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There are analysts who believe it’s edge rusher the Los Angeles Rams must select first come April 28. But there are those who believe it should be cornerback…with the Rams taking multiple ones and making their selection on day one of the draft.
That’s right. One mock draft now has the Rams not only adding two cornerbacks, but moving into the first round to take in their first option.
Pro Football Network unveiled its updated mock draft and wrote down this prediction: The Rams make a deal with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs to nab D.J. Turner of Michigan as the night’s final pick.
“In this 2023 NFL Mock Draft, the Rams engineer a slight trade up into the tail end of Round 1, to lock down a top target at a premier position of need,” PFN wrote. “DJ Turner has the top-tier recovery speed (4.26 40-yard dash) and vision to thrive in Los Angeles’ zone-heavy scheme. But he’s also an incredibly twitchy, fleet-footed coverage defender in man.”
And the other CB PFN has landing with the Rams? At No. 182 in round six: Myles Brooks of Louisiana Tech.
Turner a Hot Commodity
Turner has had an uptick in his draft projection as the league enters draft month.
The Wolverine first captivated scouts and anyone who loves speed — with his 4.26 time in the 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. The 5-foot-11, 178-pounder has since emerged as a potential backend find for teams seeking a CB in the first round.
“It was impossible to miss Turner. His natural coverage skills pop off the screen, and in 2022, his game took an extra leap,” Ian Cummings of PFN wrote.
With the blazing speed in tow, he shows his mirror and movement combination in forcing incomplete throws:
That kind of speed could make him a candidate for a nickelback/slot CB role. Cummings, though, believes Turner is most explosive in one area of the defense.
“On the boundary, Turner is incredibly explosive. He can easily turn and run with receivers, accelerating upfield quickly, and shows excellent accelerative capacity when flipping upfield in press-bail. The Michigan CB gears up instantly out of transitions with quick strides, and he flashes superb initial burst when closing on screens. Not only does Turner have an overwhelming top speed, but he also reaches that top speed very quickly,” Cummings wrote.
Brooks a Towering Option & Late FBS Bloomer
Meanwhile, Brooks made the decision to bet on himself: Going from Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program Stephen F. Austin to playing at Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program Louisiana Tech last season.
He ended up becoming one of the best defenders in Conference USA: Snatching three interceptions, swatting eight passes and earned second team CUSA honors.
What could intrigue teams, though, is his combination of having towering size at 6-foot-2 and displaying the same vertical jump of projected first rounder Joey Porter Jr.
And before his Pro Day, he showed those hops during practices at the Shrine Bowl:
He mixes his tall stature with a high-energy competitiveness that gets him to disrupt wide receivers on their routes and also show his nose for the football like a WR:
His one season at the FBS level was clearly enough for him to cement his case as an NFL caliber corner. Now, he’s been called a fit inside the “Rams House” for a team in need of replacing Jalen Ramsey.
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