Rams aim to replace future Hall of Famer in new mock draft

The Los Angeles Rams must find a successor to future Hall of Fame defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who recently announced his retirement.

In his latest mock draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. had the Rams taking Texas' Byron Murphy II with the 19th overall pick, noting he has a similar frame to the three-time Defensive Player of the Year.

"Murphy is the best interior pass-rusher in this class, and at 6-foot-1, 297 pounds, he has a similar build to Donald [listed at 6-foot-1, 280 pounds]," Kiper Jr. wrote of the selection. "I'm not saying he will become a perennial All-Pro, but he has intriguing tools at the position. He had five sacks and created 33 pressures last season. This match makes a lot of sense."  

Nose tackle Kobie Turner led the team in sacks (nine in 17 games) last season and finished third in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. Still, he can't singlehandedly replace Donald — who tallied 111 sacks in 10 seasons with the Rams — so adding another interior pass-rusher is smart.

In 2023, Pro Football Focus gave Murphy II a 91.1 grade, the second-best at his position behind Texas teammate T'Vondre Sweat (91.7). In 14 games,  the 21-year-old had 8.5 tackles for loss, helping the Longhorns earn their first College Football Playoff berth.

NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah rated the 2023 second-team All-American as the best DT in this class, touting his athleticism.

"Murphy is a very explosive, nimble and instinctive defensive tackle," wrote Jeremiah. "Overall, Murphy might lack ideal size, but he's a leverage machine who makes an impact on all three downs."

Claiming Murphy II will become the next Donald would be absurd, but he could become a solid starter and help the Rams improve their pass rush. In 2023, L.A. tied for 23rd in the league in sacks (41) and 22nd in pressures (128).