2025 NFL Mock Draft: Los Angeles Rams select safety

Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Les Snead famously said “F*** Them Picks” as he traded away every 1st rounder on the way to winning Super Bowl LVI with a close victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. I’ll let this Field Yates tweet explain their draft philosophy:

But again, Super Bowl victory. Results speak for themselves. Of course, there was a drain of talent following the win. Most people assumed it was going to be a long walk through the desert of mediocrity after making the devil’s deal to get the ‘ship. They followed a 12-5 Super Bowl season with a 5-12 3rd place finish in the NFCW.

As a matter of fact, it was exactly two seasons, which also happened to coincide with two season-ending injuries to Matthew Stafford, along with the 49ers dominance of the NFC West.

So what happened in those two seasons? The Rams loaded up on draft picks. Not in the first round, mind you, but they sure did love the mid-rounds. They played the comp pick game. They accrued 11 picks in ’21, 8 picks in ’22, and 14 (!) picks in ’23. They went heavy on defense. They went with quantity, hoping that the gems would rise. Which they did. They found solid starters on both sides of the ball. Kyren Williams, Quentin Lake, Puka Nacua, Steve Avila, Byron Young, and Kobie Turner, among others. It was an unreal turnaround.

They entered 2024 with their first 1st rounder since Jared Goff in 2016, and they didn’t disappoint. They got Jared Verse, noted Eagles fan hater and game wrecker. Then in the 2nd round, they traded away their 2025 2nd rounder (F*** them picks again) to move up and get his FSU teammate, DT Braden Fiske. (One pick ahead of Cooper DeJean, mind you, which had Howie tightening the old sphincter.) Along with Kam Kinchens, the Rams had a draft class that rivaled the Eagles (and, sure, the Commies) for best of 2024.

Which brings us to 2025.

A truism in the NFL is that good Quarterback play makes you a good team, while bad Quarterback play makes you a bad team. Matthew Stafford is a good (formerly great) QB, so the Rams have a floor of being a good team, which means they are in the upper half of the league. When he is injured, as in 2022, the team falls apart. When he is playing well, as in 2024, the Rams are dangerous.

Coupled with the savvy, creative coaching of Sean McVay, the Rams emerged as one of the best teams in the NFC down the stretch and into the playoffs. As my L.A. friends like to remind me, they came within a few plays of winning the Divisional Round playoff game and knocking the Eagles out of it. (“We would have won the Super Bowl, too, if it weren’t for that rascally Jalen Carter,” is a common Scooby-Doo-style refrain that I get out here in L.A.)

All of this background is to say that the upcoming season will be an exciting and important one for the Rams. The 37 year-old Stafford signed an extension to remain in L.A. for at least one more season. They replaced stalwart Cooper Kupp with Devante Adams. They invested heavily in OG by signing Kevin Dotson and Jonah Jackson in Free Agency and drafting Steve Avila last year. On a growing roster with several youngsters primed for breakout seasons, the expectations in Los Angeles will be another postseason run in 2025.

So what to do with the pick? When it comes to the Rams, they can use upgrades at basically every position across the board. They need help on the D-Line, at Tackle, the secondary, and Tight End. They may be thinking of a QB succession plan, so Jaxon Dart is in play. I’m sure they would love to get that 2nd round pick back, so a trade-down would be the most favorable option. But that is not an option in this mock draft. The way this board is falling, I have missed out on my top OT prospects. I’m unsure of the top CBs. I need a true playmaker on defense. Best player available is absolutely the mantra.

With the #26 selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams select…Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina.

Let’s start with the measurables: 6-foot-3, 231 pounds, 32.5-inch arms, a 43-inch vertical, and a 4.38 40 time. This is basically what it looks like when you build the perfect Safety in the lab. He’s one of the best athletes at his size in the last 20-30 years. Scouts.Inc. ranks him at No. 21 on their board, Daniel Jeremiah has him at No. 15.

The game tape matches the measuring tape. Emmanwori has some of the best ball skills in the class. He is tight in coverage, he has athleticism for days, and he is heady. I’ve also read good comments on his leadership skills and locker room demeanor.

At times he acts like a pseudo Linebacker out there. He is a force against the run; he can come downhill and thump the ball-carrier or carry the tight end or slot receiver in coverage. 4 Interceptions and a team leading 88 tackles in the SEC. He is a menace.

How does he fit into the Rams’ scheme?

First and foremost in Rams’ fans minds is the thought of Saquon Barkley running through that porous defensive backfield to the tune of 500+ yards in 2 games. They need to toughen up.

The Rams have 4 Safeties, with 3 getting playing time in Quentin Lake, Kam Curl, and breakout player Kam Kinchens. Quentin Lake was the Nickel Back for most of the season. Kurl and Lake are both entering the final years of their deals. Les Snead does not have a history of giving second contracts to Safeties. They don’t have a capable Safety behind Kinchens to assume Curl’s role. 2nd year Defensive Coordinator Chris Shula needs more young playmakers as the unit forges its identity. It’s an exciting group, but they also ranked #26 in Total Defensive Efficiency last year (per Sharp Football Analysis).

They could use some cornerback depth, as all playoffs teams do, behind Ahkello Witherspoon and Darious Williams. Maxwell Hairston and Trey Amos were both considered for this pick, as was OG Tyler Booker and DT Derrick Harmon.

But in truth, the Rams have the luxury of drafting for the future, and they need a tone-setter on D. Let’s go with the player with the instincts and ball skills of a CB but also the size and presence of a sub linebacker.

Nick Emmanwori is the pick.

2025 BGN Mock Draft Order

1) Titans (JoeDirtsBarber): Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado2) Browns (kjb304): Abdul Carter, EDGE, Penn State3) Giants (The Player Formerly Known as Mousecop): Cam Ward, QB, Miami4) Patriots (ReginaldHtower): Will Campbell, OT, LSU5) Jaguars (eaglenomics): Mason Graham, DT, Michigan6) Raiders (dkays): Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State7) Jets (Stick19154): Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State8) Panthers (89Tremaine): Will Johnson, CB, Michigan9) Saints (FierceDisc65): Jalon Walker, EDGE, Georgia10) Bears (DrprofBubbles): Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia11) 49ers (granthill7): Armand Membou, OT, Missouri12) Cowboys (Be subpar for Ja’Marr): Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas13) Dolphins (thehead92): Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas14) Colts (green1us): Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State15) Falcons (All_Hail_Howie): James Peace Jr., EDGE, Tennessee16) Cardinals (Good Bad Ideas): Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona17) Bengals (ablesser88): Shemar Stewart, EDGE, Texas A&M18) Seahawks (herbalonius): Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan19) Buccaneers (Hoosinole): Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama20) Broncos (Silverlark60): Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State21) Steelers (Dr.MidnightGreen): Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado22) Chargers (LancGuy): Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan23) Packers (Leo Bedio): Matthew Golden, WR, Texas24) Vikings (krikkebelgium): Malaki Starks, S, Georgia25) Texans (Aint1stULast): Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State26) Rams (Booth12): Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina27) Ravens (pheebthegoose)28) Lions (Neil Dutton)29) Commanders (Mailata_in_a_Miata)30) Bills (PhilaWolverine)31) Chiefs (niels.rosenquist)32) Eagles (Philly21)

Now it’s time for you to vote for who YOU think should be selected in the 2025 BGN Community Consensus Mock Draft.

1) Titans: QB Cam Ward2) Browns: EDGE Abdul Carter3) Giants: WR/CB Travis Hunter4) Patriots: OT Will Campbell5) Jaguars: DT Mason Graham6) Raiders: RB Ashton Jeanty7) Jets: OT Armand Membou8) Panthers: CB Will Johnson9) Saints: EDGE Jalon Walker10) Bears: TE Tyler Warren11) 49ers: OT Kelvin Banks Jr.12) Cowboys: WR Tetairoa McMillan13) Dolphins: OT Josh Simmons14) Colts: TE Colston Loveland15) Falcons: EDGE Mykel Williams16) Cardinals: EDGE James Pearce Jr.17) Bengals: EDGE Shemar Stewart18) Seahawks: QB Shedeur Sanders19) Buccaneers: LB Jihaad Campbell20) Broncos: RB Omarion Hampton21) Steelers: QB Jaxson Dart22) Chargers: DT Kenneth Grant23) Packers: CB Jahdae Barron24) Vikings: S Malaki Starks25) Texans: OL Grey Zabel26) Rams: