There are several directions the St. Louis Rams could take in this week's NFL Draft.
The boldest and most exciting would be to maneuver a trade for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. But with head coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead possibly competing for their jobs, it would be understandable if they didn't want to turn to a rookie QB this year. The Rams could look to one of the draft's several talented wide receivers. They have been linked to Louisville's DeVante Parker and UCF's Breshad Perriman in recent weeks. The O-Line could also use some upgrades.
Or the Rams could add some depth in their secondary. Although cornerback may not be the most immediate of needs, there is some logic to addressing the position with an early pick.
Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson are both entering the final years of their contract. If either one got away in free agency next year then St. Louis would be in the market for an outside corner. With several other players coming off the books in 2016, the Rams may not have the space to keep both of them. Drafting a replacement now could provide immediate depth while also covering their bases in the long-term.
Which CB could the Rams target?
"This appears to be a pretty solid class at cornerback though there doesn't appear to be one surefire top 10 player," ESPN Rams reporter Nick Wagoner wrote. "Michigan State's Trae Waynes has received interest from the Rams and possesses good length, straight line speed and a physical approach. His change of direction isn't the greatest, though, and that could keep him from going in the top 10. Washington's Marcus Peters might be the best pure cornerback in the draft but he comes with a lot of red flags off the field. From there, players like Florida State's Ronald Darby and P.J. Williams, Wake Forest's Kevin Johnson, LSU's Jalen Collins, Connecticut's Byron Jones and Utah's Eric Rowe all will garner plenty of interest from around the league."
The Minnesota Vikings have long been linked to Waynes at No. 11. Of all the corners mentioned, he is the most likely to be targeted by St. Louis.
"In terms of the top corners, the only real known interest has been in Waynes," Wagoner wrote. "That doesn't mean the Rams don't have their eyes on other corners but it stands to reason that if they're going to address the position, they'd want to do it with someone who is the best corner in the draft. Still, the 10th pick might be a little too rich for Waynes though it can't entirely be ruled out that the Rams would go in that direction. If they traded down a bit first, perhaps Waynes would be more of a consideration or maybe they slightly surprise and do it at 10."
