Rams' Top 2022 NFL Draft Targets

The Los Angeles Rams don't have a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. What else is new? This will be the sixth consecutive year that they won't have a selection in the opening round, and they don't own a first-round pick for 2023, either.

Although Los Angeles has missed out on some top draft prospects, the decisions to trade its first-round picks in recent years have worked out well. The Rams gave up their 2020 and 2021 first-rounders in exchange for cornerback Jalen Ramsey and parted with their 2022 and 2023 first-round picks to land quarterback Matthew Stafford. That pair helped Los Angeles win Super Bowl LVI this past season.

The Rams may not pick in the first or the second round of this year's draft, but they still own eight selections, beginning with the No. 104 pick in the third round. So they are poised to acquire some prospects who could either fill key roster holes or develop into starters.

Here are several players who should be top targets for Los Angeles on the second and third days of the draft, which is set to take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Darian Kinnard, OG, Kentucky

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The Rams need to add at least one offensive lineman during the draft, if not two or three, because they have lost some substantial depth up front this offseason. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth retired, while right guard Austin Corbett signed with the Carolina Panthers.

Joe Noteboom will likely take over as Los Angeles' starting left tackle, and it has options to fill the opening at right guard. So it doesn't necessarily need to find offensive linemen who are ready to start now. Therefore, the team can instead target players it could develop who would serve as backups to begin their NFL careers.

Darian Kinnard could be a strong addition to the Rams depth chart, as the former Kentucky lineman is a talented, versatile prospect. He was a three-year starter at right tackle for the Wildcats, but he's more likely to slide inside to a guard position at the pro level.

As NFL.com's Lance Zierlein noted in a scouting report, Kinnard's move to the interior "should allow for more advantageous positioning as both a drive blocker and in pass protection." And because of Kinnard's versatility, he could serve as a backup at numerous positions.

Kinnard is likely to be taken late on the second day of the draft, so the Rams could be in position to make him their first selection this year.

Cam Taylor-Britt, CB, Nebraska

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Another route that Los Angeles could go with its third-round pick is to try to fill a hole in its secondary. The Rams need to find a cornerback who can take over the starting role previously occupied by Darious Williams, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency.

Cam Taylor-Britt will likely be among the top defensive backs on the board when Los Angeles is on the clock at No. 104. The former Cornhuskers corner had a solid four-year college career, which included starting all 12 games for Nebraska in 2021. He had five interceptions over the past three seasons.

Perhaps most importantly, Taylor-Britt could be a good fit for the Rams, according to The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue: "Taylor-Britt is fast, athletic, smartly coverage-versatile and a strong tackler, all traits of which are necessary in the scheme the Rams play and especially in unlocking Ramsey’s own ability."

So if Los Angeles adds Taylor-Britt to a cornerback group that already includes Ramsey, Robert Rochell and David Long Jr., it could be set to have a strong secondary again in 2022.

Zamir White, RB, Georgia

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It's not a necessity for the Rams to add a running back during this year's draft. Even though Sony Michel remains a free agent, they still have Cam Akers and Darrell Henderson Jr., who should both play significant roles in their offense, and some depth backs, such as Jake Funk.

But Los Angeles may still want to try to fill the void created by Michel's departure, as it will surely use multiple running backs throughout the 2022 season. And if it wants to draft one during either the third or fourth round, then Georgia's Zamir White could be a great target.

White is a power runner who would be a nice change-of-pace back to group with Akers and Henderson. Although he's had two ACL tears in the past, he stayed on the field for most of his time at Georgia, where he had 11 touchdowns each of the past two seasons. White rushed for 2,043 yards over his three years with the Bulldogs.

In the third round, the Rams should likely address one of their greater needs (such as offensive-line depth or cornerback). But if White is still available in the fourth, then Los Angeles would be wise to take him to bolster its stable of running backs.