Assuming OBJ leaves in free agency, these 6 receivers could be options for the Rams in the 2022 NFL draft

2022 NFL Draft 2022 WR Class LA Rams

Odell Beckham Jr. has silenced the doubters after signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams back in October.

He had 17 receptions for 232 yards and no touchdowns in six games with Cleveland. Since then? OBJ has 25 receptions for 287 yards and 5 TDs with Los Angeles.

But there’s a good chance he won’t be back next season. The Rams won’t have a lot of wiggle room financially next season, with a projected $3 million in cap space.

And Los Angeles won’t have a draft pick until late in the third round. All told, the team has eight picks, including late picks in the third- and fourth-rounds. Most of the team’s draft capital comes in the sixth- and seventh-rounds, where Los Angeles has five picks.

Still, assuming Robert Woods comes back healthy and with the MVP-level play of Cooper Kupp, the Rams don’t need to find a “star” in this draft to replace OBJ. There should be plenty of quality and even starter-level receivers available in the third- and fourth-rounds.

It’s a fairly deep year for receivers, at least in terms of quantity. That’s why it’s likely that at least one of these receivers will still be available when Los Angeles drafts in the third and/or fourth rounds. Here’s six who could be available when the Rams are on the clock (rankings are via the Fanspeak-Jake Rigdon big board):

Round 3:

Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama, ranked No. 85

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Tolbert is coming off his second consecutive 1,000-yard season after finishing with a career-high in receptions with 82 for 1,474 yards and a career-high-tying 8 touchdowns. Tolbert has 178 receptions for 3,140 yards and 22 TDs for his career, most of it coming his final three seasons. And his 1,665 yards receiving versus single coverage led college football since 2020, according to Pro Football Focus.

George Pickens, Georgia, No. 87

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior might have been the first receiver taken had it not been for a torn ACL suffered during spring practice. He came back late in the season and has caught 4 passes for 55 yards in three games as he works his way back from the injury. It’s possible he won’t be available in the third – or the second – round, especially if his medicals turn out OK. PFF’s Trevor Sikkema recently mocked Pickens to Detroit in Round 1. Here’s what Sikkema said about Pickens’ sophomore season: “He was on the line of scrimmage and faced a good amount of press coverage. He has a big enough body to handle the physicality at the line yet the speed to stretch the field vertically to keep cornerbacks hesitant from pressing too hard. … His hands were consistent throughout the season; he has the ability to come down with spectacular catches and tracks the ball well through contact.”


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