsey would be a very solid selection for the Rams in the 6th round.