Creed Humphrey falls to Rams in McShay-Kiper 3-round mock draft
The 2021 NFL draft is less than 10 days away now as the first round is right around the corner. Les Snead and Sean McVay will be watching the draft from their 9,000-square-foot draft headquarters in Malibu next Thursday night since the Rams don’t have a first-round pick, but the fun will begin on Day 2 when the second and third rounds take place.
The Rams will be picking at No. 57, 88 and 103 on the second night of the draft, attempting to fill their holes at center, cornerback, inside linebacker, edge rusher and along the defensive line. They could also use some wide receiver depth and possibly a future starter at tackle.
In a new three-round mock draft done by ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay, the Rams found help at key positions.
They addressed center first, followed by additions at inside linebacker and wide receiver. Here’s a look at the haul.
57. Oklahoma C Creed Humphrey (Kiper)
This is the Rams' first pick, and they could be getting an immediate starter in Humphrey, who excels as both a run and pass blocker. There's a chance Humphrey is the top center drafted, even higher in Round 2.
Humphrey would be a steal for the Rams at this point in the draft. He could be the first center drafted, as Kiper points out, and he doesn't come with the injury concerns that Landon Dickerson does. He'd be a Day 1 starter at center for the Rams, a major upgrade over Brian Allen and Coleman Shelton, who are currently on the roster.
88. Ohio State LB Pete Werner (McShay)
I'm sticking the needs chart here. Kiper gave the Rams a center (Creed Humphrey) with their first pick, and now Werner can bring versatility, speed and length to the linebacking group.
It's hard to hate this pick for the Rams, given their need at inside linebacker. Werner is an athletic and rangy linebacker who's solid in coverage. He can also blitz off the edge and would help Los Angeles in multiple ways. They shouldn't go into next season with the same group of starters as they had in 2020.
103. Wake Forest WR Sage Surratt (Kiper)
Surratt ran a disappointing 4.69 40-yard dash at his pro day, but he put up good numbers in 2019 before opting out of this past season. The Rams added veteran DeSean Jackson this offseason, and they need more depth behind Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp.
This is where a lot of people will disagree with Kiper's pick. Surratt is a slower receiver with a bigger build, which can function in the Rams offense. But Surratt is better suited to be a Day 3 pick and there will be better options available at No. 103, especially at wide receiver.
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