American Football

Snead’s Snacks: Which defensive linemen in draft can help fill Aaron Donald void

March 29, 2024

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: JAN 01 ReliaQuest Bowl - Wisconsin vs LSU — Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Which defensive line prospects could Rams target in the NFL Draft?

The Los Angeles Rams have one of the biggest challenges this offseason during the draft when they look to replace Aaron Donald. While the Rams won’t be replacing Donald, they will most certainly look to add to the rotation along the defensive line at the very least.

Since the 2020 NFL Draft, I’ve done a series called Snead’s Snacks. In other words, we’re going to find and look at common themes and traits of previous Les Snead draft picks and see which players in the upcoming NFL Draft fit the mold for the Rams. For example, last year, I correctly pegged Davis Allen, Desjuan Johnson, Byron Young, and Nick Hampton as fits.

The focus for today’s edition of “Snead’s Snacks” will be on the defensive line specifically a player that can line up as the 3-technique and has some versatility in their aligning. With Donald and Jonah Williams leaving in free agency, it’s hard to see them not adding along the defensive line.

Again, the list below are simply players that fit the Rams’ mold of what they have drafted in the past. They could certainly target other players, especially with a new defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. However, this is a starting point and a generic list of players who best fit that mold.

*Note: Numbers taken from RAS and Mockdraftable

Notable Past Rams Drafted Players

Kobie Turner, Wake Forest – 3rd Round

Measurables:

Height: 6’2

Weight: 293-pounds

Arm Length: 31.375 inches

Shuttle: 4.49 seconds

3-cone: 7.08 seconds

Broad Jump: 96 inches

Vertical: N/A

40-yard dash: N/A

Size Grade: Poor

Speed Grade: N/A

Agility Grade: Elite

Explosion Grade: DNQ

RAS: 7.10 – Okay

Traits:

Excellent movement skills
Impressive get-off/Good initial quickness
Physical as run defender
Excellent motor

Overview of Pick

Turner had a fantastic rookie season, playing himself into the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Throughout most of the draft process, he was overlooked as Turner didn’t even garner an invite to the NFL Combine. “The Conductor” paired perfectly with Aaron Donald and finished with eight sacks in 2023. Early signs point to Turner being a staple along the defensive line. His traits matched with what the Rams like as someone with an excellent motor and a good get-off at the line of scrimmage.

Desjuan Johnson, Toledo – 7th Round

Measurables:

Height: 6’2

Weight: 285-pounds

Arm Length: 31.75 inches

Shuttle: 4.5 seconds

3-cone: 8.03 seconds

Broad Jump: 108 inches

Vertical: 29 inches

40-yard dash: 5.02 seconds

10-yard split: 1.7 seconds

Size Grade: Poor

Speed Grade: Great

Agility Grade: Okay

Explosion Grade: Good

RAS: 6.60 – Okay

Traits:

Productive Player
Versatile
Quick off the snap
Good motor

Overview of Pick

The Rams really liked Johnson pre-draft as they met with him multiple times. It’s easy to see why they had so much interest in him. Johnson displayed good versatility and quickness off the line and was a player with a good motor. He didn’t play a lot as a rookie, but I would expect his role to increase.

Bobby Brown III, Texas A&M

Measurables:

Height: 6’4 (72nd percentile)

Weight: 321-pounds (85th percentile)

Arm Length: 34.75 inches (92nd percentile)

Shuttle: 4.58 seconds (60th percentile)

3-cone: 7.72 seconds (56th percentile)

Broad Jump: 113 inches (90th percentile)

Vertical: 33 inches (88th percentile)

40-yard dash: 5.04 seconds (61st percentile)

10-yard split: 1.68 seconds (83rd percentile)

Size Grade: Great

Speed Grade: Great

Agility Grade: Good

Explosion Grade: Elite

RAS: 9.82 – Elite

Traits:

Size strength to play 1T or 3T
Good bend/solid tackler
Good run defender

Overview of Pick

At this point, we should be starting to see some common traits. Both Johnson and Brown were seen as versatile players. Brown and turner were seen as good run defenders. While Brown started his career slow with the Rams, he had a breakout season last year and stepped in nicely as a 1T/3T defensive lineman depending on the situation. It’ll be interesting to see what he does in year four, but he has developed nicely.

Sebastian Joseph-Day, Rutgers – 6th Round

Measurables:

Height: 6’3

Weight: 299-pounds

Arm Length: 34.5 inches

Shuttle: 4.56 seconds

3-cone: 7.4 seconds

Broad Jump: 112 inches

Vertical: 31.5 inches

40-yard dash: 4.97 seconds

10-yard split: 1.68 seconds

Size Grade: Okay

Speed Grade: Elite

Agility Grade: Great

Explosion Grade: Great

RAS: 9.44 – Great

Traits:

Explosive lateral burst
Good quickness off the nap
Excellent motor/run defender

Overview of Pick

We’re beginning to paint a picture of traits that the Rams look for on the defensive line. Again, we see the quickness off the snap and having an excellent motor while being a good run defender. Joseph-Day had a successful career with the Rams, becoming a staple in the middle of their defensive line before hitting free agency. For being drafted in the sixth-round, he was a home run pick.

Aaron Donald, Pitt – 1st round

Measurables:

Height: 6’0 (9th percentile)

Weight: 285-pounds (7th percentile)

Arm Length: 32.625 inches (29th percentile)

Shuttle: 4.39 seconds (89th percentile)

3-cone: 7.11 seconds (97th percentile)

Broad Jump: 116 inches (95th percentile)

Vertical: 32 inches (80th percentile)

40-yard dash: 4.69 seconds (98th percentile)

10-yard split: 1.63 seconds (99th percentile)

Size Grade: Very Poor

Speed Grade: Elite

Agility Grade: Elite

Explosion Grade: Elite

RAS: 9.66 – Great

Traits:

Elite quickness off snap
Highly productive/Good motor
Gets underneath blockers/Disruptive

Overview of Pick

If the Rams are going to be looking to replace Aaron Donald, we can’t not include him on this list. While Donald didn’t have great size, he overcame that with every other part of his game, especially his speed. Donald ended up becoming the greatest defensive player in Rams history. The Rams won’t be replacing Donald, but looking to somehow fill the void he left.

Notable Past Rams Undrafted/Signed Players

Jonah Williams, Weber State – UDFA

Measurables:

Height: 6’5

Weight: 269-pounds

Arm Length: 33.5 inches

20-yard shuttle: 4.14 seconds

3-cone: 6.71 seconds

Broad Jump: 115 inches

Vertical: 35 inches

40-yard dash: 4.14 seconds

Size Grade: Okay

Speed Grade: N/A

Agility Grade: Elite

Explosive Grade: Elite

RAS: 9.94u (Elite)

Traits:

Versatility potential
Quick off snap

Marquise Copeland, Cincinnati – UDFA

Measurables:

Height: 6’2

Weight: 281-pounds

Arm Length: 32 inches

20-yard shuttle: 4.84 seconds

3-cone: 7.5 seconds

Broad Jump: 110 inches

Vertical: 33.5 inches

40-yard dash: 5 seconds

10-yard split: 1.82

Size Grade: Poor

Speed Grade: Good

Agility Grade: Okay

Explosive Grade: Good

RAS: 5.96

Traits:

Consistent Production
Good at diagnosing the play
Good hands

Common Traits Rams Look For in Interior Offensive Linemen

Here are the common traits that can help us build a rough mold of what Snead might look for in rookie interior defensive linemen. As a reminder, the Rams have drafted other defensive linemen, however, we’re primarily just looking at the defensive lineman that they’ve drafted or brought in since moving to a 3-4 in 2017. Looking at defensive lineman over the last few years under the Staley/Morris scheme is also where we’ll focus.

The Rams seem to value players with a quick get-off at the line of scrimmage and good initial quickness. Kobie Turner and Desjuan Johnson each had a quick get-off. Earnest Brown IV and Jonah Williams also had a quick first-step. This was something that Aaron Donald was elite at.
They don’t value size. Several of the players that the Rams have drafted or had success with were considered undersized and had poor size measurables. Instead, the Rams look for players that have that “dawg” in them. In other words, players with a high motor.
When it comes to specific measurements, we’ll be focusing on the 10-yard split as that’s a good indicator of initial quickness. Players like Turner, Johnson, Joseph Day, and Donald all had 10-yard splits under 1.7 seconds. The Rams seem to value lateral movement to an extent, therefore the shuttle will be a drill we’ll keep an eye on here. Lastly, we’ll be looking at the broad jump. The Rams seem to have a threshold at or near 110 inches, with Turner’s 98 last season being an exception.
It’s difficult to gauge where the Rams will take a defensive lineman. Since selecting Donald in the first round in 2014, most have been drafted on day three with Turner being the highest drafted in the third-round. While we won’t eliminate first-round players, we’ll focus on day two and day three prospects.
This is a team that values versatility. Bobby Brown was seen as someone who could play the 1T or 3T. Jonah Williams and Michael Hoecht both had versatility potential. It wouldn’t hurt for the Rams to add a 1T or 0T player, but given the loss of Aaron Donald, we’ll be looking primarily at players who can play the 3T with some positional versatility.

2023 Players Who Fit The Rams

1. Byron Murphy – Texas

If the Rams decide to address the defensive line in the first round with the 19th overall pick, Byron Murphy fits their mold and would be the player that they would likely target. Murphy is small, but we’ve addressed that the Rams don’t necessarily value size at the position. He has the versatility to play inside at the 1T or move out wider to the 3T. He’s explosive as evidenced by his 111-inch broad jump and sub-1.7 second 10-yard split. Murphy has a good motor with good quickness off the line of scrimmage which is also something that the Rams will value.

Draft Projection: 1st Round

2. Braden Fiske – Florida State

With other needs on the roster, specifically at EDGE, the Rams could wait until day two to draft a defensive lineman. That’s where Braden Fiske comes into the equation. While Fiske tested extremely well at the NFL Combine, he is likely still a second-round player. In the case that he falls to the Rams at 52, he would be a great fit. Again, he fits the measurable with the 1.67-second 10-yard split and 117-inch broad jump. Looking at Fiske’s traits, he displays good quickness, lateral movement and is very fast off the ball at the snap. He doesn’t necessarily have the alignment versatility, but Fiske is still a very disruptive player.

Draft Projection: 2nd Round

3. Ruke Orhorhoro – Clemson

Orhorhoro isn’t a perfect fit, but is close enough that he makes this list and makes a lot of sense as a day two option. He displays good lateral quickness on tape and has an impressive get-off at the line of scrimmage. Orhorhoro has the ceiling to be one of the best defensive linemen of this class. The Clemson defender is versatile as he can line all across the defensive front. Orhorhoro has good explosiveness and has a motor on tape that the Rams will love. Again, if the Rams opt for another position in the first round, there is value on the defensive line on day two. Orhorhoro is a prime example of that.

Draft Projection: 3rd

4. Mekhi Wingo – LSU

If there is a defensive lineman that the Rams opt to draft on day two, it would not be surprising if it is Mekhi Wingo. Wingo is one of my favorite defensive line prospects and again, is a high-ceiling player. His top RAS comparison is Aaron Donald who the Rams will be trying to replace. Wingo and Donald are both extremely similar in size and had the exact same 10-yard split at 1.63-seconds. Like Donald, Wingo has a quick get-off, a hot motor, and the lateral quickness that the Rams value in their defensive linemen.

Draft Projection: 3rd-4th Round

5. Marcus Harris – Auburn

The Rams have typically addressed the defensive line on day three of the NFL Draft. If they opt to do that again despite Donald retiring, Harris is a name to keep an eye one. His broad jump and 10-yard split scores are a little lower than what the Rams have typically targets. With that said, from a trait perspective, he is a fit. Harris is quick off the snap and has a good motor. He’s strong against the run and has good lateral movement, despite his size. Harris has shorter arms, but the Rams haven’t necessarily targets longer arms on the defensive line in the past, prioritizing quickness.