There’s no turning back now. The Los Angeles Rams took Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick and they’re moving forward with him as their potential heir to Matthew Stafford. There are no do-overs in the draft, not that the Rams are having any buyer’s remorse the morning after.
However, if they were given a second chance to redo this pick, what other options were there? Looking at how the board fell, there were some quality prospects still on the board at No. 13. They could’ve added to the receiving corps, picked up a top edge rusher or fortified the offensive line with a standout guard.
Trading back was likely a possibility, too.
Here are five things the Rams could’ve done if they didn’t take Simpson at No. 13.
Give Matthew Stafford another weapon with Makai Lemon
He was right there for the Rams. The player they were most frequently linked to, Makai Lemon, was on the board at No. 13. And 14. And 15. He didn’t go until No. 20 overall when the Eagles traded up to draft him.
Had the Rams selected Lemon 13th overall, no one would’ve batted an eye. But it’s clear Los Angeles wasn’t as high on him as everyone thought. The Rams liked Simpson and his potential as a franchise quarterback better, passing on one of the top receivers in the class.
Steal Rueben Bain Jr.
It was surprising to see Bain sit on the board for so long, going 15th overall to the Bucs. He was viewed as one of the best pass rushers in the class, but there were concerns about his short arms, which likely caused him to fall.
Sean McVay said the Rams can never have enough playmakers on offense and pass rushers on defense, so taking Bain would’ve made sense. And with Byron Young entering a contract year, he would’ve been the perfect replacement to pair with Jared Verse.
Can you imagine the power those two would bring to the edge?
Bolster OL with Olaivavega Ioane
Ioane was the clear-cut best guard in the draft, and if the Rams wanted to prepare for the future with another pick, he would’ve been a home run. Kevin Dotson is in a contract year. Steve Avila is in a contract year. It’ll be hard to re-sign them both, so the Rams could’ve stayed one step ahead by drafting one of their replacements in Ioane.
The positional value of taking a guard at 13 isn’t ideal, but Ioane is good enough to warrant that type of selection.
Select Kenyon Sadiq to go all in on 13 personnel
Some people thought the Rams might take Sadiq at 13, giving McVay another weapon at tight end to go with Terrance Ferguson for the next three-plus years. He’s one of the most athletic tight ends ever, testing off the charts at the combine.
He’s effectively a wide receiver with the way he runs routes and makes plays after the catch, so he would’ve fit right in with the Rams’ other weapons. But after taking Ferguson with their first pick last year, it seems Los Angeles didn’t want to double down on Oregon Ducks.
Trade down
It takes two to tango trade, so it’s possible there were no teams that wanted to come up to No. 13. But if a team like the Lions considered moving up for a tackle or if someone wanted to jump the Bucs for Bain, the Rams should’ve at least listened.
Moving down even a few spots would’ve netted them an extra pick or two in the middle rounds, bridging the gap between No. 93 and 207. They might’ve still been able to snag Lemon or Monroe Freeling or KC Concepcion. Even Omar Cooper Jr. could’ve been an option.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 5 different directions the Rams could have gone instead of Ty Simpson in Round 1
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
