…and does that make the Rams Hugh Grant and Matthew Stafford is Elizabeth Hurley?

Seriously, though…
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I’m trying to contemplate a plausible scenario in which the Rams end up with Hendon Hooker that I could get on board with…

Nope…can’t think of one.

I know myself and a few other posters are a bit afraid of McVay pounding the table for his type of "guys" (i.e. Tutu, Akers, Jefferson, Henderson, etc.). I'm pretty sure not everyone in the Rams building was behind that Atwell pick, hell Snead had Covid and wasn't even at the draft headquarters. Of course, it would be silly of me to think he didn't give his approval for it, but, how much sway did McVay have in it? I'd say most. These will all obviously be on the offensive side of the ball.

Here's my top 5 guys that I genuinely fear McVay will be tumescent for if they are there at 36:

• Tank Dell, WR - Small, fast, and very productive in college. Far too many similarities to Atwell for my taste, except skinnier and slower. Ultimate fear.
• Jahmyr Gibbs, RB - He fits the bill of small for the position, athletic, and a great pass catcher. An offensive weapon that McVay likely drools over.
• Devon Achane, RB - Small and rare speed at his position. Not an every down back but could play some WR. Similar to Gibbs as a weapon.
• Luke Musgrave, TE - Very athletic with elite speed. Little to no production, little to no blocking ability shown. Just fast and solid receiver.
• Izzy Abanikanda, RB - Right there as the most athletic RB in the draft with Achane, but certainly not a high end 2nd round prospect at this point.

This isn't to say I don't like these guys as prospects. I like a few of them quite a bit. I just don't think we have any business taking any of them in the 2nd round at all. Some probably not at all (Dell, Musgrave).

Any others come to mind for ya'll?

(Back row )

This off another board, but this gentleman does a ton of research and has been on numerous podcasts too. Here is Dead.

I'm gonna do something in this draft I really don't do or like to do because its just too much of a crap shoot. I'm gonna trade down from 2.36 to 2.44 with ATL and also getting one of their 4th rounders 4.110. Pick points work out to Rams giving them 540 points in 2.36 and ATL giving the Rams 534 points in 2.44 and 4.110. Atlanta has 4.113 as well, so moving up doesn't leave them without a 4th rounder. I'm keeping this trade from 2.0 in 3.0. I just can't seem to get everything I want without it. Plus the value is just too good.

All picks will go off my big board. Plus minus obviously.

2.44: Isaiah Foskey – EDGE – ND – 6'-5” 264 lbs. - Elite athleticism, team leader and ideal size. Great motor. Run defense is a work in progress. I like him way more than most. 34 edge.

I have no shot at nailing this pick, but he is my 42nd ranked prospect, so he fits as well as anyone. He has the size profile the Rams seem to like, Senior Bowl attendee, so that fits. Team leader checks a box. I think he can work standing or hand in the ground so he will bring some diversity to the front 7. Plus after round 2, the edge position gets really thin if you are looking for a guy to get snaps early. I hate forcing a position, and really this isn't. But I just can't draft any other spot at this point.

I think the Rams could go in a million ways. But looking at the list of prospects they have met, it seems like they are angling to move down in the 2nd and go after an edge rusher and not a TE, OL or CB. The prospects the Rams have looked at, at those positions are all mid range guys. The edge guys they have looked at are later 2nd round guys. Adetomiwa Adebawore and Derick Hall. They have also looked at McDonald, who has a draft grade somewhere between late first and middle of the 3rd round.

Previous pick (2.0) Joe Tippmann - IOL - Wisc. - 6'-6" 313 lbs. - I know I said I am going to quit picking OCs high, but this one is a tad different. He has the size and strength to play OG as well. His combination of size, strength and athletic ability along with position flexibility make this a slam dunk pick. The Rams like Wisc OL so this also makes senses. He can slide into the LG spot immediately and replace Allen down the road (hopefully sooner than later) Reading everything I have read, it sounds like Tippmann and Schmitz are both gone by pick 36. Now that being said, both guys are probably available.

Previous pick (1.0): Cody Mauch IOL - NDSU - 6'-5" 305 lbs. - He checks alot of boxes, he played LT for the Bison, but played LG and OC at the Senior Bowl. His arm length is an issue, but inside it isn't. The Rams love Senior Bowl guys and they also love moving OTs in college inside. He also plays with a mean streak and to the echo of the whistle. He makes a ton of sense in too many ways.

Other guys to keep an eye on:
All the Edge guys: I am assuming Nolan Smith and McDonald are gone (trade down or not) but Hall and Tuli Tuipulotu make a ton of sense. I almost picked one of these guys. Felix Anudike-Uzomah and BJ Ojulari are OK as fits and are not bad fall backs.

One of the top 4 TEs. Kincaid, Mayer, Musgrave or Washington might be too tempting to pass up. I'm not buying TE in the 2nd. But I can see McVay thumping the table for a pass catcher early if one slides. Kincaid makes the most sense, but I think he is gaining steam to be the 1st TE taken.

Offensive Skill position: Gibbs at RB is also very tempting. One guy I see sliding a bit is my top WR in Quinten Johnston. He didn't get a draft invite, so he is looking like a later round 1 to early day 2 pick. Do I think he lasts that long? No, but stranger things have happened. Hyatt is another guy picking up major first round steam, but he is explosive with OK size. He's a great fit.

IOL - Mauch, Torrence, Tippmann and Schmitz would all be nice fits. And the Rams love Wisc. OL.

OT - Harrison, Bergeron or Wright all make sense. Esp Wright (who is also gaining 1st round steam) who could move inside to OG until he eventually replaces Havs.

IDL - I'm not big on this one, but Bresee and Kancey make a ton of sense. Bresee had a down year, but he fought an infection and his sister died of brain cancer, he gets a pass for me for last season and his 2021 tape is 1st round worthy.

CB - last but not least, I can see a few guys that really fit. Cam Smith, Forbes, Banks and Turner all fit the bill. Esp Banks IMO. And I have to add Branch, if he somehow, some way drops to 36, he is the perfect fit for the Rams. I think they would sprint to the podium with no thought to trading down.


3.69: Darius Rush – CB – South Carolina – 6'-2” 198 lbs. - A WR convert, so a bit raw, but has the ball skills, athleticism and size to compete immediately. Ideal zone scheme.

Great size and long arms, good ball skills, effective blitzer and aggressive in the run game. He is a converted WR, so he is still learning, meaning his ceiling could go higher. He played in a 4-2-5 with Cover 3 and quarters defense, so he should be able to slide into the Rams D with little growing pains. I think in time, he can play the STAR position Ramsey vacated, he has the size and temperament to me a safety, or he could just stay outside as a CB. ST upside as well.

I just can't get off this pick. It might be a tad early for him as he is my 85th rated prospect. But he makes too much sense.

Previous pick (2.0) Byron Young - EDGE - Tenn. - 6'-2" 250 lbs. - This guy just competes. He is super bendy and athletic. A bit undersized, but consistently finds his way to the QB. Seems like a super coachable kid as he has elevated himself from JuCo football to Tenn. Thats not by accident. Senior Bowl standout, so that matters to the Rams. If the Rams go EDGE in round 2, they don't go with Young in round 3. If they don't, he is very much still in the conversation.

previous pick (1.0) - Will McDonald - Edge - Iowa State - 6'-3 1/2" 241 lbs. - He's got alot going for him, impressed at the Senior Bowl, so why is he a 3rd round pick? He is almost 24 years old, and is looking at a position switch from DL to standup edge rusher. But he is a plus athlete, big motor kid. And I think the Rams are gonna love him. He is way long gone.

Other names to look for:
CBs Turner, Brents and Garrett Williams
TEs Kraft, Schoonmaker and LaPorta
WRs Scott, Tillman and Mims
Edge Adetomiwa Adebawore, Young and Henry
RBs Spears, Abanakanda, Bigsby and Miller

3.77: Israel Abanakanda – RB – Pitt – 5'-10” 216 lbs. - Good size, with great burst and long speed. Good vision, good hands. Lacks power. Outside zone scheme

Are the Rams sold on their current RBs? Do any of them offer explosiveness? Not like Izzy does. He's a HR threat. The Rams have met with him. And he has good size at 216 lbs. Is he an immediate need? No, but RBs get hurt and both Rams RBs have been injured last year.

Previous pick (2.0) Darius Rush - CB - South Carolina - 6'-2" 198 lbs. - Great size and long arms, good ball skills, effective blitzer and aggressive in the run game. He is a converted WR, so he is still learning, meaning his ceiling could go higher. He played in a 4-2-5 with Cover 3 and quarters defense, so he should be able to slide into the Rams D with little growing pains. I think in time, he can play the STAR position Ramsey vacated, he has the size and temperament to me a safety, or he could just stay outside as a CB. ST upside as well. Already picked him

Other names that make sense:

see pick 3.69

4.110 (from Atl): Jayden Reed – WR – Mich. State – 5'-11” 187 lbs. - Multi-positional weapon, slot, outside, jet sweeps. Name it, he’s done it. Elusive in the open field. Muliple position fit.

My 125th rated prospect. Rams are said to have serious interest in him. He makes a ton of sense as a super versatile weapon that gives the Rams a real open field threat. He is also a punt and KO returner. Rams need that as well. Don't worry about his size, he's a tough guy that competes hard.

Previous Pick (2.0) Kendre Miller - RB - TCU - 5'-11" 215 lbs. - Workhorse back that blends power, patience, vision and really nice contact balance. Has some wiggle to him. Developing as a pass catcher. Good in pass pro and has enough juice to hit the occasional HR. Here is the powerful back this board has been screaming for. If the Rams don't have a RB by the end of round 3, then he is absolutely my pick in round 4, if he lasts that long.

Preivious pick, kinda (1.0) - Payne Durham - TE - Purdue - 6'-5" 258 lbs. - The Rams need another TE and they need one rather quickly. Not the greatest athlete, but he can block inline and is a seam mismatch. He doesn't scream TE1 to me, but a serious TE2. This was a projected comp pick. I think he still works here, but 4.110 seems too early. Maybe not

Other names to watch:

WRs Boutte (I have mixed feelings on this guy), Perry, Hutchinson and Wilson (who is vastly under rated), Iosivas, if he is still there absolutely has to be on the short list.

TEs Kuntz (Rams met with him), Schoonmaker (Rams met with him) Durham (I still think too early)
DBs Moss (would love him here), Clark, Jartavius Martin, Jaylon Jones, Blackmon and Hill. A mix of Safeties and CBs that all fit.
Edge - Brooks (is he still there?) Herbig, Hampton and Horton (who I like here)
OL Vorhees if he is still there is a good get. If an OC slides maybe.

5.167: Payne Durham – TE – Purdue – 6'-6” 253 lbs. – Another school I love TEs from. Strong, tough and competes. Good blocker, good in the redzone. Not super athletic.

My 141st rated prospect might have to slide a bit, or the Rams can (and usually do) move around to get him. He really makes a ton of sense. Love his fit. Rams need and want pass catchers, so he adds another to the room. Plus he actually can block.

Previous Pick (2.0) Charlie Jones - WR - Purdue - 5'-11" 175 lbs. - Looks like an advanced route runner with 4.43 speed. Great hands, shifty in the open field and decent play strength. Do I wish he was 6'-1" 205 lbs? yes, but he's not a midget. He competes his butt off and does his best work over the middle. I liken him to Robert Woods in that regard. I still love this kid, but Rams have more pressing needs

Previous pick (1.0) Andrei Iosivas - WR - Princeton - 6'-3" 212 lbs. - This is probably a round too low. Haven't gotten too deep into my boards yet. Track speed, a bit stiff, and raw. But plenty of upside on a frame you can't teach. He's long gone by here, combine and senior bowl ensured that.

Other names to watch and this goes for all 3 5th round picks:

More Edge depth - Tavius Robinson and Robert Beal (who I love)
More CB help - Rejzohn Wright, Carrington Valentine (the Rams met with him and is a real possibility), Keidron Smith (the other Kentucky D
OL help in any form - OC Patterson, Henry Bainivalu, Warren McClendon
Safety - Ward, Hellums and Merriweather

5.171: Juice Scruggs – OC – Penn State – 6'-3” 301 lbs. - Strong, aggressive and plays to the whistle. Decent mover. Lacks the mass to be a people mover. OC/OG zone scheme.

Rams absolutely have to add a OC to the roster sooner than later and his size, strength and attitude all fit extremely well with what the Rams want to do. He seems to be on the rise, so I'm grabbing him maybe a round early. I don't care, I'm getting my guy and he is my 183rd rated prospect.

Previous Pick (2.0) Payne Durham - TE - Purdue - 6'-6" 253 lbs. - a nice #2 TE in 12 personnel. A great Redzone target due to his size. He ran a slow 4.87 otherwise he would be gone by now. I like his combination of size and toughness. Completes the TE room, with an eye on replacing Higbee down the road. Did well at Senior Bowl and Rams have history with Purdue TEs (is that a good or bad thing?) took him with previous pick

5.177: Clayton Tune – QB – Houston – 6'-3” 220 lbs. - Proto size, enough arm, dual threat. Bails from the pocket too soon. Needs to go thru progressions. My fav late round QB.

I moved Tune up a few spots just because I felt like he was a 5th rounder, not that 5 spots is really anything. The Rams met with him. He seems like a McVay type of QB. McVay (at least with his backups) has never worried about having a cannon of an arm. He does value some mobility. Tune has a plenty good arm, is mobile, has NFL size and is a quick processor. He was also a Senior Bowl participant and from everything I have read is a real deal leader. Put his team on his back a few times and they responded. Sign me up.


Previous Pick (2.0) Arquon Bush - DB - Cinn. - 6'-0" 190 lbs. - Here is another chess piece for the defense. Has played CB, Nickel, and safety. Willing tackler in run support and enough of an athlete to hang in the slot. Does his best work in zone. He'll add depth to both SAF and CB rooms.

6.182: Brodric Martin - IDL - West. Kentucky - 6'-4" 337 lbs. - He is long, strong and has enough agility to handle 2 gaps. He is a fit for the Rams as a NT.

I don't have him ranked. I only saw the Shrine Bowl, which I rewatched. He had a forced fumble and was too much to handle alone inside. Not sure how he skipped past me. Anyhow, Rams have real interest. I have no idea where he lands. I'm guessing way earlier than anyone would have guessed 3 weeks ago.

Previous Pick (2.0) Clayton Tune - QB - Houston - 6'-2" 216 lbs. - not a dual threat exactly, but he can run, extend plays off script and isn't a statue in pocket. Has enough arm to make all the throws. 3 time team captain. I'm keeping this pick cuz I like this kid alot. I drafted him a few picks earlier.

Who else makes sense: At this point in the draft I'm looking at 4 QBs. Tune, Haener, Duggan and Bagent. Tune is a dual threat with great size. Haener is a scrappy, smart, undersized winner. Duggan is undersized, tough and limited with his arm. Bagent is a big armed, athletic QB with great size and coming from D2, a project with lots of upside. Pick your favorite and insert here.

As far as other names, safeties, OL depth, edge depth, ST help all make sense.

6.189 - Robert Beal Jr. - EDGE – Georgia – 6'-4” 247 lbs. - explosive with very good power. He converts speed to power. Love his motor. Lacks production for his athletic profile. 34 OLB.

I'm sticking with Beal. Not sure why, but I like him alot. The Rams need to double up on a few positions, EDGE and CB are 2 of them for sure.

Previous Pick (2.0) Robert Beal Jr. - EDGE - Georgia - 6'-4" 247 lbs. - The Rams miss on Nolan Smith, but get his running mate. He needs to add more tools to his pass rush toolbox, but he is quick, athletic and has an all day motor. He just needs to put it all together to reach his potential. Shrine Bowl participant.

Previous pick (1.0) - Darius Rush - CB - South Carolina State - 5'-11 1/2" 196 lbs. - I loved watching the gamecocks and Beamer ball this year, and Rush was one of the reasons. Nice size and length, and he looked very instinctual. Now his technique is raw and needs work, but the stuff he has cannot be taught, what he lacks can be. I'm probably way low on him after the Senior Bowl. what was I thinking, putting him in the 6th round. I have him with a solid 3rd round grade as I finalize my rankings.

6.191 - Bryce Ford-Wheaton – WR – WVU – 6'-4” 221 lbs. - 4.38 speed. Big bodied, strong athletic possession WR with deep threat ability. Unpolished route runner and shaky hands. Outside WR

He absolutely killed it on the post season circuit/ He's a Size/speed combo that that win multiple ways. With Allen gone, he makes a ton of sense. They can bring him along slowly and really develop a diamond in the rough. He needs to learn a route tree and how to properly run a route, but all the tools are there.

Previous Pick (2.0) Bennett Williams - SAF - Oregon 6'-0" 206 lbs. - heady player that did a little of everything for Oregon's 4-2-5 defense. Had a sack, a couple of INTs and 44 tackles. versatile players with ST upside make a ton of sense here. Plus the Rams were the only team not to attend Oregon's pro day, masking their interest in him.

Previous pick (1.0) Daniel Scott - S - Cal - 6'-0 1/2" 210 lbs. - He can in time replace Rapp. Size and willingness in the run game, likes to smack WRs around (sometimes illegally) Love his intensity, and made plays on the football in the passing game. I like Williams pass defense better.

Who else makes sense? Evan Williams FSU (the good FSU) is a nice target if you are looking for more of a FS type.

7.223 Tyler Beach - OL - Wisconsin - 6'-6" 306 lbs. - He's a nasty SOB. Plays to the echo of the whistle. Has experience at LT and OG. I think he is a OG at the next level. Fairly athletic. Heady player.

Rams love Wisconsin OL, he actually brings some serious nastiness to the table. I think he is a OG, maybe a OT. He did not make my list of 259, but if I'm being honest, he was on my 7th round/Priority UDFA list.

Previous pick (2.0) Jordan McFadden[/size][/b] - OL - Clemson - 6'-2" 305 lbs. - A left and right OT, his lack of length moves him inside. Nasty temperament and plays to the whistle. This seems like a Anchrum pick all over, but I like McFadden more. In time, I think he can be the starting LG with Tippmann at OC. Rams OL getting nastier. I don't think he lasts this long TBH

Previous pick (1.0) - PJ Mustipher - DT - Penn State - 6'-4" 320 lbs. - power, size and length. The Rams are gonna need to replace some size and power this off season, and Mustipher isn't super exciting to watch, but has a big motor and size you can't teach. I still like him and would not be disappointed with this pick.

7.234 Ty Okada - SAF - Montana State - 5'-11" 200 lbs. - FCS kid with crazy athleticism, he can do a little of everything. 3 sacks and 1 int last year.

Rams are into this kid. Cannot tell you where I heard that, because I don't remember. He ran a 4.44 40, broad of 10'-9", vert of 40.5", shuttle in 3.98 and 3 cone at 6.85. His Ras score would indicate Elite. Found it, 9.15 so I think thats elite.The Rams have a history with his teammate Daniel Hardy. So when the Rams draft him in round 6 or so, you heard it here first. lol

Previous pick (2.0) Bumper Pool - ILB - Arkansas - 6'-2" 232 lbs. - Tackling machine that has experience dropping into zone coverage in cover 2 and cover 3. Violent hitter, esp for his size. May not be the rangiest ILB, but as a early down guy, his run defense is very good. High motor and relentless in pursuit as well. Finally found a player able to bump Bumper into the pool and out of this spot...

Previous pick (1.0) D'Jordan Strong - DB - Coastal Carolina - 5'-11" 190 lbs. - can play a mix of man and zone, plays with an attitude I like in my DBs. A bit undersized. I think he could work as a boundry CB, a slot corner or move to safety. Either way, he adds depth to the secondary and with his attitude, should contribute to STs. If I hadn't added so many DBs already, he makes sense.

Some names throughout the draft I really like but just couldn't fit or found better value:
Cedric Tillman - If not for injury, he pushes the first round IMO.
Rashee Rice - another just very good all around WR that has surprising athleticism
WRs other than those 2 - C. Jones -a tad small, Wilson from Stanford, if not for injuries would be way up my list.
Musgrave/Washington/Musgrave - Rams have to absolutely love 1 or all of these TEs. I just cannot get past Edge in the first round. Sam LaPorta is another. I still see him as a target in round 3 if he slides there.
Safety - Hill/S. Brown/Joseph/Scott/J. Brown - I got a safety, I just would have loved one of these guys.
Dorian Williams ILB- I think he would be a nice pick later on, I just had more pressing issues
CB - I badly wanted a 2nd CB. Moss, Blackmon and Valentine are my 3 favorites.
Edge - Diaby, Horton, McGuire, Baldanado/Land - all guys I would love to see in Horns
RB - Miller/Bigsby/Luepke - They all fit for different reasons.

Heres my total haul:

2 OL - developmental OT/OG and a developmental OC. I like it.
1 CB - wanted 2, but what do you do. I really love the one I got.
2 EDGE - Got 2 edge guys. Really like what I did at this group.
1 SAF - I got a guy no one has heard of, but feels like a Scott type pick with better athleticism
1 RB - I got a HR hitter. Rams lack one.
2 WR - I added a really good all around weapon that is being undervalued and a size/speed guy that they can develop.
1 TE - A jack of all trades TE that has #1 upside. At worst a blocking #2 TE in 12 personnel.
1 QB - I got a guy I have loved for months now. I hate spending mid round picks on QBs, either spend a 1 or spend a 6 or 7 and pray he develops into something
1 IDL - I replaced Gaines with a small school stud (I hope) that can slowly earn his way into the rotation.

I really hope the Rams go hard at Kade Warner as an UDFA. 46 for 456 and 5 TDs. He's 6'-0" 201 lbs, ran a 4.56 and was a team captain for both Nebraska and Kansas State. He also happens to be Kurt's son. He has a legit shot to make a roster IMO.

I also think they will go hard at an ILB in UDFA. Isaiah Moore from NC State is a guy that probably doesn't get drafted, but I like his game.

Spencer Waege DE NDSU is also a guy I'd personally love to see in horns. at 6'-4.5" 280 lbs. - I think he could work at DE in the Rams scheme. Knows how to get to the QB and has a red hot motor. Fun guy to watch.

49ers?

The Rams are 6-2 under McVay. They have 2 Super Bowl appearances winning one during that time. Under any metric that's a hell of an accomplishment. Yet the media and now the fans act like they don't know what they are doing. Have you forgotten what it was like before?

I for one haven't been so enthused over "my" team in a long long time. Snead has shown he has the staff to manipulate the system as well as anyone and better than most. Criticism by arm chair GMs is cheap. The media is always 20/20 with their hindsight. The recent article about how bad it was to extend Stafford is ludicrous, and that same publication and writer didn't say that at the time.

As long as the core of this team stays healthy they will be in the hunt. Hopefully, with improved OL coaching, they will avoid a repeat of the OL disaster of last year. IMO the Rams have talent on the OL, it's simply a matter of playing the right combination of players and having them well coached. Do I think they will take an OL player this year? Sure but not early. Like I said, I can easily see an OT or center/OG taken in the 5th round, definitely in the 6th or 7th round for depth.

With all the other needs I don't see a WR as a priority. A late round pick yes but not a priority early round pick.

This draft is about filling a few holes and building the long term foundation of the team. The roster right now is essentially built for this year. A couple of starters and rotational players with the rest being depth. They kept the 45 roster players for a reason. This means they will fill the three STs slots leaving 5 roster spots open. Those 8 players are who they are drafting for. This is what the media, including Jourdan don't see. Her fixation with the 90 player TC roster is a bit mind-boggling.

I think the fans especially on this board need to take a deep breath and simply wait just a bit over a week to see how the draft unfolds. Hit on QB2, P, PK, Edge, CB and ILB and this team can be pretty damn good. Six players with 11 picks, I don't see how the Rams can't be measurably improved post draft. Also, someone always impresses during TC. It's way too early to give up on our team.

So, how does it look?

X - Jefferson, McCutcheon
Slot - Kupp
Z - Kupp/Atwell/Skow

- Trammell

From the looks of it, we need an upgrade at X (though we could get by with Jefferson) and we'll need to start thinking of a slot to eventually take over for Kupp. (Don't be lulled into thinking Atwell can play slot just cause he's small, sadly he doesn't have the change of direction to be a significant threat there nor is he big enough to just body CBs in the middle of the field.)

This is a pretty bad draft class for receivers in general but there are a lot of small, fast and good change of direction players that have some inside/outside flexibility - just no dominate X's. Don't be surprised if the Rams draft a guy who looks like a Atwell clone in the draft but the reality is they will be looking at a guy much shiftier to eventually take over the slot from Kupp and probably will end up playing some on the outside too. That and a big bodied TE who can line up wide seems like what we might end up seeing in two weeks.

Oh, and perhaps a cheap veteran cut at X after the draft to free up Jefferson for the Z when Kupp is in the slot.

Rams must accumulate more draft picks in 2023 even with 11 already in quiver​

Les Snead and the Los Angeles Rams are set to make 11 selections during the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. The Houston Texans and Las Vegas Raiders have a league-leading 12 picks to make, and only the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers have as many picks as LA.

But even with the third-highest quantity of draft picks in their quicker, it sure seems like the Rams need to accumulate even more selections during the draft.

The team only has 45 players on its roster currently, and they’ll need 90 by the time training camp rolls already early this fall. As things currently sit, they have three picks in the top 77 selections (36, 69, 77) and then will wait until 167 (late fifth round) until they are on the clock again. It’s a dilemma the Rams have put themselves in.

They sent their fourth round pick (107 overall) to the Patriots in return for running back Sony Michel in 2021. The 140th selection was exchanged for veteran Troy Hill on draft day last year. To LA’s credit, they also received pick 77 as return compensation from the Miami Dolphins in the Jalen Ramsey trade. The Rams also have extra sixth rounders from the Titans for Robert Woods and from the Packers for punter Corey Bojorquez. They also acquired a seventh rounder from the Lions for defensive lineman Michael Brockers.

Here are their picks in totality:

• Round 2, 36 ovr
• Round 3, 69 ovr
• Round 3, 77 ovr
• Round 5, 167 ovr
• Round 5, 171 ovr
• Round 5, 177 ovr
• Round 6, 182 ovr
• Round 6, 189 ovr
• Round 6, 194 ovr
• Round 7, 223 ovr
• Round 7, 251 ovr

It takes a willing partner in order to move down the draft board, but trading back from either pick 36, 69, or 77 has to be front of mind for Los Angeles. Depending on what players are available at the time, the Rams might not be able to recoup a pick between 77 and 167, but they still need more dart throws as they try to fill out their roster from 45 to 90—the remainder cannot be comprised of just undrafted free agents and they have very limited cap resources to spend on available veterans.

The Rams have found success historically in the later rounds of the draft, but part of their strategy has been leaning into the odds and making selections in high volumes. Striking while the market is hot could help the team pick up a couple extra picks or so over the course of the draft, and this will help fill out the roster and start the formation of a young nucleus for the next contention window.

Accumulating additional picks could also help LA fill out their special teams core, as they currently do not have a kicker, punter, or long snapper on the roster. Snead has not used draft capital on a punter or long snapper during his Rams tenure, but he has drafted Greg Zuerlein and Sam Sloman at kicker. The Sloman selection didn’t work out so well for the franchise, but investing in Zuerlein allowed the team to move on from costly veteran Josh Brown—perhaps Snead has the same plan in 2023 after watching Matt Gay sign the biggest free agent contract ever at the kicker position.

While the Rams are slated to have the third-highest quantity of picks in this year’s draft, they should still seek to accumulate more selections by moving down the draft board.

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How big of a loss to LA Rams roster was PK Matt Gay?​

There have undoubtedly been numerous conversations already among the decision-makers of the LA Rams organization, and those decisions clearly have decided that the best strategy for the team at this point in time is to downsize the Rams roster in terms of veteran players, with an eye to return to the NFL Free Agency market with some spending cash in 2024 or beyond.

While we did point out the fact that the LA Rams are unlikely to find another kicker in 2023 who can match the plug-and-play performance of Pro Bowler kicker Matt Gay, one of the readers of that article was kind enough to share some additional insight into the vale of Matt Gay to the Rams success. In short, he pointed out that without Matt Gay on the roster, the LA Rams may never have won Super Bowl LVI.

Matt Gay Competitive Index​

So I wanted to test out that theory because I love intriguing insight. How many wins were directly influenced by Matt Gay's ability to kick accurately? So I set up a mental exercise, one that seems simple enough, to test the theory. Since arriving with the LA Rams, any games with close scores will trigger consideration for a Matt Gay Index. If the Rams won by a margin that was equal to or less than the number of points scored by Gay, Gay earns credit for the win.

Inversely, if the LA Rams lost a closely scored game, and the margin of victory could have been met had Matt Gay successfully kicked extra points, then Matt Gay earns credit for the loss. Yes, there is no way that I would argue one player as responsible for either wins or losses, but the objective is to determine the Rams competitive edge with Matt Gay on the Rams roster. All clear? Let's dig

Did Matt Gay give the LA Rams a competitive edge?​

So let's dial back the calendar and examine the nuts and bolts of the Rams 2020, 2021, and 2022 schedules in terms of those games that were decided by Matt Gay:

2020 Regular Season - 1 win

W 11/23 vs. Buccaneers - The Rams won this one by a score of 27-24, and Gay contributed nine points with two field goals and three extra points.
2020 NFL Playoffs - 1 win

W 1/9 vs Seahawks - The Rams won this one by a score of 30-20. In the details of this game, the Rams relied on Matt Gay to kick three field goals and three extra points. 12 points.

2021 Regular Season - 5 wins

W 9/18 vs Colts - Rams win 27-24. Gay puts up 9 points
W 9/25 vs Buccaneers - Rams win 34-24. Gay puts up 10 points
W 12/23 vs Cardinals - Rams win 30-23. Gay puts up 12 points.
W 12/ 26 vs Vikings - Rams win 30-23. Gay puts up 12 points in this one.
W 1/2 vs Ravens - Rams win 20-19. While Gay missed his lone FG attempt, he did make two extra points, which proved to be the margin of victory.

2021 NFL Playoffs - 3 Wins

W 1/23 vs Buccaneers - The Rams continued winning in the Playoffs with a 30-27 victory. Matt Gay missed one FG, but hoofed three field goals and three extra points to score 12 points.
W 1/30 vs 49ers - The Rams finally defeat the 49ers by a score of 20-17, and Gay kicked two field goals and two extra points to put 8 points on the scoreboard.
W SB LVI vs Bengals - The LA Rams won this one by a score of 23-20. Thanks to Gay, who kicked a field goal and two extra points, the Rams win this one.

2022 Regular Season - 3 Wins

W 9/18 vs Falcons - The Rams won this game by a score of 31-27, and Matt Gay kicked a field goal and four extra points.|
W 9/25 vs Cardinals - The Rams defeated the Cards by a score of 20-12, and Matt Gay supplied the eight points with two field goals and two extra points that were the margin of victory
W 12/18 vs Raiders - The Rams defeated the Raiders by a score of 17-16 in a late-game comeback by quarterback Baker Mayfield. But it was Matt Gay's field goal and two extra points that sealed a win.

What did we learn from this exercise? Perhaps the most shocking discovery made was not the fact that the LA Rams can attribute nine regular season wins and four postseason wins to Matt Gay. Rather, the Rams cannot point to a single game that the team lost due to Gay's inability to kick the football through the uprights. By contrast, the Rams had at least one loss in seven games attributable to former kicker Sam Sloman.

Matt Gay never lost a game for the LA Rams. Will the team be able to sale the same about their next kicker? I, for one, certainly hope so.

Look: Rams players arrive for 1st day of offseason program​

The Rams are back in the building. After some time off following their 5-12 season in 2022, players have begun to arrive for the offseason workout program.

The first day of the program was Monday and players are getting back in the swing of things ahead of OTAs and eventually minicamp. Matthew Stafford and Cam Akers were among the first to arrive, as were Jordan Fuller, Brian Allen, Brycen Hopkins and others.

Obviously, the team won’t be practicing just yet and the pads won’t come on until training camp, so football isn’t completely back yet. But seeing players back in the Rams’ building in April sure is exciting.

And with the draft taking place next week, there will be even more new faces in Thousand Oaks not long from now.

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Cooper Kupp was unsurprisingly one of the first in the building, too.

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Many of these players have already been working out and training at the Rams’ headquarters throughout the offseason, but this is officially the first day that coaches can meet with players and start establishing some structure leading up to OTAs.

Ernest Jones is prepared to be a leader on the Rams' defense in 2023​

The Los Angeles Rams are going to have a new-look defense in 2023 and they’ll need some of their younger players to step into larger roles. Following the release of Bobby Wagner earlier this offseason, Ernest Jones says he is prepared to be a vocal leader for the Rams in the upcoming season.

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Jones is entering his third season with the Rams after the team used the 103rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft to select him. After showing flashes in his rookie season, Jones tallied 114 tackles, four tackles for loss, two pass breakups, and an interception in 2022.

During the 2022 season, Jones got an opportunity to play alongside a future Hall of Fame linebacker in Wagner. Not only did the young linebacker get a chance to see how Wagner carried himself on the field, but he also witnessed how Wagner was a leader off of the field.

Aside from Aaron Donald, Jones is now one of the most proven defenders on the Rams’ current defense. With the Rams looking to lean on some of their younger players moving forward, Jones is transitioning well into a leadership role this offseason.

Memphis Rams Mock Draft 2.0

DAY ONE

< CRICKETTS >


DAY TWO

SECOND ROUND #36
Jahmyr Gibbs, WEAPON, Alabama 5’9” 200 lbs.
The Fastest RB in the 2023 Draft Jahmyr Gibbs 2022 Highlights ᴴᴰ - YouTube
BPA. Immediate impact. Dual threat RB who could provide Faulk type impact.

THIRD ROUND #69
Tuli Tuipulotu, EDGE, USC 6030, 266
Tuli Tuipulotu 2022 USC Season Highlights - YouTube
High motor team leader. FBS leader in sacks (13.5). 2nd nationally in TFL (22).

THIRD ROUND #77
Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska 6002, 192
4.33 SPEED || Nebraska WR Trey Palmer Highlights ᴴᴰ - YouTube
Speed. Speed. And more speed. And with return skills to boot.


DAY THREE

Rams trade RB Cam Akers to the Carolina Panthers for QB Matt Corral. Akers joins former Rams Assistant HC Thomas Brown while the Rams pick up the Panthers 2022 3rd round pick as their new backup QB.

FOURTH ROUND

< CRICKETTS >

FIFTH ROUND #167
Arquon Bush, CB, Cincinnati 5117 187 lbs.
Arquon Bush Cincinnati DB Highlights ᴴᴰ - YouTube
Moved from the shadow of Sauce Gardner & Coby Bryant to have solid season.

FIFTH ROUND #171
Antonio Mafi, OG, UCLA 6025 329 lbs.
Atonio Mafi Left Guard Highlights - YouTube
Mafi would provide the Rams there first powerful bully at the position since Saffold.

FIFTH ROUND #177
Desjuan Johnson DLine, Toledo, 6021, 285 lbs.
Most Underrated D-Lineman In The MAC! II Desjuan Johnson II Toledo 2020 Highlights - YouTube
Johnson was said to be almost unblockable at East West Shrine practices.

SIXTH ROUND #182
Keondre Coburn NG/DT, Texas 6015 332 lbs.
Keondre Coburn Highlights - YouTube
High motor bowling ball capable of playing 1, 2, or 3 Tech

SIXTH ROUND #189 (from Titans)
Blake Whiteheart, TE, Wake Forest 6036, 247 lbs.
Blake Whiteheart Wake Forest Highlights - YouTube
Athletic route runner and more importantly a willing blocker.

SIXTH ROUND #191 (from Packers)
Carrington Valentine, CB, Kentucky 5115, 193 lbs.
Carrington Valentine 2022 Highlights - YouTube
More CB competition with kid with good length who has 11 PDs last year

SEVENTH ROUND #223
Caleb Murphy, EDGE, Ferris State 6032, 254 lbs.
Caleb Murphy || Ferris State || 2022 Season Highlights - YouTube
Broke Matt Judon’s NCAA Sack Record with 25.5 Sacks last year.

SEVENTH ROUND #251
Zaire Barnes, LB, Western Michigan 6013, 233 lbs.
NO VIDEO
First Team – All MAC Team LB w/ 4.52/40 had 9 passes defenses last year.

Rams pickup special teams specialist and bigger 3rd RB like Sony Michell post-draft.

Let me first say that I’ve tried very hard NOT to fall in love with any one player or insisting on any one position. Just too many needs for that kind of bias.

There will be 20 or so near-elite prospects that will be sitting there at 36. Based on opinions of pundits plus our own Alyo and Dead this is inevitable, and that spells terrific opportunity.

So Snead should do a trade down of 10-12 picks if he can possibly find a trade partner. This should yield an extra late 3rd or an early 4th, depending. Such a trade would be a coup, imo.

At 36 (or our first pick, depending on trade possibility) Snead should take best/most difficult to replace player at either Edge or CB, our two most screaming needs. I don’t care which, tbh, and then take the other position at our pick 69.

I think Rams would greatly benefit from an upgrade over Shelton at OC (I’ve already written off Allen). Somebody that can beat out Shelton at OC would help the entire O immensely. Stafford, Akers, and all WR’s and TE’s. I don’t think the positive impact can be overstated. I also think that pick 77 might be our last realistic opportunity to get such a player. So I’d draft our future starting OC here at 77 while we still can.

IF Snead pulled off that trade down I would invest that pick in best available TE from this rich draft. Some really good ones will be sitting there and the positive impact on this O and increased opportunities for McVay would be incalculable. The 12 sets alone should turbocharge our running game and that extra receiving weapon would cause significant problems for opposing D’s. Stafford might feel rejuvenated.

I would take a RB that they like in the 5th. Another need/value gem of a matchup at this point.

Well, that takes us to our second 5th through the 7th round in the home stretch. That 7 more picks, y’all. I leave those players and positions to the Rams brain trust. Personally, I would understand if they chose to invest a late pick or even two in a kicker and/or punter that they REALLY alike, but I would also understand if they preferred to spend the picks on other depth/development prospects and just rely on udfa for those specialists.

Needless to say, Snead/McVay must have an amazing draft and udfa, plus some shrewd FA signings to fill in the cracks after the draft. This roster is gonna churn at the bottom probably right up to opening day. But I do think that the above suggested position picks would kick this draft off to a great start.

Thoughts?

On Monday, May 1, you'll be able to find lots of draft report cards. The "experts" will give their view on how teams did, and how their draft class will perform, assigning a letter grade.

These should, of course, be taken with a very large grain of salt.

Within these report cards, we'll often see two terms of art: "reach" and "steal."

A "reach," of course, is a selection of a player that the "experts" thought would go much later in the draft. Even if the player ultimately becomes a Pro Bowl type, those same "experts" will insist that the selection was a "reach" because the player could have been selected later in the draft.

Don't buy into that. We don't know what any team's draft board actually looks like. If your team takes a player in Round 3, and the "experts" say "he could have been taken on Day 3 of the draft," they're just guessing. There could have been 5 other teams prepared to take that player in Round 3 (and your team may have known that - people talk).

Same thing goes for "steal." The "experts" will praise a team for landing a "Day 1 prospect" on day 2. Of course, sometimes, the reason the player dropped is significant, and known to teams (again, perhaps unknown to the "experts").

So how should we react to the draft if the "experts" aren't really experts, and their verbiage is fraught with cliches?

I'd say the answer is (1) decide whether you trust our teams' player evaluators to make good decisions, and (2) go with your gut.

That, and never listen to Skip Bayless.

NFL GM Power Rankings​

General managers know better than anyone how inexact and unfair it is to rank humans. So let's turn the tables on them!

This year's list attempts to evaluate each current NFL decision maker on how he built his roster for the present and future, with past accomplishments weighed to a lesser extent. Draft record, coach hiring, free agency spending, cap management, trades and even handling of the press were all taken into consideration.

1) Howie Roseman, Philadelphia Eagles

No team does a better job using every avenue for player acquisition, balancing current needs with the future. The Jalen Hurts pick in 2020 was a great example of forward thinking that changed the course of the franchise. The top three picks in last year's draft class (Jordan Davis, Cam Jurgens and Nakobe Dean) mostly had what amounted to redshirt rookie seasons, but players selected in the class before (DeVonta Smith and Landon Dickerson) helped the team nearly win a title in 2022.

The Eagles are great at self-scouting and spend a premium on line play (Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata and Josh Sweat) while finding ways to keep their productive longtime veterans like Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. Most importantly, Roseman has nailed bringing in players just about to hit their prime, such as A.J. Brown, Haason Reddick and Javon Hargrave (the latter of whom left for San Francisco this offseason). They recognize value, whether that means scooping up James Bradberry late last offseason or finding a way to keep him and Darius Slay this time around. Hurts' looming big contract will test Roseman's flexibility, but this is a front office that finds answers.

2) Brett Veach, Kansas City Chiefs

Veach won a title while re-tooling. He made the correct call to replace a foundational player in Tyreek Hill last offseason with a raft of inexpensive draft picks to build the next five years of Chiefs squads. 2022 first-rounders Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis impacted the team's Super Bowl-winning campaign, while running back Isiah Pacheco was a revelation as a seventh-rounder. The Chiefs also let corner Charvarius Ward walk last offseason, then got significant contributions from rookies Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams. Extracting cost-effective, excellent production out of the secondary has been part of Veach's secret sauce.

This is all made possible by Patrick Mahomes, but Veach gets credit for drafting Mahomes in 2017 in the first place. Echoing how the Patriots built a dynasty around Tom Brady, Veach hasn't been afraid to say goodbye to big names like Orlando Brown Jr., Eric Fisher, Tyrann Mathieu and Frank Clark. Veach has filled in the gaps with creative solutions, like trading for receiver Kadarius Toney last season, and forward-thinking picks, like the selection of linebacker Nick Bolton in the second round two years ago. And while Brown, again, is gone, 2021's interior offensive line overhaul (featuring free agent Joe Thuney and drafted players Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith) has aged like fine beef.

3) Duke Tobin, Cincinnati Bengals

Longtime NFL analyst Solomon Wilcots once said of Marvin Lewis that the coach “raised the Titanic” during his time in Cincinnati. That's partly why Tobin gets extra credit for building two different Bengals eras with top-shelf rosters. Having Joe Burrow instead of Andy Dalton atop the quarterback depth chart should help the latest iteration last. The team has a strong recent record with targeted free-agent strikes (Chidobe Awuzie, D.J. Reader), and it was smart not to overspend when some of their own players like Hayden Hurst and Vonn Bell got paid too much elsewhere. Tobin used that extra money to find value with tackle Orlando Brown Jr. at the top of the market and safety Nick Scott and tight end Irv Smith Jr. as worthwhile low-cost gambles. Cincinnati's offensive line overhaul last offseason mostly worked, but I love that Tobin didn't stand pat. There is strong cohesion between Tobin and Zac Taylor's coaching staff, which develops rookies like cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt before giving them playing time.

Burrow claimed back in January that the Bengals' Super Bowl window is "my whole career." Tobin is the right man to prove his quarterback correct.

4) Brandon Beane/Sean McDermott, Buffalo Bills

I don't put the Bills' inability to get over the hump on the front office. Rather, I blame it on randomness (2020 and '21) and injuries (2022). That said, the team might need to revisit the relative lack of weight that is put into offensive resources compared with McDermott's defense. A solid D can only take you so far in this era, and the team's shortcomings on the offensive line and skill positions around Josh Allen showed up in 2022.

Beane made some low-cost moves in free agency (Damien Harris, Deonte Harty, Connor McGovern) that look smart enough on paper -- they are also similar to moves from 2022 that didn't work out well. His drafts have been less inspiring over the last four years, with 2021 first-rounder Greg Rousseau being the biggest difference-maker among them. The Bills have built and maintained a superpower over the last six years since Beane was hired, but their best work was done in the building stages. Can they do it again with different players around Allen?

5) John Lynch/Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers

Former Patriots decision maker Scott Pioli used to keep a framed photo on his desk of 2000 fifth-round tight end Dave Stachelski, taken one round ahead of Tom Brady, as a reminder that the front office wasn't that smart. That's why I hesitate to give too much credit to Lynch and Shanahan for finding seventh-round gem Brock Purdy, who helped lead the team to the playoffs as a rookie quarterback last season -- although there's no denying that Shanahan understands what works in his system.

The 49ers deserve more credit for finding and maintaining so much talent everywhere else that they've thrived despite all the resources used (including first-round picks in 2022 and '23) in the 2021 trade up to draft Trey Lance, who has attempted 102 passes since. Lynch has helped find core pieces through the draft (receiver Brandon Aiyuk, safety Talanoa Hufanga), free agency (corner Charvarius Ward, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave) and trades (running back Christian McCaffrey, left tackle Trent Williams). The Niners build strength on strength and stay focused on line play, like the Eagles. That said, the offensive line could use some work in the draft.

6) Les Snead/Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams

The problem isn't that the Rams went all in. It's that they immediately erased their flexibility after the title by signing their three biggest stars to extensions. A lot of their 2022 struggles came down to injury luck, but don't forget they were outclassed when still healthy in Week 1 and never looked right. The offensive line was a high-wire act that collapsed without Andrew Whitworth.

Reporting around the Rams' pivot to Allen Robinson after losing Von Miller in free agency last offseason suggests that McVay drove that decision and that, at least last season, his emotions could get in his way. Snead has done mostly well with the picks he has (Tutu Atwell being an exception), but the lack of draft choices and inactivity in free agency this offseason has led to a barren defensive roster. Considering the five-year run of success before this step back, Snead and McVay should still be ranked higher than general managers with little success beyond pretty offseason rosters to their names.

7) Brad Holmes, Detroit Lions

General managers sometimes peak in popularity a few years into a major rebuild. The hard part is keeping it going like Brandon Beane in Buffalo, rather than peaking too early like Steve Keim in Arizona, Dave Gettleman in Carolina or Ryan Pace in Chicago. (All Executives of the Year!) Holmes has done virtually no wrong since arriving. He preceded Dan Campbell by a week and pivoted from the Matthew Stafford era with a home run trade that helped quickly build a roster spawning the most unbridled Lions enthusiasm in memory.

Getting to use the Rams' No. 6 overall draft pick feels like a pivot point, the chance to go from fun story to real contender. After two top-shelf drafts and a smart free agency haul that focused on improving the secondary, Holmes has more than earned the benefit of the ever-present doubt in Detroit.

The rest:

After reading reports, posts, and several extremely well thought out mocks (and all the accompanying comments), I have tried to construct a sensible mock that I would love.

First, I didn’t draft a CB because unless it was gonna be a lockdown #1, I didn’t see the point in bringing another guy like what we already have. Let those guys compete and bring in UDFAs for depth and STs.

Felt the same way about Safeties. Could see the Rams bringing in a vet if they don’t like what they’re seeing in camp.

I also kept in mind the Rams are rebuilding the offense as a priority, but have too many holes on defense to ignore.

I doubled up on the Edge and WR. Drafting a TE essentially doubles up there because Long was already added in the Ramsey trade. Though I only drafted one RB, the position will also be doubled after UDFA signings.

By now, most of you are probably familiar with all/most of these guys So here goes:

2/36: Tyler Steen, LT (bama) 6-6/321. Lot of experience and starts, just what the Rams like. Can also move inside. He competes with Jackson for LT, and one starts at LT and one starts at LG. Noteboom fills his most successful role as backup Tackle/spot starter.
*The Rams need only draft one instant starter to build around and more importantly, stabilize that OL. Offseason moves indicate it probably won’t be a Center.

3/69: Felix Anudike-Uzumah, OLB/Edge (K. ST.) 6-4/253. He’s got a big motor and multiple moves to rush the passer. This is a guy who can start day one while getting even better.
*The Rams can’t waste time. Getting a starter to replace floyd is imperative. There are several potentially good Edge players who may or may not be in this range but Uzumah is one more likely and IMO, one of the more promising for that role.

3/77: Luke Schoonmaker, TE (Michigan) 6-5/251. He has the size, the production, and some blocking capabilities. Surprisingly, for a class deep in TEs, not many check all 3 boxes as proven as a Schoonmaker. The Rams like him. His stock is rising. Grab him here.
*Likely the Rams are losing Hopkins and Higbee by 2024. They need a reliable weapon at TE who can hold his own in the run game. Schoonmaker fits.

5/167: Chase Brown, RB ( Ill.) 5-10/209. There are several talented RBs in this draft who could help the Rams. I like Brown in this slot if he’s still around. I know opinions will vary.
*No way the Rams are going without drafting a RB and I don’t know if McVay would be able to hold out much longer than this.

5/171: Villiani Fehoko, Edge/DE (San Jose St.) 6-4/263. Fehoko is gonna be a day 3 steal. He’s a big strong dude who would have been getting more attention if he played in a bigger conference, but then I couldn’t say he’s coming from my hometown of SJ, CA. He has been consistently productive throughout his collegiate career. Would love to see this guy get a shot at being a Ram. He’s been a day 3 favorite of ROD mocks.
*I know the Rams still have a few unproven long shots on the roster, but getting solid play on both ends of the LOS is needed if this defense is gonna stand a chance to NOT be a bottom third defense.

6/191: Matt Landers, WR (Ark.) 6-4/200. Size and lots of speed. Another productive season coming out (notice the theme?). He can stretch the defense and use his size. Do the Rams have a use for that?
*The Rams need to add some talent at WR because they don’t have a WR corps who would scare anybody and someone has to help take some heat off of Kupp. Robinson and VJ are probably gone next season, maybe sooner.

6/182: Clayton Tune, QB (Houston) 6-3/220. Ok, so I caved. You want a backup QB? Here he is. No QB at this point in the draft is without warts. Weaker arms mean backup and most guys here are just that, but Tune not so much. He’s a big strong guy with a decent arm. The best attribute for Tune is he plays tough and that’s a great way to win over the locker room if he is thrust into the starting role due to circumstances.
*The Rams cannot go into this season with Wolford and Perkins as backups. A tough rookie would be less deflating.

6/189: Ricky Stromberg, IOL (Ark) 6-3/306. It’s easy to see why he has been on several ROD mocks. He’s a proven starter at both Center and Guard. A legit interior swing guy at the next level.
* The Rams re-signed Shelton and restructured Allen. Drafting a starting Center seems a bit pie-in-the-sky right now, but the Rams should at least be prepared if Allen goes down and Bruss doesn’t develop fast enough.

6/191: Jake Moody, K ((Michigan). Bigger leg than most of the options coming out. Very accurate at 40+ (the $$ kicks). His % dropped because of so many attempts beyond 50 yards. If he can get better at those, the Rams might have a solid Kicker for a few seasons.
*Gay will end up being the most missed FA if the Rams don’t get this right, be it Moody or whomever.

7/223: Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR (W. Vir.) 6-4/221. Another productive player who also has considerable speed for his size. He would be a monster on special teams at the very least. He would essentially replace Harris as the ST and WR/TE tweener.
*The league is getting more and more big physical WRs who can run. It works. The Rams need one, especially in our division.

7/251 Shakel Brown, NT (Troy) 6-4, 299. The Rams are likely losing both Gaines and ARob. I know there are already 2 Browns on the roster, but this one might surprise you. Again, productive, but can his game make the leap?
*Clogging the middle plus a pass rush puts this defense in some good situations and can protect that young secondary.

There you have it. Hopefully something for everyone.

Throughout the pre-draft season, I’ve viewed Quentin Johnson, WR, TCU as a first round prospect. I have him going to Minnesota at No. 23 on my mock.

Surprisingly, though, he was not invited to be present at the draft during day 1. Does this mean he’s dropping?

While WR is a low priority, the idea of a big (6’3, 208) and fast (4.49) guy lining up across from Cooper Kupp is intriguing.

And yes…I could definitely see Snead/McVay having their heads turned from bigger “needs” if a guy like Johnson is there.

If you can’t do it all in 2023… beefing up one unit makes sense. Be hard to beat on one side of the ball.

Offense it is. It is McVay’s bread and butter. Do whatever we can to make the offense strong. This seems to be the chatter Jourdan is saying too.

The defense? Do your best Morris. It is going to take scheme to have success because the draft picks are going towards the O.

That’s how I’d do it. Why spread the butter? Be great on one thing. And Offense is McVay’s thing.

What do you think the strategy should be going into the draft?

I'm very interested in who the Rams have interest in, as well as what positions they seem to be visit heavy on. It should give some kind of a look into what positions they are prioritizing for the draft. Then again, it could be all smokescreen. Here is what I have found, if you find other known visits, let me know and I'll add to the list. I'll be really intrigued to see if they take any guys on this list:



LINKS:
Ramblin Fan


I have found that most sites don't actually give a F about the Rams visits. Several of the sites don't even list the Rams (PFN- even though their headline says ALL 32 TEAMS). And some just so zero for the Rams.

He's a very good RB and 27 years old right now. Would Snead make a move? Akers is only 23 but will need to be extended. Make no mistake that Cook would be very expensive. But he's been one of the best RBs in the NFL for a while now. It's a matter of relative value for the Rams. It would take a whole new deal. He wants a new deal because the guaranteed money is running out. So if the Rams offered him $40M for 3 years fully guaranteed (about $13M a year) This would actually match over the cap's metric for his worth. Although his yearly would seem to suffer, he's ahead because it's fully guaranteed. They could offset a lot of this year's money in a 4th void year. It's always about the guaranteed money.

The reason I used that number is because that is what it's going to take to resign Akers next year. IMO 2024-2025 are the prime SB run years IMO. They would instantly upgrade the RB position in much the same way they did with Stafford. With Stafford and Cook in 2024 that would make it a prime year to make a run. It's the kind of splash that Snead is famous for. With Cook, Akers, and Williams this year they would be set at RB.

Hell they could throw in Allen Robinson. Oh well it's a thought to give us something to think about.

XFL Schedule

Saturday, April 15
Vegas Vipers at Houston Roughnecks: 12:30 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN+
Orlando Guardians at San Antonio Brahmas: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2, ESPN+

Sunday, April 16
Arlington Renegades at D.C. Defenders: 12 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+
Seattle Sea Dragons at St. Louis Battlehawks: 3 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+

USFL Schedule

Saturday, April 15
Philadelphia at Memphis (Memphis), 4:30 p.m. (FOX)
New Jersey at Birmingham (Birmingham), 7:30 p.m. (FOX)

Sunday, April 16
Michigan at Houston (Memphis), 12 p.m. (NBC)
Pittsburgh at New Orleans (Birmingham), 6:30 p.m. (FS1)

If a team makes a trade can the other team take on the dead money salary cap hit. Or is that hit only on paper?

Or split it?