Los Angeles Rams Are Late To The NFL Draft Party, But The Defending Super Bowl Champs Like Their Haul

The Los Angeles Rams really were part of the NFL draft. It took a day and 103 picks before they were on the clock, but the team that loves to peddle draft capital did participate.

L.A.’s first pick was offensive lineman Logan Bruss from Wisconsin. But the Rams being the Rams, Bruss had to share a little of the team’s NFL draft weekend thunder with its reported acquisition of cornerback Troy Hill.

With Hill possibly returning after a year with the Cleveland Browns, and four defensive backs taken among the Rams’ eight draft selections, L.A.’s secondary got a serious boost over 48 hours.

The 6-foot-5, 309-pound Bruss led the charge of college talent, even if it took some time to hear his name. The Rams, who already have two offensive linemen from Wisconsin, see Bruss challenging for playing time on the right side.

As a Badger, Bruss had more than 1,400 snaps at right tackle and north of 350 at right guard.

“You’re our kind of guy and you’re going to be great for us,’’ Rams coach Sean McVay told Bruss when informing him on the phone of the Rams’ intentions.

Cornerback Decobie Durant, from South Carolina State, was selected 142nd overall. Durant was the first of two players hailing from FCS schools to be drafted by the Rams.

There’s little question about Durant’s aggressive style and productivity, although those pluses are countered by his 5-foot-9, 174-pound frame.

In McVay’s offense he seeks versatile running backs and the Rams got one in the fifth round in Notre Dame’s Kyren Williams at No. 164.

Williams rushed for 1,002 yards and 14 touchdowns and added 42 catches for 359 yards and three scores for the Irish last year.

Back to Hill and him maybe circling back to L.A.

He left the Rams after collecting three interceptions in the 2020 season to cash in with the Browns. But Hill wasn’t as effective in Cleveland, where he didn’t have an interception or the impact the Browns had hoped for.

The Rams, according to overthecap.com., had $7 million in cap space before the reported Hill trade. Hill’s cap hit is scheduled to be $3.3 million in 2022.