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Todd McShay reports that the Los Angeles Rams may not target first-round receivers in the upcoming NFL Draft. This insight comes from his discussions with league sources ahead of the draft.
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MIAMI, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 30: Todd McShay of ESPN looks on prior to the Capital One Orange Bowl between the Florida Gators and the Virginia Cavaliers at Hard Rock Stadium on December 30, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Todd McShay of The Ringer posted 20 things he is hearing ahead of this weekâs NFL Draft. He summarized his conversations with front offices and league sources in the days leading up to the first round on Thursday night.
What did McShay report about the Los Angeles Rams? Letâs take a look.
As of this writing, I think the Rams are more likely to draft a wide receiver in the second than in the first. Whatâs the difference between Makai Lemon and DeâZhaun Stribling in that system? They could also get Germie Bernard or Chris Bell in the second. That frees up the Rams to use the 13th pick on their best player available. This pick is a huge deal in the league. If itâs not a receiver and it isnât Simpson, who is it? They donât have a glaring need. Their selection could throw off the plans for the next handful of teams and become one of the biggest pivot points in this first round.
The Rams may be focusing on other positions based on insights from Todd McShay's conversations with league sources.
Todd McShay shared 20 insights regarding various teams and player prospects as the draft approaches.
The Rams' draft strategy could impact their roster development and overall team performance for the upcoming season.
Todd McShay is a prominent NFL draft analyst known for providing insights and predictions based on his discussions with league insiders.

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More on the Cardinals: They absolutely dig Alabama QB Ty Simpson. Theyâre playing coy, but they like him. Itâs like a secret crush that everyoneâs aware of, and theyâre hoping no one knows. That said, I keep hearing that thereâs another team interested in Simpson, and I wouldnât be shocked if itâs the Rams. I know they liked him during the college football season. If Iâm the Cardinals and Simpson is our guy, I wouldnât feel comfortable trading behind the Rams at 13.
Sadiq could be a target for Rams at #13 depending on the board falls. McShay thinks he will be available for the Panthers in the bottom 15 picks.
Kenyon Sadiq is another name to watch for Carolina. The Panthers had only 638 receiving yards from their tight ends last season, 30th in the NFL.
On receivers: The value seems to be better with the second round group of receivers rather than picking one at #13. Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson would be first round picks in most drafts, but Iâm not sure they are ordinarily top 15 talents. Makai Lemon should be a late first round pick or early second rounder, just based on where the top slot receivers are normally drafted. If the report turns out to be true, the Rams would be wise to draft the best player available instead of forcing need. This is their earliest draft pick since 2016.
On Simpson: It makes sense on the surface that if the Cardinals are interested so are the Rams. These two teams run the same offensive scheme and Simpson is commonly compared to a more physically talented Brock Purdy. If Purdy works for Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers, itâs reasonable that Mike LaFleur (a former Shanahan assistant) would find value in Simpson. LaFleur was the Ramsâ OC last season and we can conclude that Simpson would also make sense for LA. Drafting Simpson grew more unlikely when the Rams traded their second of two first round picks to the Chiefs in the Trent McDuffie package; however, if Simpson falls into the late first round or day two, we could potentially see Los Angeles move up to futureproof the quarterback position for life after Matthew Stafford.