At this stage of the game, take every NFL mock draft with a grain of salt. The media spectacle that is the NFL Draft will not be for another few months. With the Senior Bowl having come and gone, up next will be the NFL Combine, and so on. Right now, Georgia should have two first-round locks in offensive tackle Monroe Freeling and linebacker CJ Allen. ESPN's Matt Miller only had one top-32...
Miller had Freeling going No. 29 to the Los Angeles Rams, with Allen somehow, some way, falling all the way to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers picking at No. 46... That is a discussion for another time, but right now, let's take a good, hard look at why Miller tabbed Freeling to the Rams at No. 29. As is the case with everyone, Miller is infatuated with Freeling's upside. He also thinks right tackle is a fit, too.
Upon looking at the Rams' depth chart over on Ourlads, you can see veteran Rob Havenstein currently occupying the starting role, with former Georgia standout Warren McClendon Jr. serving as his primary backup. With Havenstein supposedly contemplating retirement, the addition of Freeling makes sense for the Rams. McClendon just does not have the overall upside of his college teammate.
It will be utterly fascinating to see what these aging Rams become in the weeks, months, and years...
Monroe Freeling projected to take Warren McClendon's Rams starting job
In his 2026 NFL mock draft 1.0, Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL Network had Freeling going No. 28 overall to the Houston Texans. He also had Allen going in the first round at No. 26 overall to the Buffalo Bills. Jeremiah uses his intel from the scouting world to project what players could be taken where. While there has been some connection of Freeling going to the Rams, he has been tied to Houston more...
Overall, for as good as it is to see Freeling getting more and more praise to likely end up being a first-round pick, there are better fits to be had than with the Rams. It may be a matter of preference for Miller, as he has Houston taking Blake Miller out of Clemson with the pick right before the Rams are on the clock. He does have five offensive tackles going in the first round this year and a guard as well.
Ultimately, the Rams fit for Freeling has become more en vogue in recent weeks, but that does not make it as seamless as it would be in Houston. The Texans are in dire need of more protection to help keep C.J. Stroud upright. Matthew Stafford may win NFL MVP, but he is no spring chicken. With Havenstein having not officially retired yet, and some intrigue in McClendon, this needs more time...
Freeling going to the Rams may be totally plausible, but we still need to see a few things happen first.