Rams pick #90 (CB run!)
3.26 Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB Oregon
If the Rams have some "hidden" needs on defense, they might be CB and DE (also LB, already discussed above in the second round, for different reasons). Not in 2015, but as soon as next year, for contract reasons. Starter Janoris Jenkins and CB2/3 Trumaine Johnson are in contract campaigns - Chris Long will make $12 million in 2015, but hasn't really played at that level for a few years (like Bradford, he was a pre-current labor agreement bonus baby, in his case picked at 1.2 overall - primary reserve/rotational DEs Williams Hayes and Eugene Sims, like the CBs, are also in contract years).
The three most prominent rehabbing torn ACLs in this draft probably belong to Gurley (in a class by himself, arguably the #1 prospect overall based purely on talent, may STILL go top 10, amazing given 2015 could be a red shirt season, and the positional devaluation trend in recent years), as well as Texas A&M OT Ogbugei and Oregon CB "IEO". Their final draft slot is expected to be far more impacted by injury, and they could drop to the second, third, even further? But both, if healthy, might have had a shot at being drafted in the top 10-20 region (the OT played better on the right side in 2013 and before, when he was compared favorably to 2014 top 10 overall OT Jake Matthews, than on the left side in 2014 before the injury). IEO could be one of the best coverage and tackling combo prospects at his position in the draft* (easily top 3 if healthy). After trading down and still landing a starter caliber OL in the second round, the extra third rounder seems like a "bonus" pick. If he needs to be shelved for a year, that aligns just fine with the fact that the Rams do have at least three solid CBs in Jenkins, Johnson and '14 rookie revelation Gaines THIS season. I think next year they will likely retain one (but not both) of the CBs from the class of '12, in which case IEO could play nickel, but he may have the talent to eventually start. While undersized (5'9" obviously sub-optimal for an elite CB prospect), he is pretty much a Jenkins-doppleganger in terms of physical stature, but a more rugged, physical and reliable open field tackler. The Rams have ridiculous pedigree in the front seven, with five (TOP HALF OF THE) first round DL, and a late first and two high seconds at LB. Less so in the secondary, except with top 10 overall big nickel safety Mark Barron and high second Jenkins. CB Johnson and starting safety McDonald are third rounders, Gaines a sixth and fellow starting safety McLeod was a UFA.
Knee injuries are no longer a death blow to careers like circa Brian's Song (especially if not catastrophic, like Lattimore). I don't think I could find many more talented prospects at any position if his knee prognosis is favorable, at this point near the middle of the draft, where intra/inter-positional value really begins to flatten out and get increasingly squashed (and the Rams have CB covered in 2015, but it could represent a "need" position as soon as next year). In the first mock, my predecessor took him in the second round (and credit the suggestion in this context). I think you can make a case for that value-wise. But I like him better as the fourth prospect through three rounds in this mock (and that is why he becomes the first player drafted here, from the defensive side of the ball - due to the hard to overlook, recently expected first round pedigree and potential upside if healthy, and a return to some approximation of that form).
* Bob Sturm notes he had 200+ tackles in three seasons and invokes the hallowed Antoine Winfield as a comp, one of the greatest pound-for-pound tacklers I've ever seen at any level.
http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/2015/03/2015-nfl-draft-profile-ifo-ekpre-olomu-cb-oregon.html/