The Los Angeles Rams have one of the best young pass-rushing units in the NFL.
Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Byron Young and Kobie Turner combined for 28.5 sacks in 2024, and now the unit adds run-stopper Poona Ford in the middle of the defensive line.
This success means edge rusher should be off the table with the No. 26 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Rams have more pressing needs on defense, particularly at insider linebacker and cornerback.
However, former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew and current NFL.com analyst wrote that the Rams shouldn't pass up on Boston College edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku if he's available with their first round pick.
“You can never have enough pass rushers in the NFL, so the Rams take Ezeiruaku to boost an already strong front,” Jones-Drew. “He's relentless in his pursuit of the quarterback and should find success alongside fellow young stars Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Jared Verse.”
The 6-foot-2, 248 pound Ezeiruaku is smaller for an outside linebacker but was highly productive at BC. He led the ACC with 16.5 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss this past season, and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared him to Yannick Ngakoue.
Ezeiruaku wouldn't be expected to be a Week 1 contributor and could learn under some of the best young players early in his career. That's all well and good, but using a top-30 pick on someone who would start his career as a rotational pass rusher isn't a great selling point for both the coaching staff, fans and ownership.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Ex-NFL RB predicts Rams take edge rusher in new mock draft