Rams draft grades: Grading Los Angeles' selections in the 2023 NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Rams had a tough 2022 after their Super Bowl win. Injuries abounded and losses added up. Head coach Sean McVay nearly left, but decided to stick around, and the Rams are now in full rebuild mode.

We break down the Rams' draft class and assess the potential impact on fantasy football in the coming season.

Rams picks

Round 2: No. 36: Steve Avila, G, TCU
Round 3: No. 77 (from Patriots through Dolphins) – Byron Young, DE, Tennessee
Round 3: No. 89 – Kobie Turner, DT, Wake Forest
Round 4: No. 128 (from Giants) – Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia
Round 5: No. 161 – Nick Hampton, OLB, Appalachian State
Round 5: No. 174 (from Raiders through Texans) – Warren McClendon, OT, Georgia
Round 5: No. 175 (from Buccaneers) – Davis Allen, TE, Georgia
Round 5: No. 177 – Puka Nacua, WR, BYU
Round 6: No. 182 – Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, CB, TCU
Round 6: No. 189 (from Titans) – Ochaun Mathis, DE, Nebraska
Round 6: No. 215 (from Bills) – Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss
Round 7: No. 223 – Ethan Evans, P, Wingate
Round 7: No. 259 (from Saints) – Desjuan Johnson, EDGE, Toledo

Grade: B

The Rams had lots of volume in this year's draft and distributed their picks fairly evenly among offensive and defensive choices. Starting with Steve Avilia from TCU was a smart move after their offensive line had an injury-ridden 2022 that affected QB Matt Stafford. They also filled out some pass-rushing spots on their defense, but neglected to prioritize their secondary, which will be affected next season by the departure of Jalen Ramsey.

The Rams had a lot of needs to address following the disaster of the 2022-23 season, and they did what they could. Adding pass rushers and offensive line depth is never a bad idea, and they built out their QB room with the addition of Bennett, though it felt a bit too early. They were willing to invest in the longer term for a few positions here rather than go for stars – TCU's Trevius Hodges-Tomlinson was a late pick, an undersized guy who plays bigger than he is, and Zach Evans could fit into the backfield rotation. They are on the right track to filling their needs.

They didn't go for many early skill players in this draft, though Avila could help improve Stafford's fantasy numbers. Don't expect Nacua and Evans to see points on the fantasy boards right away, though. Their defense could be a solid option to draft this year if picks 2 and 3 pan out.

They knocked it out of the park with Tennessee DE Young, an incredibly athletic pass-rusher who will be able to fill in for the absence of Leonard Floyd, who led the team in sacks last season.

  
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