The 2025 NFL Draft could feature one of the most unpredictable first rounds in recent memory.
In a normal year, teams might have 18 to 22 players with first-round grades. For many organizations, that number is lower this time around.
As one longtime team executive put it recently: "I don't think there's a difference between Player 10 and Player 40 in this draft. (But) you've got to draft somebody."

So, after Cam Ward, Travis Hunter and Abdul Carter are long gone, who could be some of the surprises that come off the board on Thursday evening?
The following five players are underrepresented in the mock draft discourse, but hearing their names called in Round 1 wouldn't shock some of the NFL executives, scouts and coaches I've talked to in recent weeks.

Carson Schwesinger
UCLA · LB · Junior (RS)
A onetime walk-on at UCLA, Schwesinger (6-foot-2 1/2, 242 pounds) led all FBS players with 90 solo tackles and was a Butkus Award finalist last season, his first as a starter. He can run, cover and play all three downs. His instincts and character are pluses.

Schwesinger isn't as versatile as Alabama's Jihaad Campbell, who also has flashed edge-rush ability. But with several teams near the bottom of Round 1 needing an off-ball linebacker, Schwesinger could find his NFL home sooner than many expect.

Emeka Egbuka
Ohio State · WR · Senior
With this receiver class, the first-round attention has largely focused on Arizona big-play threat Tetairoa McMillan and Texas speedster Matthew Golden. But don't overlook Egbuka, Ohio State's standout slot receiver who racked up a school-record 205 catches for 2,868 yards and 24 touchdowns in 50 college games (37 starts).

Egbuka (6-0 7/8, 202) has been durable, missing just three games for health reasons (ankle injury in 2023) over his four years as a Buckeye. And he's arguably more explosive than former OSU teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who went 20th overall to Seattle in 2023 and just made his first Pro Bowl. At this point, frankly, I'll be surprised if Egbuka doesn't go in the first.

Jared Wilson
Georgia · C · Junior (RS)
While some teams project versatile North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel to center, the top prospect who actually played the position in college is probably Wilson. According to Pro Football Focus, the Georgia product allowed zero sacks in 511 pass-block snaps last season, his first as a starter.

Like most UGA centers, Wilson (6-3, 310) is quicker than he is strong, but he tested off the charts at the combine. Many teams expect he'll go on Day 2, but it won't be a total shock if he's off the board even sooner.

Tyleik Williams
Ohio State · DT · Senior
In a deep defensive line group, Williams stands out because of his size (6-2 7/8, 334), experience (51 college games with 25 starts) and run-stopping ability.

A hamstring injury suffered while running the 40-yard dash at the Buckeyes' pro day last month cut short Williams' pre-draft process. But that's not expected to be a long-term issue. He had six top-30 visits -- including several with teams owning picks late in Round 1.

Tyler Shough
Louisville · QB · Senior
There isn't much consensus across the league about the QBs in this draft beyond Cam Ward being the top prospect and presumptive No. 1 overall pick. Shough has thrust himself into the next-tier conversation with Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe -- and many scouts and coaches rank him above at least one of those more-heralded players.

In a seven-year college odyssey, Shough started 32 games at three schools. He returned from three significant injuries (broken collarbone in 2021, shoulder issue in '22, broken leg in '23) to put together a career year last fall at Louisville: 62.7% passing for 3,195 yards and 23 touchdowns (against six interceptions) in 12 starts for a Cardinals team that finished 9-4.

Shough is older (25), and both the injury volume and its impact on his play style will concern some teams. But coaches like his size (6-4 7/8, 219), accuracy and processing ability. He might be the readiest of the whole QB group to play in the NFL right now. Does he have a chance to be a bona fide, long-term starter in the pros? All it takes is one team to buy in and take a shot on Shough in Round 1.

We’re down to a week.

You’ve seen the data.

What do YOU want to happen?

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21m per. He’s not an elite CB now but he’s still a very good #1…
I hope he asks for his release. He still has a ton of love for this coaching staff. He’s close w/ D-Will also.
Rams still have love for Ramsey the person and player.

What says you?

Good listen here. Lots of insight into his coaching journey, football families, and Ram players and coaches.

I think this dude is not a fluke, and will build on last year, learn from his mistakes, and be even better. He sure seems to be a clone of McVay, maybe a bit less the boy genius.


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An article by Jourdan that will answer a lot of things that are asked or commented on around here IMO.

Each year, every NFL general manager, scout and coach has a personal list of favorite draft prospects -- guys to pound the table for when the clock is ticking and a decision must be made about which player to invest precious draft capital in. Well, I'm no different. With the 2025 NFL Draft just around the corner (April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin), here is my list of prospects I feel most passionately about.
Now, this exercise isn't all-encompassing. Every year, it's hard for me to leave out some players I would strongly advocate for, but I don't want to be pounding the table nonstop. Also, while the list does not exclude players who are likely to hear their names called during Round 1, the vast majority of guys I've included here are likely Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) and Day 3 (Rounds 4-7) picks.

Fourteen of the 16 players on last year's version of this list were drafted. The two undrafted players were brought into camp, and one of them -- TE Dallin Holker -- ended up starting a couple of games for the New Orleans Saints. Three of the 16 were drafted by the Buffalo Bills, and another three landed with the Saints -- I swear I didn't have access to their draft boards! Ten of the 16 started at least one game in 2024, with two members -- Steelers OG Mason McCormick and 49ers S Malik Mustapha -- starting at least 12 games. Hopefully, the players mentioned below can replicate -- if not exceed -- the success of last year's pound-the-table class!

Shedeur Sanders
Colorado · QB · Senior
It’s pretty simple to me. Sanders has helped turn two programs around, bringing new energy to Jackson State and then Colorado. He’s improved every year, too, leading offenses coordinated by Sean Lewis (now the head coach at San Diego State) in 2023 and former NFL head coach Pat Shurmur in 2024. So, he’s quite familiar with pro concepts.

Being the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, his head coach at JSU and UC, brought Shedeur a lot of attention and the so-called perks of the world. You know what else it did? It put a big target on his back. Shedeur has taken the best shot from the opposition over and over again, and I believe there are plenty of people who would like to see him fail. He’s dealt with that his whole life.

He keeps producing, no matter the challenges, and he’s faced his share of those. I’m banking on his talent and determination.

I would be pounding the table for him if I were a QB-needy team picking in Round 1.

Cam Skattebo
Arizona State · RB · Senior
Skattebo might be a top-five running back in this year’s draft. I definitely believe he can be an NFL starter. I know his timed speed is not great, but I’m not overly worried about it. With his running style and play speed, he will still be able to break off runs of 10-20 yards that make a big difference in a game. And he’ll have some runs even longer than those when he knocks people over down the field. Yes, he has a compact build, but he moves like a player with more length, and he’s going to punish defenses.

He can make plays in the passing game, too, with soft hands that pluck the ball quite well. I don’t know if people are giving him the respect he deserves this spring.

Jack Bech
TCU · WR · Senior
Bech is no stranger to tough competition. He began his career at LSU -- where he was a teammate of 2024 first-round draft picks Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. -- and he led that team in receptions with 43 in 2022. He transferred to TCU for his final two seasons, pacing the Horned Frogs with 62 catches in 2024. Bech runs good routes, reels in contested catches and will make blocks, too. And I’ll never forget his emotional Senior Bowl performance, when he made the game-winning catch in the final seconds and paid tribute to his late brother, Tiger, who tragically passed away in the New Orleans terror attack one month earlier. Tiger, a true hero, saved a life during the attack.

Efton Chism III
Eastern Washington · WR · Senior
Chism is smaller in stature (5-foot-10, 195) for the receiver position, but he piled up huge numbers during his time at Eastern Washington. He led the FCS with 120 catches last season and also ranked among the top five in receiving yards (1,311) and touchdown grabs (13). Much of his production has come on shorter throws, but don’t sleep on his ability to make people miss and be physical when the ball is in his hands. There’s an emerging NFL WR pipeline coming out of EWU, with Cooper Kupp and Kendrick Bourne among Chism’s predecessors. I like this guy a lot as a late Day 3 pick.

Jalin Conyers
Texas Tech · TE · Senior
Conyers bounced between Oklahoma, Arizona State and Texas Tech during his five college seasons, and while he never put up eye-catching numbers, I think he’s being overlooked a bit in this class. He’s built like an in-line (“Y”) tight end. He has great movement skills for a 260-pounder, though, and could also be used as a big slot receiver. He can even do damage as a Wildcat quarterback (two rushing TDs in 2024). Conyers will have to block a little bit more at the next level, but I could say that about almost every tight end in the class.

Donovan Jackson
Ohio State · OG · Senior
Jackson didn’t blink when he had to step up in a big way for Ohio State last season. An injury to Josh Simmons left a massive hole at left tackle for the Buckeyes, but Jackson slid outside from guard -- and his first assignment was blocking Penn State’s Abdul Carter, arguably the top player in this year’s draft. Jackson was up to the challenge during the team’s run to the national title, and I watched up close as he powered through his NFL Scouting Combine workout, when it didn’t look like he was at his best. He’s expected to move back inside in the pros, where one team is going to be very happy with the decision to draft him, likely early on Day 2.

Willie Lampkin
North Carolina · C · Senior
I understand Lampkin does not have the measurables NFL teams want to see. At 5-10, 279 pounds, he’s extremely undersized. All I know is Lampkin more than held his own at the Senior Bowl, when he was matched up against much bigger people. This guy is a battler, and he has the intelligence to play the center position. So, are we going to give up on him because he’s small? I’m not. Some teams might envision Lampkin as a fullback at the next level due to his size, but I think center is where he belongs. He reminds me of A.Q. Shipley, who was a trusted starter for Bruce Arians on some very good Cardinals teams in the previous decade, although Shipley was about 20 pounds heavier than Lampkin. I know the odds are against this young man, but I’m rooting for him.

David Walker
Central Arkansas · Edge · Senior
I’m not a member of the scouting community -- you have to do the job, and earn it -- but I listen and learn from those who are part of that fraternity. They have taught me that the ability to rush the quarterback translates, no matter what level of football you’re coming from. Walker has it. He posted an eye-popping 82.5 tackles for loss with 39 sacks over the past four seasons, splitting his time between Southern Arkansas and Central Arkansas. He had a good week at the Senior Bowl, where he was matched up against tougher competition than he faced during his college career. He might not possess the ideal measurables at 6-0, 267 pounds, but I like guys who can rush the passer, no matter what package they come in. I see a little of two-time Pro Bowler Shaq Barrett in his game.

Alfred Collins
Texas · DT · Senior
Texas must be doing something right when it comes to developing interior defensive linemen. A year after former Longhorns Byron Murphy II and T’Vondre Sweat were drafted, it’s Collins’ turn. He’s a big man at 6-5, 332 pounds, with long arms, a quick first step and good change of direction. He was a second-team All-American in 2024, and he has the tools to elevate his game beyond what we saw at Texas. I would be pounding the table for him on Day 2 of the draft.

Danny Stutsman
Oklahoma · LB · Senior
I’m convinced Stutsman will be a three-down linebacker at the next level, and I have no doubt he will be making the calls on the field for a defense one day. Stutsman reminds me of Chiefs LB Leo Chenal, although Stutsman is about 20 pounds lighter. They had almost identical 40 times at the combine (Stutsman: 4.52; Chenal: 4.53 in 2022). Chenal has a nose for the football, and the same goes for Stutsman, who hits with some thump. He was well-coached in high school, and that continued during his time at Oklahoma. He's a ball player.

Benjamin Morrison
Notre Dame · CB · Junior
Morrison has not received as much buzz as other cornerback prospects this spring, due in large part to the hip injury that ended his 2024 season after six games. The medical exams will be critical for him, because when he’s healthy, he’s as good as any cornerback in this year’s class. He’s comfortable in any situation, whether he’s in off coverage, man, press or zone. He’s being coached up by NFL defensive back skills trainer Jeremy Lincoln, who has my full trust and respect. If the medicals check out and Morrison fares well in his pre-draft workout -- scheduled for April 21 – don’t be surprised if he ends up going in Round 1.

Dante Trader Jr.
Maryland · S · Senior
I would not count Trader out of making an NFL roster. He’s not going to wow anyone with his athletic testing, but he knows how to play the game. When I was at the Senior Bowl, every time I looked, he was near the football, which reminded me of Eagles safety Sydney Brown, who played in the Senior Bowl two years ago as a prospect out of Illinois. Trader was an elite lacrosse player, as well. In fact, he earned third-team All-American honors in 2023 for Maryland lacrosse, one of the best programs in the country. I see similarities between him and Browns safety Ronnie Hickman, who was also mighty skillful on the lacrosse field during his high school days. I trust Trader when I watch him play.

Seventeen prospects have accepted invitations to attend the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, which begins at 8 p.m. ET on April 24. The group includes three of the top quarterbacks in this year's class and one of the most fascinating draft prospects in recent memory.
The trio of quarterbacks is led by Miami's Cam Ward, the potential No. 1 overall pick of the Tennessee Titans, and includes talented SEC passers Jaxson Dart (Mississippi) and Jalen Milroe (Alabama).

Among the 17 attendees are nine offensive players, seven defensive prospects and one true hybrid, Travis Hunter. The Colorado standout won the Heisman Trophy playing both sides of the ball -- thriving at wide receiver and cornerback -- and appears determined to handle both duties in the NFL.
The Heisman runner-up, Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, also will be in attendance. Jeanty, who ran for 2,601 yards last season, is seeking to join Saquon Barkley and Bijan Robinson as the only running backs drafted in the top 10 since 2018.

Three of the highly touted talents at wide receiver -- Hunter, Texas' Matthew Golden and Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan -- will be at this year's draft. The offensive line will be represented by Alabama's Tyler Booker, LSU's Will Campbell and Ohio State's Josh Simmons.

Rumors are going around that he took his own life. It seems this pending court case was too much for him to handle. RIP

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UFL Week 3 Schedule (2025)

Friday, April 11

Birmingham Stallions beat Arlington Renegades, 27-20

Saturday, April 12

Memphis Showboats beat Houston Roughnecks, 26-23

Sunday, April 13

San Antonio Brahmas vs. Michigan Panthers, 12:00 PM ET (ABC)

D.C. Defenders vs. St. Louis Battlehawks, 3:00 PM ET (ABC)

———

Standings:

XFL Conference
D.C. Defenders: 2-0, 1.000, 35-23, W2
St. Louis Battlehawks: 2-0, 1.000, 57-15, W2
Arlington Renegades: 2-1, .667, 53-28, L1
San Antonio Brahmas: 0-2, .000, 18-59, L2

USFL Conference
Birmingham Stallions: 2-1, .667, 42-39, W2
Michigan Panthers: 1-1, .500, 38-33, L1
Memphis Showboats: 1-2, .333, 33-59, W1
Houston Roughnecks: 0-3, .000, 41-61, L3

Listening to it now, so can't provide a time stamp to pinpoint the subject.

I decided to watch a few plays of the Chicago game and on the third play of the Rams first drive - they have a possible huge gain if Stafford threw to Atwell.

There is one guy behind Atwell and I think Atwell would have outrun him.

I just had to show this play.

I'm a big fan of Nate, good read and think his is an important look at how to view the QBs here.

• 
  
  Sarah Barshop Apr 10, 2025, 06:00 AM ET

LOS ANGELES -- Davante Adams waited for the video from Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay to load, wondering if his Wi-Fi was broken.
It was early March, and the then-free agent wide receiver was in Japan on vacation before the start of the new league year.
When the clip finally loaded, Adams realized why it had taken so long. It was a seven-minute video filmed by McVay, who recorded it by holding up his phone to show film of Adams while he narrated the highlights.

"It was kind of Jon Gruden-esque a little bit," Adams said. "You know how he is with ball so he's breaking down every single clip. ... I thought he took that job to be on TV for a minute when I was watching it.

"It just shows how much ball means to him and how much of a priority I was for him and the rest of the guys here because it's not just him making those decisions. When you have that from a coach, you're on the free market and you don't see it from anybody else to that level, it means a lot."
Adams laughed when asked how he would describe McVay as a recruiter, saying, "Aggressive, but in all the right ways."
"I knew this," McVay said at the NFL's annual meeting this month. "When I sent him that video, he's either thinking one of two things: 'Man, I like this guy or he's freaking whacked.' And probably both, but he decided to come with us, so we'll take it."

McVay, now entering his ninth season as head coach of the Rams, has not only built a reputation as a great football mind, but has built a culture that has led to players wanting to come to Los Angeles. Not only have several players -- including quarterback Matthew Stafford -- taken less money to return to the Rams this offseason, but McVay has been able to recruit players like Adams to come play for a team constructed with a Super Bowl in mind.
"He is a good recruiter, man," backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said. "He's a smooth talker, [has] high energy, which I really enjoy. I love Sean. Every day he brings that same energy.

"I love being here. It all starts with him, and it trickles down from there."

Not long after the 2024 season ended with a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC Divisional playoff contest, McVay, general manager Les Snead, team president Kevin Demoff and vice president of football and business administration Tony Pastoors went to Meadowood in Napa Valley, California, for "an after action review," according to McVay.

​

It was there the group talked about the short- and long-term vision of the team, the players who would be free agents and other potential moves. The group discussed Cooper Kupp "a lot during those couple days," ultimately deciding to move on from the wide receiver, either with a trade or a release.
The Rams had also "identified early in the process" that Adams was likely to be released by the New York Jets and be available, and McVay began picturing what Los Angeles' 2025 offense might look like.

"Through the process of talking to Davante, even if it was globally, Sean found someone he could connect with on a very intellectual level," Demoff said. "... I don't think you can replace Cooper Kupp's leadership in what he's meant in that room, but I do think you can have someone who can bring a different flavor and perspective will be great.

"But I do think there's always been, whether it's Matthew Stafford, Brandin Cooks, Ndamukong Suh, Sammy Watkins, you can go through the litany from the beginning of the Sean-Les relationship is when they identify a need and there is a ability through a trade or free agency to go get it, they're going to be pretty aggressive.

"And sometimes you try to pull the reins on them to stop, but usually they do a pretty good job of breaking free and usually it works out for us."
McVay doesn't wine and dine you, Snead said.

"He recruits in a way of 'Here's what I think your superpowers are as a football player, here's how I think we can use them, and this is how people have defended you in the past,'" Snead said. "'This is how I think we can help you avoid that defense. And we're trying to do something special here.'"
That recruiting pitch worked on Adams, who said in his introductory news conference "after speaking with a couple of players, Sean and a couple of the other personnel, it was clear that this was where I needed to be."

The Rams signed Adams to a two-year, $44 million contract in March with $26 million guaranteed.
Snead said McVay's recruitment helps him during contract negotiations as well.

"There's times where the agents go, 'I just can't stand the way this is going because my player's saying that this is where we're going so, we might as well quit playing games and try to work something out,'" Snead said.

Best of NFL Nation​

Garoppolo, who signed a one-year deal to serve as backup quarterback in March 2024 because he wanted to play for McVay, said last season in Los Angeles "exceeded [his] expectations." The quarterback explored the free agent market and had other opportunities, but said he knew where he wanted to be.
"I've been in a couple of good organizations, [have] seen how things are run, and Sean [McVay] does it top-notch here," Garoppolo said.

Garoppolo was a player the Rams hoped would return in 2025, but one who they thought had a good chance to sign for more money elsewhere. When asked about McVay's recruiting pitch, Garoppolo said, "Every time I talk to him on the phone, I say like 10 words. He's talking so fast, in a good way though. It's his high energy.

"He has a point to make and I love that about him. There's no B.S.-ing around."

Nose tackle Poona Ford, who played the first five seasons of his career with the Seattle Seahawks, said he "always watched [McVay] from a distance" during the two games the teams played a season and he "always knew he was a guy that I could see myself playing for at some point."
Ford said his recruitment to the Rams "kind of happened really quick."

"They were really aggressive in the process, and I just felt like this was where I needed to be," Ford said.

And ultimately, the Rams have had a winning track record under McVay, going to two Super Bowls and winning Super Bowl LVI during the 2021 season.
"If you are a football player who really, really cares about playing good football and you want to be a part of an ecosystem that wins," Snead said. "... I always go, oh, it's recruiting, but it's really Sean really explaining to them, 'Hey, this is our ecosystem. This is how we do things and if you want to be a part of that man, we'd really love to have you. And if you don't, we'll always pull for you and try to ruin your day if we play you.'"

Sharp does fantastic analysis of guys all over Twitter and has two guys on his staff who regularly do mocks that hit the top of the accuracy board for Huddle Report.

Hoooo boy does he have some different takes.

Throw out the current pre draft hype, draft round, pick position and value in this discussion. Also throw out Cam Ward who seems to be the consensus #1.
Strictly a scouting discussion of possible.

If you had to take a QB in this draft…

For the Rams in 2025, which QB do you think believe would be the best guy to get drafted here and sit behind Stafford for a year or two or three.

Also considering aspects like McVay being this young man’s HC, as well as being in LA.

I’m genuinely curious as to the opinions from everyone pre draft. I’m no scout. I really find it difficult to project QB’s. I do strongly feel that aside from the obvious (arm talent), I look for alpha competitors.

What do you guys look for?

Skills, intelligence, maturity, competitiveness, leadership, background, patience sitting behind a vet(?)

Thoughts?

The Justice Department’s investigation into Matt Weiss, the former Baltimore Ravens and Michigan assistant football coach accused of hacking into the personal accounts of more than 2,000 college athletes, uncovered that the ex-coach stole thousands of "candid and intimate" photos and videos.
The revelation came during a court filing in a lawsuit against Weiss and the university after lawyers representing the victims in this case shared an email from the Justice Department's Mega Victim Case Assistance Program.

The Justice Department’s investigation into Matt Weiss uncovered that the ex-coach stole thousands of "candid and intimate" photos and videos. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
"Thousands of candid, intimate photographs and videos have been seized from the defendant’s electronic devices and from his cloud storage accounts," the email read, via The Associated Press. "Many show victims naked. Some show victims engaged in explicit sexual acts."
The filing came weeks after Weiss pleaded not guilty to a 24-count federal indictment. The charges were announced last month — more than two years after Weiss, 42, was fired from his coaching position under Harbaugh after an investigation into the alleged crimes.
According to the indictment, Weiss "gained unauthorized access to student athlete databases of more than 100 colleges and universities that were maintained by a third-party vendor." He then allegedly downloaded personal information and data of more than 150,000 athletes and, from there, was able to access the information of more than 2,000 athletes, including access to their social media, email and cloud storage.

Weiss is accused of committing the alleged crimes from 2015 to January 2023. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Weiss predominantly targeted women, prosecutors said.
Weiss spent more than a decade coaching in the NFL for the Baltimore Ravens in various roles before he left following the 2020 season to coach under Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. He was fired in 2023 during an investigation into the alleged crimes.
Weiss is accused of committing the alleged crimes from 2015 to January 2023.

Weiss is facing 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft. He is facing a maximum of five years imprisonment for each of the unauthorized access charges and up to two years for each count of identity theft.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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McVay wants an athletic QB???

Dire Wolves went extinct over 10,000 years ago ,

For the first time ever, scientists say they have made a species de-extinct, bringing the dire wolf back into the world thousands of years after it died off.

I'm sure many scientists will debate if these are truly Dire Wolves , or something else

I'm curious to see how big they get , Dire Wolves were huge , like , huge huge


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The 2025 season will mark the Rams' 10th back in Los Angeles. Through the first nine, the organization's growth has included SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park coming to life in Inglewood, establishing its football and business operations headquarters in Woodland Hills in the San Fernando Valley – with a proposal for a vibrant mixed-use development that will house its permanent headquarters announced Monday – and currently being tied with the Chiefs for the most international marketing and commercializing rights (seven).

Not to mention: Successfully managing the relocation of a game due to wildfires for a second time, except with it being relocated to another state instead of back to L.A.

"I don't think this organization's ever been in a better place since we returned to Los Angeles than we are entering the 2025 season," Rams President Kevin Demoff said last week at the NFL Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida. "The football team is in amazing shape. The fan base is doing fantastic. I think organizationally, we found our footing and what we do really well, and where we can continue to grow and get better. We have an amazing group of people, an amazing group of leaders. I truly say this, I don't know any other organization that could have pulled off what we did for the wild card game on three days' notice. I hope no one else ever has to try. But the fact that we could do that and do it capably well didn't surprise me, and I hoped we would never go through anything like 2018 again. But it was a reflection of just what an amazing group of people we have, how they're adaptive and visionary and can work together.

"We're still better in crisis than we are in normal times. I'll always try to fix that. That's probably true of most, but we're nearly a decade back into this journey, and I take great pride organizationally when you come here and you watch the NFL Films cut-up, and there's a ton of Rams imagery and there's the things we've accomplished, and the rookies of the year and the Super Bowls and the expectations."
Those Super Bowl title expectations remain in place as always. Looking ahead, Demoff said that the organization has to be grateful for the success it has built, while also aware of the dangers and threats looming behind them. How does the franchise continue to build the fan base and continue to grow in L.A., nearly a decade into this journey? How does it continue to push the envelopment from a football perspective and reinvent itself?

Some of those reminders could be seen at last week's NFL Annual Meeting.
The organization is coming off its seventh winning season in eight years under head coach Sean McVay,
including its sixth playoff appearance in that span. And while assistant coaches have consistently developed into head coach candidates or moved on to coordinator roles internally and externally, the player personnel staff is now seeing its own tree growing branches. Former director of college scouting Brad Holmes was hired as the Lions' general manager in 2021; the Jaguars hired former director of scouting strategy James Gladstone as their next general manager.

From a coaching standpoint, five other teams currently have head coaches who previously worked with McVay: The Bengals with Zac Taylor, the Falcons with Raheem Morris, the Vikings with Kevin O'Connell, the Jaguars with Liam Coen and the Packers with Matt LaFleur.

There will be some continuity this spring, though: It's the first time in the McVay era that Los Angeles' head coach hasn't lost a coordinator, with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, defensive coordinator Chris Shula and special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn all returning in 2025. In terms of reinvention and evolution, McVay – who has consistently done both throughout his tenure – has talked about his vision for a more versatile offense this year.
"You take a lot of pride when you walk around these meetings and you see the number of coaches who have coached here since we've returned to Los Angeles, the number of GMs here," Demoff said. "We certainly have become a place that the league has looked to for talent, and that talent has had success. And it's great to see James and the front office get recognized for what they've done, because for all of our success and what Les has done, the only person who had been picked is Brad Holmes. You look at the job he's done in Detroit, as executive of the year, too, like you would think that more people would come looking for that. And I am glad that James got a chance.

"And hopefully that means whether it's (assistant general manager) John McKay or (director of scouting, strategy and analytics) Nicole Blake or (senior advisor to the general manager) Ray Farmer, that those people can see now that our front office is a path to getting to go run another franchise, that our coaches continue to be seen as innovative and leaders in that tree, and that we have success."

That innovation has also extended into the business realm of the organization, with big moments like the annual Draft House, or the draft film from three years ago.

As Demoff noted, this is all well and good as of April 1, when this session with local reporters was conducted. The way the NFL works, the Rams could be in a completely different place by May 1.
Still, he thinks back to what he first told members of the organization when it moved to Los Angeles in 2016: "When they write the story 10 years from now about the Rams' return to Los Angeles, did they get it right?"

The continued goal is to push the envelope so the answer is a resounding yes.

"We're nine years in, and I think we're definitely trending in that direction in everything we do, but I want to continue to push the envelope in where we innovate," Demoff said. "Playing a game in Australia, being the first to do that. Expanding to the UAE (United Arab Emirates), which I think has an amazing opportunity for our brand and our franchise, opening up new parts of the world to the NFL. ... But when I look at where this league now, things like players resting in the preseason, Sean started that. Trading draft picks, Les really started that. The healthy and safety and how we work with players and (vice president of sports medicine and performance) Reggie (Scott) and what they've done. Things like the draft house. Things we've done in SoFi Stadium with AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality), male cheerleaders, DJs at games, so many things have started in our building, and that's the creativity and spirit of the group we have here."

That being said, the organization still remains forward-thinking and excited about the next challenge. And in a title-decorated city like Los Angeles, they don't have to look far for motivation.
"There's one thing I hope we continue, (which) is never losing that sense of what's next, and never being satisfied. There's a difference between being appreciative about what we've built and being satisfied, and I don't think anybody is satisfied," Demoff said. "We're excited always about what that next challenge is, that next opportunity is for us, because you're in a city that demands the best.

"The thing I think that's always about exciting about being in Los Angeles, and I said this in 2021, winning one title doesn't mean the next 20 years – Dodgers won a title last year. The Lakers are chasing one. Galaxy won one last year. In the last year, you've seen two major titles, and clearly here, the Lakers are threatening to win one. The Kings are good. This is a city of excellence, and if you don't bring your best every day, you're going to get swallowed up. And I think that's what motivates our staff and our group. The one thing I always want is a passion or delivering for our fans and for each other, and as long as we have that, I think we'll be in great shape."

WTH! This is this the new trend in the NBA? The Grizzlies fired Jenkins recently. Not a fan of this as a precedent.