The Los Angeles Rams have kept their draft plans a secret, leading to plenty of speculation about what they will do with their first first-round selection since 2016. I've already discussed why I don't believe they should take a defensive tackle in the first round, but in that article, I discussed what the Rams' defensive front might look like and what they need there.
Since, I've had a few people ask me what I believe the Rams' scheme will be and with that in mind, who would I envision being players the Rams would be interested in taking at the top of the 2024 NFL Draft. I'll hit each topic in order and then go position-by-position.
What will the Rams' scheme be in 2024?
Offense
Offensively, I believe we're all familiar with what Sean McVay runs and has run so successfully. They've adjusted to a more gap-heavy run scheme in 2023, something I don't see changing this year. The Rams have typically been an 11-personnel team, with 3 WRs, 1 TE, and 1 RB.
There are some intriguing signs that they might start to incorporate more 12-personnel and other personnel groupings in 2024. They signed Colby Parkinson to a solid contract in free agency, have a promising young player in Davis Allen, and Tyler Higbee is still under contract though still working back from injury.
The most interesting sign is their moves on the coaching staff. TEs coach Nick Caley is taking over as Passing Game Coordinator. Caley's roots go back to New England, working with TEs and FBs with the Patriots going back to 2017. Each year Caley was in New England, they were among the top teams in using 12, 21, and 22 package looks. The Rams' new hires also indicate this as well.
Their new quarterbacks coach, Dave Ragone, arrived from Atlanta, where he served as offensive coordinator under Arthur Smith. Atlanta led the NFL in 12-personnel looks last season, and was top-five in 21, 22, and 13-personnel usage as well. Nate Scheelhaase, their new offensive assistant coach, came from Iowa State, who was near the top of CFB in 12 and 13-personnel formations. Another recently hired offensive assistant, Jerry Schuplinski, arrived from Las Vegas. With the Raiders, Schuplinski coached tight ends in 2023 and was the Giants' quarterbacks coach in 2019 and 2020. You guessed it, his teams were also pretty diverse in personnel usage.
Defense
This is where the biggest shift is expected to come. Chris Shula, a long-time assistant with the team, was promoted to defensive coordinator after Raheem Morris earned the head coach job with the Atlanta Falcons. Shula's scheme is a relative unknown, but there is enough information out there that we can guess.
I believe that the Rams' defensive fronts will stay relatively the same. The odd front looks I explained in that defensive tackle article will still be the Rams' main front. Under Morris, the Rams were a three-down heavy team, using "3-3-5" "3-4" and "3-2-6" defensive packages often. They might be a bit more blitz/sim-pressure heavy under Chris Shula.
Their coverages under Morris were a tad bit more static than what Shula might run. The Rams became a Cover 3-heavy team by the end of 2023. They still mixed in a good amount of quarters/C4 and Cover 1, but primarily often ran a traditional Cover 3. In several interviews since Shula was hired, he's brought up being more multiple and diverse in the Rams' coverage designs. Given Shula's roots with Wade Phillips and Brandon Staley, I'd expect the Rams to go back to more match-zone concepts that they ran under Staley and in their Super Bowl run.
Who are the best scheme fits for the Rams in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft?
With a brief glimpse into their scheme out of the way, who might the Rams be interested at the top of the NFL Draft? What does this scheme mean for their prospects? I'll only look at positions I believe they will consider early in the draft here.
QB: The Rams have been rumored to into a quarterback in this year's class, but I'd be pretty surprised if they went for one early. They want someone who can work the middle of the field well and make plays on his own. I'm not a fan of how Washington's Michael Penix Jr. fits into McVay's scheme due to his issues working the middle of the field and other concerns. South Carolina's Spencer Rattler makes a bit more sense for them on Day 2.
WR: This is an interesting one. The Rams are rumored to be interesting in adding at least one more player here, and some speculation has had them moving up to take one of the big-three WRs at the top of this class. What the Rams are searching for, exactly, isn't clear. However, given the contract situation and injuries with Cooper Kupp, I think the Rams are searching for a playmaking WR capable of being their WR1.
Someone who can create their own separation and be a reliable playmaker they can move around the formation. I don't believe this is Puka Nacua, or at least, that we have enough on Puka to say he should be the shoo-in for this role. Puka was at his best when he could be moved around and schemed open on vertical routes and crossing patterns, and is best used as a complementary piece that way.
They've been linked to Washington's Rome Odunze, and he's an easy and obvious solution to their needs here. If they can't secure a trade-up for him, players like Georgia's Ladd McConkey and Texas's Adonai Mitchell make the most sense early, even though both feel like slight reaches at the 19th overall pick. LSU's Brian Thomas Jr. has been linked to them, but I feel like he is too much of an overlap with what Puka Nacua already does and isn't a natural separator.
EDGE: As previously stated, they are an odd front team. They're searching for pass rushers who can attack in multiple alignments, but mainly rush standing up in a two-point stance. These edge rushers also should have the ability to drop into coverage and handle spot drop duties, something the Rams did very well with Von Miller on their Super Bowl run and...not so well with Michael Hoecht last season.
This year, Alabama's Dallas Turner, UCLA's Laiatu Latu, and Penn State's Chop Robinson feel like the most natural fits in their scheme, given their athletic ability to rush from a two-point stance and ability to drop into coverage. Florida State's Jared Verse is *capable* of playing within this scheme, and the Rams will always aim to give players roles they can fit in, but I don't believe he would be at his best in the Rams' scheme.
DL: I have previously said the Rams shouldn't draft one of the top two defensive tackles in this year's draft class in Texas's Byron Murphy II and Illinois' Johnny Newton, as they both are three-techniques, a place where Kobie Turner will likely move to this year. Instead, the Rams should focus on defensive ends they can play as a 4i when they can go into their base looks AND players that can occupy the one-technique inside in sub-packages. These players should be better run stoppers who can occupy double-teams. Players like Oregon's Brandon Dorlus, Clemson's Ruke Orhorhoro, and Michigan's Kris Jenkins make sense in the second or third round as players that can handle some of these duties, but the Rams should add multiple players on the defensive line this year.
CB: Truthfully, any of the top cornerbacks in this year's draft would fit the Rams, but their top options should be Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell, Alabama's Terrion Arnold, and Iowa's Cooper DeJean. Each of these players have the ability to be moved around the formation based on matchups and have the athleticism AND intelligence to be able to handle the multiple coverage looks and match concepts the Rams will likely be deploying this season.
SAF: The Rams haven't usually drafted a safety early, but they might need to this year. They need another post/deep safety option with legitimate range and physicality on the back end with Kam Curl and Quentin Lake likely taking duties closer to the LOS. Players like Georgia's Javon Bullard, Texas Tech's Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Utah's Cole Bishop, and Minnesota's Tyler Nubin make the most sense there early.
