Los Angeles Rams 2021 NFL draft picks: Grades, how they fit, full scouting reports

The Los Angeles Rams drafted Louisville wide receiver Tutu Atwell and South Carolina linebacker Ernest Jones with their first two picks.

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Los Angeles Rams 2021 NFL draft picks: Grades, how they fit, full scouting reports​

By The Athletic NFL Staff May 1, 2021 13
The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2021 NFL Draft with six picks during the three-day event.
The Rams went 10-6 last season and won in the wild-card round in the playoffs before falling to Green Bay in the divisional round. They made one of the biggest moves of the NFL’s offseason when they traded Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford at the end of January.
The Rams don’t have a lot of picks in this draft and that makes them candidates for acquiring additional selections throughout the weekend. Center Austin Blythe is gone and it’s unclear the direction the Rams will go at that position that is important with Stafford coming over from Detroit.
LIVE BLOG: Updates from the NFL Draft
BIG BOARD: Dane Brugler’s best available players

ROUND 2​

No. 57: Tutu Atwell, WR, Louisville​

Jourdan Rodrigue’s analysis: Atwell was a bit of a surprise move for the Rams’ first pick because centers Creed Humphrey and Quinn Meinerz were both available at the time (perhaps hinting that the Rams would seek Stanford’s Drew Dalman with a later pick), as well as a bevy of cornerbacks. But NFL Network said Rams coach Sean McVay referred to Atwell as “DeSean Jackson Jr.” (the Rams also signed Jackson this spring on a one-year, incentive-heavy deal), and there’s no denying the bond McVay shared with a younger, similarly skilled Jackson during his Washington days. Jackson’s presence on the roster won’t preclude Atwell from being worked into the rotation as Atwell is versatile enough to align from a variety of places (including from the backfield on sweeps and reverses) and will certainly compete at punt and kickoff return.
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Stafford tossing bombs to Atwell will be a thing in 2021. Atwell is tiny and the lack of size is an obvious concern, but he has elite speed to stretch out the defense, very similar to Hollywood Brown. The threat of his deep speed will help open up the field for Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods.
Sheil Kapadia’s grade: C-. Atwell (5-foot-9, 155 pounds) is small, but he was productive in college with 140 catches for 2,307 yards and 21 touchdowns. The size is a legit concern. Atwell missed two full games and parts of others last season because of a back injury. He also had issues with drops (15 in the last three seasons). If Atwell works out, the Rams will have a new version of Jackson. But they’re betting on the exception here, which is risky for a team with limited resources. Atwell was Brugler’s 95th-ranked prospect.

ROUND 3​

No. 103: Ernest Jones, LB, South Carolina​

Jourdan Rodrigue’s analysis: Jones, who led South Carolina in tackles as their “Mike” linebacker for two seasons, was “their guy” through and through, according to Jones, coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead.
Dane Brugler’s analysis: While he appears stiff with his redirect in coverage, Jones is a long, physical linebacker who can mirror at the line of scrimmage and shut down the run. He led the Gamecocks in tackles each of the last two seasons and should be a quality early down player as a rookie.
Sheil Kapadia’s grade: B. Jones (6-foot-2, 230 pounds) had a productive college career. He started 21 games and led South Carolina in tackles in 2019 and 2020. Jones will need to prove himself in coverage to stay on the field, but he’s a nice option for the Rams at this stage of the draft.

ROUND 4​

No. 117 Bobby Brown, DT, Texas A&M​

Jourdan Rodrigue’s analysis: Bobby Brown at No. 117 is a pretty intriguing one in my mind, because while he could use some technical development, he’s about to funnel into the Eric Henderson system — where Henderson will see a lot to do with the explosive power and raw athleticism Brown is described by evaluators to have. Even after losing 2 DL in free agency, Brown needs/can get a redshirt year.
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Overall, Brown might require an NFL redshirt year as he figures out how to use all of his gifts, but he is one of the youngest players in this class and NFL coaches will view him as moldable clay due to his raw power and athletic traits. He projects as a developmental tackle.

No. 130 Robert Rochell, CB, Central Arkansas​

Jourdan Rodrigue’s analysis: This is a pick I am very, very interested in. Rochell has a great frame (6-0, 193) and has a TON of potential upside because of his high athleticism, speed and reactive traits.
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Rochell is an NFL-level athlete with his immediate acceleration and reactive twitch to match up against pro speed. While he is athletic, his base fundamentals and process are sporadic (leading to big plays allowed) and he needs to stay locked in every snap. Whether he lives up to his NFL starting-level upside comes down to the development of his technique and discipline.

No. 141 Jacob Harris, WR, UCF​

Jourdan Rodrigue’s analysis: Harris was described to me as an “athletic project” as it pertains to the offense specifically — but, the Rams expect him to contribute immediately on special teams and in fact was their top-ranked special-teamer on the board (this is about when those guys start coming up). ST coordinator Joe DeCamillis (former Jaguars) is very familiar with Harris.
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Harris plays with controlled burst and long strides to challenge defensive backs, flashing potential to run the full tight end route tree. In order to make it at the next level, he must improve his focus and finish as both a pass-catcher and blocker. Overall, Harris faces obvious growing pains and is older than ideal for a developmental prospect, but his blend of size and athleticism is rare and his special teams skills will keep him on an NFL roster as he develops. Several teams view him as a tight end while others grade him at wide receiver.

ROUND 5​

No. 174 Earnest Brown IV, DE, Northwestern​

Jourdan Rodrigue’s analysis: Brown has the exact length that new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is looking for (6-5). Brown could rotate in, especially in sub-packages in which Rams are in even fronts/perhaps develop into an outside-inside player.
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Brown plays with strong hands at the point-of-attack to stack, shed and find the football. However, he is too segmented with his movements and lacks the upfield juice to threaten blockers as a pass rusher. Overall, Brown is a slow-twitch player, but he sets a physical edge and stays assignment sound versus the run. He projects as a backup base defensive end in a four-man front.

ROUND 7​

No. 233 Jake Funk, RB, Maryland​

Jourdan Rodrigue’s analysis: The Rams’ pick of running back Jake Funk at No. 233 feels like a total special teams move to me considering his noted prowess there, and his promising athletic profile aligns with the developmental prospects they have targeted all throughout today’s picks. Funk (Maryland) has also had two ACL repair surgeries.
Jeff Zrebiec on Funk the player: Funk felt like he answered some questions with his performance last month at Maryland’s pro day. He clocked a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash, registered a 38-inch vertical jump and did 22 reps of 225 pounds.

No. 249 Ben Skowronek, WR, Notre Dame​

Jourdan Rodrigue’s analysis: The Rams’ pickup of Notre Dame receiver Ben Skowronek will raise some eyebrows, but his potential is as bigger-bodied blocking help, and maybe special teams tenure. The Rams are making a lot — a LOT — of special teams picks in these later rounds; another sure sign that Sean McVay was pissed about how the unit performed last year. They’re on their third coordinator in as many years.
Dane Brugler’s analysis: Skowronek allows defensive backs to stay on top of him, but his catch radius and competitive chops will give him a chance at sticking on an NFL roster. He projects as a back-end receiver or tight end who will make an impact on special teams.

No. 252 Chris Garrett, LB, Concordia St. Paul​

Jourdan Rodrigue’s analysis: The Rams picked outside linebacker Chris Garrett at No. 252 overall, finishing up their draft as they did so. Garrett is pretty intriguing to me, as a small-school prospect (St. Paul-Concordia) and is kind of built like a weakside linebacker — but posted crazy collegiate stats as a pass-rush specialist. Could the Rams hope for an eventual purely situational rush role for Garrett?

All the picks are spent so I think it's pretty obvious to Rams fans we did well if not won outright this trade:

Rams received:

Jalen Ramsey

Jaguars received:

K’lavon Chaisson, Travis Etienne

Traded away 4th round pick and 2 other picks(not acquired from Rams) for: Jordan Smith, Luke Farrell

Side note for the Jags if they didn't dump Ramsey there's a pretty good chance they don't end up picking Lawrence which basically means by losing games they won the deal as well since they now have a guy who could go down as the best QB in their franchise history. I think it's safe to say each side won the trade one of those rare deals that worked out for all parties. Ramsey is obviously happy here he got paid and he went to a franchise that's winning games plus he seems to thrive in our locker room and culture. What are your thoughts?

Locks:

QB: 2 (Stafford and backup)
RB: 2 (Akers and Hendo)
WR: 5 (Kupp/Woods/Jefferson/Jackson/Tutu)
TE: 2 (Higbee/Harris)
OL: 7 (Whit/Edwards/Corbett/Evans/Hav/Noteboom/Anchrum)
DL: 6 (AD/SJD/ARob/Gaines/Brown/Brown)
EDGE: 3 (Floyd/Hollins/Lewis)
ILB: 2 (Jones/Kiser)
CB: 3 (Ramsey/DWill/Rochelle)
S: 3 (Fuller/Rapp/Burgess)
ST: 3

Likely:

RB: 1 - Jones or Calais
TE: 2 - Hopkins and Mundt
OL: 1 - Shelton
EDGE: 1 - Obo
ILB: 2 - Howard, Reeder or Young
CB: 1 - Long
S: 1 - Scott


Fighting for their jobs:

Allen, Brewer, Jones or Calais, Howard, Reeder or Young


If you add the locks with the likely, you get 47 players - that leaves 6 spots for the practice squad, 7th round picks, UDFAs and the group fighting for their jobs.

I'm sure we will see some "IR" guys from this group, and some will be put on the practice squad - but one reason I wanted to do this is because of the Funk and Skowronek picks - if there guys are healthy there are definitely spots for them because of special teams value.

But this team is getting DEEP and I love it.


Also, the Rams currently only have 3 (THREE!) players over 30 years old

2021 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams​

By Ryan Dunleavy
May 1, 2021 | 5:22pm | Updated

31) Los Angeles Rams​

Grade: D+

Key Picks: Tutu Atwell (WR Louisville), Ernest Jones (LB, South Carolina), Bobby Brown (DT, Texas A&M)

Analysis: Atwell’s 4.32-second time in the 40-yard dash is tantalizing, but he weighs the same as some seventh-graders (149 pounders). The Rams haven’t made a first-round pick since 2016 and don’t have one until 2024. Jones is not the coverage linebacker they needed.



Chad Reuter
Draft Analyst





Grade
A

Los Angeles Rams

Draft picks

• Louisville WR Tutu Atwell (No. 57 overall)
• South Carolina LB Ernest Jones (No. 103)
• Texas A&M DT Bobby Brown III (No. 117)
• Central Arkansas Robert Rochell (No. 130)
• UCF WR Jacob Harris (No. 141)
• Northwestern DE Earnest Brown IV (No. 174)
• Maryland RB Jake Funk (No. 233)
• Notre Dame WR Ben Skowronek (No. 249)
• Concordia OLB Chris Garrett (No. 252)

Day 1 grade: A
Day 2 grade: B+
Day 3 grade: A

Analysis: While I’m usually not a big fan of parting with multiple first-round picks for a non-quarterback, cornerback Jalen Ramsey is an exception to the rule as one of the top defenders in the NFL. His presence is one reason the Rams have one of the top defenses in the league, so allowing the Jaguars to pick at No. 25 (and in the fourth round, as well) this year was a worthwhile deal. Atwell’s an explosive player whose extremely small frame (5-9, 155) is a bit worrisome. GM Les Snead traded one of the Rams' two third-round picks for two fourths, which made sense, given the team’s lack of overall draft capital. Using their third-round comp pick on Jones addressed a big need on defense.

The Rams picked two defensive lineman with the last name Brown (Bobby in the third, Ernest in the fifth) to help replace Michael Brockers (traded to the Lions). Rochell was expected to go in the fourth round, and the Rams needed depth at the position; that’s a good marriage of need and value. Harris won over teams at his pro day and projects as a stand-up receiving tight end. Garrett is an edge rusher prospect who will bring it hard in training camp.

While, I might not personally think the Rams Draft was great I do think after reading about their picks they did much better than I originally thought and several of their picks do seem to have quite a bit of upside!

BUT, The below Grades this one Guy gives the Rams is not very flattering at all! I really don’t think I will lose much sleep due to this person’s opinion! Overall, I think the Rams did quite well even if they didn’t select ANY of the players I was hoping they would pick!!!

Rams Head Coach Sean McVay and General Manager Les Snead – Media Availability – May 1, 2021

(On what went into each of the draft picks)

Snead: “(DL) Bobby (Brown) is a large human being, very athletic, very strong. So, definitely felt like he was worthy of picking there at the start of the fourth round based on that skillset. (CB Robert) Rochelle is another kid from a small school, but a very athletic, long corner, a lot of upside there. (TE) Jacob Harris – interestingly, all three of those guys had some unbelievable-type pro days. Jacob Harris really played wide receiver at Central Florida and was probably our number one ranked special teamer, in terms of coverage, but he’s a fast guy that we project could go to tight end and just an interesting weapon based on the special teams and things like that. Big (DL) Ernest Brown (IV), a typical Northwestern player. He’s tall, long, heavy, just an instinctive football player. (RB) Jake Funk, another guy that we had highly rated as a coverage player, for special teams he can return and so that’s a good thing. And then big (WR) Ben (Skowronek) has just been a really fun player to watch. He’s a genre we don’t have at receiver. He’s tall, big, long arms, wide wingspan, can go up and get rebalanced. Fun player to watch blocking. So, you could project him being basically one of our better blockers on our team and a special teams projected. And then into the last player, Mr. (OLB) Chris Garrett. A small school kid who basically destroyed that league, but a fun player to watch. Has some initial juice that really gave him an edge in that league and the sacks in the amount of games speak for themselves. So that is probably a quick rundown of the seven.”

(On if he thinks he rounded out the teams needs)

McVay: “Yeah, I do. I think that the biggest thing when you hear (General Manager) Les (Snead) go through those seven picks today, in addition to the two from yesterday – all of these guys provide tremendous value. They all love football, and their skill sets are different, but I think they really fill out the rooms that they’re going into. You look at each of them and there’s a vision that we have for them and how they fit, how they provide value for a football team and that might be offensively or defensively. There’s a couple of guys that we felt like their value to our special teams unit was a really big asset. That they can immediately boost the production of that group. Not really just in the kicking game, in general, not exclusive to our coverage units or our return units, but really being those core players. So that was an important element for us to be able to really focus on and feel really good. And then we’re going to add some really good players in college free agency as well.”

(On what kind of challenges they had this draft)

McVay: “When I say no holes to fill, I think it’s a compliment to the guys we have in house on the roster that’s been built here. But all of these guys provide value and depth. Unfortunately, injuries are a part of our game and we hope to stay as healthy as possible, but these guys will do an excellent job in each of their rooms that they’re going to step into. What’s unique about it is with COVID over the last year, some guys not playing this past year, I think the biggest change that you could really feel was the medicals. Just getting some of that information a little bit later than you’re accustomed to, but I thought Les, his group, (Vice President, Sports Medicine and Performance) Reggie (Scott) and our doctors did a phenomenal job and I feel really good about another smooth process. We’re kind of in the middle of finishing up the college free agency as we speak right now, but I think it’s been a really good weekend. And I know we got better as a football team without a doubt.”

(On what they look for when they call players)

Snead: “It’s pretty neat because – you all get to talk, you do the zooms and I know our website or what have you spits it out and through the draft getting texts just from friends of mine or what have you about, ‘Hey man, this guy I loved his interview,’ things like. So, you all get a feel that I haven’t, but I got a text and I’m like, ‘Okay, that’s seems like pretty good kid.’ But I do know this – it’s interesting, right? When you vet them and you know that they’re passionate about ball, and then you’re able to make the call and welcome them to the Rams and feel that enthusiasm, it just jacks me up. In terms of – I can’t imagine, you’re probably many nights dreaming about getting drafted and all of a sudden today or yesterday your dream comes true.”

McVay: “Yeah. I felt the same way. I think this group, especially when you look at the nine guys, there was a real, genuine excitement. I think there’s a consistent passion for the game of football. These guys love what they’re doing, and that ends up being contagious. There’s a genuine enthusiasm that all those guys had that can’t help but get you excited as well. Those are the types of people that we want to bring into our building and we’re really excited to add those nine players.”

(On WR Ben Skowronek playing fullback if that’s in the plans)

McVay: “Ben has probably been in a three-point stance more than (Rams TE Jacob) Harris has. So, I saw him in the goal line packages. He has a toughness; he has a good feel to his game where he’s got some versatility. So, you never know. Teams might have to treat him like a tight end, receiver with how we’ll utilize him, but he’s not afraid to do the dirty work. He has a really good resume, good body of work, and they’ve done a great job at Notre Dame. There’s a lot of similarities with what (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks) Coach (Tommy) Reese and (Notre Dame Head) Coach (Brian) Kelly have done schematically. There will be a lot of comfortable things that will feel familiar to him with what we’ll ask of him, but I’m excited to add Ben and really Harris to the mix as some skill players on the perimeter for us, or as you know, kind of some different guys that can create different numbers in the blocking surfaces as well.”

(On the reasoning to not draft offensive linemen)

McVay: “Yeah, I think, what I would say is, what I think was an incredible blessing for our team a couple of years ago, that was really tough to go through is, you got a lot of young players some experience and you don’t want to be naive to the fact that, ‘Hey, you don’t want to just look at the upcoming season’, but you want to have a long-term perspective as well. But the way that the things shook out, we were able to really get players off the board that we all really had a good feel and a light for. And then, there’s a lot of depth with the 11 players that we had in that offensive line room going into today, all of them have played meaningful games. There are guys that we project as real NFL guys. Typically, you want to have 15, if you’re going to go on your 90-man roster, but I think it is a reflection of the confidence of the group that we do have in place and just kind of how things shook out. There were some different guys that were potentially going to be people that we were maybe going to select, but I think it worked out exactly how we had hoped. I think it’s a reflection of the confidence that we do have in the group that’s played a lot of football and I know (Offensive Line Coach) Kevin Carberry is going to do a great job leading that unit.”

Snead: “I second Sean on that. I think we’ve been saying it a good bit and Sean mentioned it. I mean, we’ve got 11 guys who’ve played games that we won. That’s probably as deep a group that’s played as I’ve ever been a part of. So, give those guys credit and they’ve done a heck of a job. As Sean said, that unfortunate at times that we’ve had a lot of guys get a chance to play and they’ve grown together and they’re jelling together and like Sean said, in the draft, there’s times you’re looking at OL, maybe if you’re 15 spots away, but someone takes one. So, that’s just how the draft goes. But we did know this going into this draft, right? If we did take an OL, it would really be, I would say maybe a redshirt year. It’d be hard for an offensive lineman to be one of our eight (gameday OL) no matter how good you were coming into this group.”

McVay: “(OL) Chandler Brewer was our draft pick this year opting back in. A guy that we have a lot of excitement about that can play inside and outside. Chandler Brewer was the guy we added to the mix that wasn’t with us last year. There you go.”

Snead: “This isn’t official yet, but I know we got a handshake agreement with a kid from Iowa, Alaric Jackson, who’s a very talented kid and because of the Big Ten, didn’t have as good a year, a little bit probably similar to, (OL) David Edwards types, where he didn’t have as good a year as the year before and he fell out of the draft. He was a kid that was down at the Senior Bowl, but he’s definitely got to make a team and contribute talent, so we’ll see if we can officialize that and go to work.”

(On the draft results and if they feel like they can be more explosive offensively with those added elements along with what they already have on the roster and what would be the recruiting pitch for the college free agents)

McVay: “I think first of all, we definitely expect to be more explosive and I think, like anything else, you’ve got to give guys an opportunity to create big plays in a variety of ways and there’s a big responsibility that I know I feel and our coaches feel to put our players in the positions to be able to make those plays. There was definitely an intentional approach and process to being able to add a quarterback of (QB) Matthew Stafford’s caliber, and then surround him with the right pieces. Guys that we’ve already had in place and then guys that we’ve added, whether that be (WR) DeSean (Jackson) or the players that we drafted, and then the guys that we have in-house, but we have a lot of expectations and things that we expect to accomplish, but you got to do it. And so as far as for the recruiting pitch, if you got some suggestions for some of these skilled guys, I’d love to hear it because most of these guys are probably thinking the same thing you are. I think we feel really good about the depth, but there are some spots when you look at offensive linemen, guys that we feel really good about in place, but then being able to add in Alaric Jackson, like Les mentioned, those are the things that we’re looking to try to create the most competitive roster to really solidify our football team in all three phases. But it’s something that we definitely expect to be more explosive, and everybody’s got a hand in that.”

(On if Snead is feeling better with COVID)

Snead: “You know what, I’ll be honest, right? This is the worst I’ve felt talking with y’all. Right before I got on, I remembered I missed one of my Advil dosages. I guess because we kept trading back to have a lot of picks.”

McVay: “You are disciplined as hell with those Advil. I’d be popping those things like candy, man.”

Snead: “I set my alarm on the four-hour schedule. Hopefully it kicks in, but it’s interesting. I talked with an agent, I’m not going to give his name just because I’m not sure he wants to, but he sounded really bad and he was not with one of his players for CFA and he said he was dealing with COVID. So, what I do know is I certainly am not feeling as bad as he was, but I mean, he sounded bad. So, fortunate there.”

(On if they went into the draft with a plan to add depth on the defensive line)

Snead: “I think the way we did it and like Sean had alluded to, we didn’t have to have really any position, at least that’s subjectively how we felt. Y’all might feel differently about the offensive line, but we felt that way. So, what we tried to do is, is I call it handicap how the draft might fall, especially with (No.) 57 and those third-round picks in kind of early fourth. What we did do is, come up with front seven I called it, and that could be an OLB, it could be an IDL, just depending on how the draft was going to fall, but we felt like we could definitely, as you can always take talented front-seven guys. And then I probably didn’t mention with Earnest Brown, he’s someone that can add versatility of maybe playing inside and also outside a little bit like (Panthers DL) Morgan Fox at times. So, that versatility kind of allowed for that but we would have taken it at most positions a quality player if they fell and that’s kind of what we tried to do.”

(On if the draft and offseason will help the Rams become a league-leading passing attack)

McVay: “To me, it’s about winning and losing and whatever we feel like is the best way to do that, putting all three phases together, winning as a team is the most important thing to me. What we’ve seen over the last four years is there’s been different kind of philosophies that we’ve put together based on how our team unfolds. There’s no doubt about it, a guy that’s heavily involved in the offense like myself, and our coaches, you feel a huge responsibility to be a big part of why we’re winning those games. To say that we don’t have expectations and that we need to be better offensively, we do. For us to do and accomplish the things that we all have in mind, is definitely something that’s a huge point of emphasis, but not at the expense of minimizing the importance of defense in the kicking game as well. So, to say that we have any excuses for not being productive? No. We’ve got great players, feel really confident in our coaches. There’s no reason that we don’t have very realistic expectations about being a lot better. But saying it doesn’t do anything, we’ve got to be where our feet are planted, do it one day at a time. But the answer is yes, I expect us to be much better and I expect this to be one of the better ones in the league.”

(On OL Brian Allen’s health status in light of not drafting a center)

McVay: “He feels good. You know, we’ve got a lot of guys that have been trained to play the center position as well. (OL) Brian Allen has started and played really productive football for us when he’s been healthy. (OL) Coleman Shelton is a guy that’s done a lot of good things. Then, we’ve got starting-caliber guards that definitely have the capability to do it. (OL) Austin Corbett is a guy that started at the left guard, the right guard. I have no doubt that if he tried his hand at center, that he could really excel there as well. So, there’s a lot of guys, when you look at the 11 offensive linemen, 10 of those 11 have played meaningful snaps in real games. (OL) Tremayne Anchrum (Jr.), a guy that we invested in last year, who I think has a lot of upside, didn’t play last year, but is somebody that we feel good about for the future. I think it’s a really competitive group and so really looking forward to watching Coach Carberry get his hands on these guys and hopefully be able to work with them sooner than later.”

(On whether the trades to move back were aimed at adding depth)

Snead: “I know a lot of times with where we were sitting in the draft, there was moments where, ‘Okay, this is probably a good spot to trade back in and recoup some picks.’ So that’s always an option right? Unless there’s somebody that really won’t at that pick. There was a couple of times we thought about actually moving up, and even attempted to, and wasn’t able to do it. So, it kind of works both ways. But what we did know is we had identified some guys with our personnel staff and Joe DeCamillis, our new special teams coach, the guys that could come in and hey, like a Jacob Harris, like Mr. Funk and some of those guys and ‘Big Ben’ and things like that that could help on teams too. So, because you did get a Jersey on game day and if you’re not starting, it’d be really, really good if you can help us cover kicks and punts and things like that. We knew that there would be some of those guys in the draft and paid having as many picks as possible that allow us to pick some of those guys off along the way.”

(On if there was a pattern of selecting athleticism over skill in this year’s draft)

Snead: “I mean, the key is hey, what role can they play? So, let’s take Jacob Harris, major athletic profile. I mean, he’s a freak of nature. But what we do know is, and there’s no projection, is watching him cover kicks, block. I mean, I think even the pundits had him as the No. 1 special teams player in the draft, right? So, that’s not a projection, that’s right there on paper. Now, it’s Sean and (Tight Ends Coach/Pass Game Coordinator) Coach (Wes) Phillips. As we groom him to be a tight end, and there’s some other things that’s not necessarily a projection with him. Going vertical and tracking the ball over his head and outrunning people, that’s kind of what he did. And interestingly, I think with the (University of Central Arkansas) corner Robert, probably because he’s from Central Arkansas, you consider him raw. But very, very athletic human being that what he can do, that’s not a projection, is once he breaks on a ball, he can break and he gets to the receiver, the ball, really quick. That’s, that’s not a projection, that’s what mom, dad, God gave him to close and him able to flip those hips and do that. You’re always looking, ‘Hey, what’s your projection?’ So, with Robert, it’s okay, if he’s our fourth corner this year, (Defensive Coordinator Raheem) Coach Morris was jacked to get ahold of him. (Secondary Coach/Pass Game Coordinator) Coach ‘E’ (Ejiro Evero), those guys, to develop him. But Coach DeCamillis was also thumbs up on him as well because if you’re a fourth corner, what’s not a projection is him going down and maybe being a gunner and things like that. I think as Sean and I always talk with these players, what is the role? What’s their chance of getting a jersey on game day and why?”

McVay: “I think Les and his group, then really when you look at (Manager of Data and Analytics) Jake (Temme), (Manager of Software Development), Ryan (Garlisch), (Manager of Football Analytics) Sarah (Bailey), they do an excellent job of really providing some tangible evidence specific to the athletic measurables. Then you’re saying, ‘Do see enough traits and characteristics on tape even if they might be a little bit green that we feel like we can help them develop and reach their highest potential?’ There was a handful of guys today in particular that really fit into that that mold, if you will, and very excited to be able to work with these guys. But I think it was really a true representation of the great collaboration that exists between our coaches and Les and his group and how we can figure it out to create the most competitive roster and add guys that bring value to our team in a bunch of different ways.

Snead: “Our nerds, as we call them, they were jacked about those first three (picks). They have their own ratings on analyzing those pro days and were freaks of nature. So, they were jacked about that. Then, you come back with a go to Ernest Brown, who’s the opposite, right, his pro day wasn’t so good. But in good old Northwestern fashion, they just play really good defense there. They know how to play football, some of that central nervous stuff. Maybe they throw you for a loop there. I don’t know if we’re about to close and I know Sean mentioned it with Jake, Ryan, Sarah, ‘the nerds’, heck our area scouts starting this time last year for this class, our senior level group, our coaching staff, athletic performance staff, (Vice President, Communications) Artis (Twyman), his staff for getting these awesome Zoom calls set up for the players, everybody to say they’re pretty cool. And our IT staff for taking the show on the road and adjusting. I mean, got to give those guys and women a lot of credit because a lot of hard work goes into basically as Sean always says, ‘You mean to tell me we do all that work and we end up with about seven to nine players?’. Basically, everybody that got drafted, we did a lot of work on. Can’t draft them all and we ended up with our nine. But a lot of people that aren’t on this call deserve a lot of, let’s call it credit, for helping us get to where we are now.”

Check out her article at the Athletic for more deets. But the gist of it is, they want more "sand-in-the-pants" at center, more power there and felt that any rookie would need a redshirt...

and think they already have 5 good starters in:

Whit-Edwards-Corbett-Evans-Havenstein

GASP!

Some of yous were right!

She's got some other good nuggets in there!

General impressions...

If we could somehow have a do over on Day 2 I would jump on it. I count 3 unforced errors on Day 2 at 57, at 88, and at 103. That was game, set, match. Too much to recover from in a draft lacking a 1st on Day 1. Rams needed three consecutive hits with perhaps a shrewd trade down in the process and they failed on all 4 opportunities.

Day 3 was better in terms of value and addressing future needs. But too little, too late, I’m afraid.

I come away with concerns in many areas and few apparent solutions to address them.

LOT
OC
WOLB
ILB (still)
CB

Lots of upcoming UFA’s and one probable retiree in Big Whit. Where are the replacements that are gonna be necessary as soon as next year?

Look, the Rams strategy of signing elites with future 1sts traded away only works when the team keeps bringing in quality players in rounds 2-7 to surround the elites with inexpensively. Snead/McVay have walked that tightrope rather well for several years. Until now, I’m afraid.

I really miss Brad Holmes.

I find myself concerned, frustrated, and more than a little angry all at the same time. Sigh...

I personally think this a diamond and future starting lineman.

I knew going it this was a draft unlike any other, that the Snead and McVay pretty much said they feel the roster is set and have alluded to that for a while now. I knew that in their minds it was about rotational players who might end up starters and developmental players for the future. So with that in mind, I watched the draft unfold. This is my impression of the players noted soon after they were announced. Hopefully, I'm wrong about a few of them in terms of their ability to contribute.

By enlarge I'm not unhappy with the draft as they did come away with some high potential rookies like Atwell, Rochell, and Harris, and some intriguing players like Skowronek, and Garrett.

WR Tutu Atwell - Should see some snaps this season. McVay's young Desean Jackson. We will see if he can realize that expectation.

ILB Ernest Jones - I don't see anything that separates him from guys they already have. ILB is a part-time position. He's slower than the guys starting and Moncrief. He's going to have to earn it on STs or it's PS for him.

DT Bobby Brown III - Strictly a developmental pick. Looking forward as a possible 1T in 2023. Too raw to play this year. Another possible Sebas type of DL except he might be able to disengage from blocks.

CB Robert Rochell - A sleeper pick IMO. A chance to play some snaps this year. He's the Rams replacement for Troy Hill, but a much better player overall with outstanding speed for the position.

TE Jacob Harris - Somewhat raw but a possible future starter and TE terror due to his size and exceptional speed. A match-up nightmare.

DL Earnest Brown IV - Not sure where he fits in. Raw needs a lot of work, but more importantly, he's slow if expected to play DE and not quick enough to play 3T.

RB Jake Funk - Looks like an injury waiting to happen. Unless they think they can coach him up to play FB he might not make the roster.

WR Ben Skowronek - Seems too slow to make this WR roster, but has shown blocking ability. Is this their lead blocker? Interesting pick. He definitely has the size and the ability to catch those lead blocker passes.

Edge Chris Garrett - Lacks long speed but has an explosive first step (which was lacking in Brockers). Shows the ability work with his hands. Definitely a developmental prospect better than the average end of the draft pick.

Well, there seem to be a lot of people disappointed by this draft. I can't disagree. You're the GM now. You get to pick for the Rams. You can also opt to make trade downs if you want. Here is a link to see which players went where:

Here's a trade tracker (that isn't fully updated quite yet):

Here are the picks we ultimately made:
Round 2 Pick #25 - Tutu Atwell WR Louisville
Round 3 Pick #40 - Ernest Jones LB South Carolina
Round 4 Pick #12 - Bobby Brown DT Texas A&M
Round 4 Pick #25 - Robert Rochell CB Central Arkansas
Round 4 Pick #36 - Jacob Harris WR Central Florida
Round 5 Pick #30 - Earnest Brown IV DE Northwestern
Round 7 Pick #5 - Jake Funk HB Maryland
Round 7 Pick #22 - Ben Skowronek WR Notre Dame
Round 7 Pick #25 - Chris Garrett OLB Concordia-St. Paul

What would you do?

Now that the Rams are done with their 2021 Draft can anyone tell me when the NFL Teams can start signing the Undrafted Players? And, What players should the Rams pursue? I am guessing that Les Snead has a list and is ready to start making offers!!!

Cell Ringtone: Fortnight's "Phone it In"

Sean: "Hey buddy, how are you feeling? We are two kegs in and I'm on my second bottle of Rose."

Les: "I'm loaded on Hydroxychloroquine and quaaludes so as usual, I'm jacked!"

Sean: "That's good because it won't hurt so badly when I tell you this, are you sitting down?"

Les: "What happened?"

Sean: "The Seahawks just got Eskridge."

Les: "Damn! No worries. Tavon is faster. Let's take him"

Sean: "You mean Tutu?"

Les: "Yeah, sorry, The guy who runs really fast and makes you look bigger on the sideline."

Sean: "Carberry wants Humphrey since the Vikes got Little."

Les: "Just tell Kevin we hired him to turn around an underwhelming line like he did at Stanford. Our guys are better than that."

Sean: "It's okay...I won't have to explain anything, Kevin just hurled on Veronika so I won't give him anything until the 7th Round like I did Aaron last year. That will teach him."

Les: "Well, we only have one 7th rounder so let's trade down in the third since your buddy Kyle needs a running back. That way we can throw Kevin a bone when he wakes up tomorrow."

Sean: "Hold on, Raheem wants to talk to you."

Raheem: "Les, my man! Bolton and Werner are still available. We wanna pool party!" (Background, several chanting: Pool Party, Pool Party, Pool Party!!)

Les: "I'm over here not able to taste my food and you're wanting to party? Look, Sean's the head coach so if he wants a smurf because the WTF or whatever you call them used to have Brown, Garrett, and Seay...it's his call. We can get that "leadership" type to convey your calls in the third."

Raheem: "You mean Browning?

Les: "No, the other one."

Raheem: "Cox?"

Les: "No, Ernest Jones"

Raheem: "Never heard of him. Is he fast? Is he versatile against the pass? Or is he a great blitzer?"

Les: "Well, he's okay at those things. But I just like the name Ernest. It means he's serious about football. As a matter of fact, I'll get you Ernest Brown to replace Fox and Bobby Brown to replace Brockers.

Raheem: "Bobby Brown! Isn't he the guy that was married to Whitney Houston and Alicia Eskridge?"

Les: "That was Ethridge. Eskridge is the guy we originally wanted for Sean."

Raheem: "I'm gonna go lay down now. These names are making my head spin."

Les: "No, it's probably the Bud Ice. Let me talk to Joe D."

Joe: "Hey Les, what's up?

Les: "I'm really not feeling well. I told Raheem what he can have and Sean already put in his pick so I want you to pick your favorites the rest of the way."

Joe: "But it's still the second round, won't they say we are drafting my guys too high?"

Les: "Not if you trade down enough. We can just say it's a COVID year so all the top prospects were all suspect anyway. I gotta go now, the blankets just fell off the fort and I can't see my laptop. Later dude."

Been looking through the list and I have seen the future my Rams brothers. I am ready to declare winners in spite of decades of evidence to the contrary regarding kneejerk draft reactions. Here we go WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

1. Jacksonville Jaguars. Ridiculous haul for one draft IMO. They got a QB of the future who fits their scheme in Trevor Lawrence. They got a stud RB in Etienne who will help them immediately. Potential LT of the future in Little who can give them starts on the interior if necessary. And a scattering of guys I liked at multiple positions. This draft has the look of the type that can catapult a team from the cellar to the playoffs. Might be a year out from that of course but still, what a haul.

2. Tennessee Titans. These guys really outdid themselves IMO. The Farley pick is risky IMO but has boom potential. Then they got two stud starters who are going to log a ton of starts for them in Radunz and Weaver. In the slot they added Molden, as well as Fitzpatrick. Not a Monty Rice fan but this is a class that they're gonna feel in a good way come camp.

3. Minnesota Vikings. They just had the kind of draft that can put them back in play in the NFC contender picture. It's that good IMO. OT Darrisaw is an absolute stud. Davis is a nice interior addition to the OL. Jones will be a nice add to their edge rotation. ISM is one of the receivers I really liked this year and they got him late with great value. Surratt gives them instant help in either a chase role or on the interior on third down or nickelbacker type role and has upside to be something IF he can develop some physicality. And they took a shot on Kellen Mond for QB of the future. Fantastic draft for them.

4. Baltimore Ravens. What else is new. Bateman is a huge improvement for them at wideout. Oweh gives them a badly needed young stud edge. I love Cleveland nice fit for them on the OL. Stephens is a big physical corner that fits their bully defense. I love Wallace as a round 4 project wideout. And they got a nice role player late in Mason for some fullback action.

I don't have the inclination to study all the players before the draft so I appreciate those that do. With that said, I do study them after they become Rams so here it is...

Tutu can fill a role and I suppose McVay got D Jax to fill it and is counting on him so show Tutu how it gets done. Let's start with what he obviously isn't. Dude can't block, doesn't win contested catches, has a tiny catch radius, and he can be tackled by a fingernail. I see only two traits that make him special. The first one is that he eats up space faster than I remember seeing in a long time. The second is that he stems his routes instantly to get the edge he's assigned to obtain. These two elite traits allow him to create space for himself and others. This tells me that McVay has plays designed that he wants and hasn't been able to utilize without those two traits.

Earnest Jones looks unremarkable on tape, but once again, it's a matter of the type of role they envision and how the player fits. The most difficult job for an NFL linebacker is to read his keys and instinctively do the job assigned. Entire offenses are predicated on confusing the defense and putting them in a bind. While many focus on the splash plays that make highlight reels, play in and play out performance is the mark of consistency that makes the most difference. That's hard to see on film unless you understand what the D Coordinator has planned. Yes, the player must be stout enough and fast enough to execute his assignments. Those two traits exist with this player. This "leadership grade" the Rams value is a nuance fans and analysts have no access to understand such intel. How do you respond to mistakes whether they are yours or others on the team? Can you trust the process when you aren't getting results? Can you absorb information and translate it instantly on the field? I don't know if Jones is that guy but apparently the Rams believe he is. He isn't well spoken but it's football, not homiletics.

Finally, my hopes for an upgraded offensive line have been dashed. The Rams must believe their development of the existing players is better than what I can see. Maybe they are right. Maybe Sean's plan for Stafford, Akers, and the WRs is so advanced that the OLine doesn't need to overwhelm...they just need to execute for three seconds and the scheme will do the rest. Perhaps the three years of development of a middling performer is better than a more physically gifted rookie. Maybe the plan is to pick up veteran depth later this offseason or they see players later in the draft that fit the profile they intend to develop. I guess the need to have Kiser/Jackson replacements if they get injured again is more essential. I really have no F'ing idea but nothing frustrates me more than seeing plays get blown up by defenders who bust into the backfield with little resistance. And nothing in football makes me happier than a bunch of pancakes that demoralize a defense. I guess Chuck Knox and John Robinson are dinosaurs and I just like dinosaurs. McVay has been generally successful in developing a running game so I'm just an idiotic old fan who doesn't get it. I doubt I ever will.

When is the 2021 NFL Draft?​

This year's draft runs from Thursday, April 29, to Saturday, May 1. Here's a breakdown of the schedule by round:

• Round 1: Thursday, April 29 (8 p.m. ET)
• Rounds 2-3: Friday, April 30 (7 p.m. ET)
• Rounds 4-7: Saturday, May 1 (12 p.m. ET)

How to watch the 2021 NFL Draft​

Where can you go to tune in? Below is another rundown of the schedule, plus TV and streaming options:

Thursday, April 29​

Round: 1
Start time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
Stream: fuboTV (try for free), NFL app, ESPN app

Friday, April 30​

Rounds: 2-3
Start time: 7 p.m. ET
TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
Stream: fuboTV (try for free), NFL app, ESPN app

Saturday, May 1​

Rounds: 4-7
Start time: 12 p.m. ET
TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network
Stream: fuboTV (try for free), NFL app, ESPN app

2021 NFL Draft Order​

Round 1​

1) Jacksonville Jaguars – Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
2) New York Jets – Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
3) San Francisco 49ers (from HOU through MIA) – Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State
4) Atlanta Falcons – Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
5) Cincinnati Bengals – Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU
6) Miami Dolphins (from PHI) – Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
7) Detroit Lions – Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
8) Carolina Panthers – Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
9) Denver Broncos – Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
10) Philadelphia Eagles (from DAL) – DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
11) Chicago Bears (from NYG) – Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
12) Dallas Cowboys (from PHI through SF, MIA) – Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State
13) Los Angeles Chargers – Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
14) New York Jets (from MIN) – Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC
15) New England Patriots – Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
16) Arizona Cardinals – Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
17) Las Vegas Raiders – Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
18) Miami Dolphins – Jaelan Phillips, DE, Miami
19) Washington Football Team – Jamin Davis, LB, Kentucky
20) New York Giants (from CHI) – Kadarius Toney, WR, Florida
21) Indianapolis Colts – Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan
22) Tennessee Titans – Caleb Farley, CB, Virginia Tech
23) Minnesota Vikings (from NYJ through SEA) – Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
24) Pittsburgh Steelers – Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
25) Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR) – Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
26) Cleveland Browns – Greg Newsome II, CB, Northwestern
27) Baltimore Ravens – Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
28) New Orleans Saints – Payton Turner, DE, Houston
29) Green Bay Packers – Eric Stokes, CB, Georgia
30) Buffalo Bills – Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami
31) Baltimore Ravens (from KC) – Jayson Oweh, DE, Penn State
32) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Joe Tryon, LB, Washington

Round 2​

33) Jacksonville Jaguars – Tyson Campbell, CB, Georgia
34) New York Jets – Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss
35) Broncos (from ATL) – Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina
36) Miami Dolphins (from HOU) – Jevon Holland, S, Oregon
37) Philadelphia Eagles – Landon Dickerson, C, Alabama
38) New England Patriots (from CIN) – Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
39) Chicago Bears (from CAR) – Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State
40) Atlanta Falcons (from DEN) – Richie Grant, S, UCF
41) Detroit Lions – Levi Onwuzurike, DT, Washington
42) Miami Dolphins (from NYG) – Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
43) Las Vegas Raiders (from SF) – Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU
44) Dallas Cowboys – Kelvin Joseph, CB, Kentucky
45) Jacksonville Jaguars (from MIN) – Walker Little, OT, Stanford
46) Cincinnati Bengals (from NE) – Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson
47) Los Angeles Chargers – Asante Samuel Jr., CB, Florida State
48) San Francisco 49ers (from LV) – Aaron Banks, G, Notre Dame
49) Arizona Cardinals – Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
50) New York Giants (from MIA) – Azeez Ojulari, LB, Georgia
51) Washington Football Team – Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
52) Cleveland Browns (from CHI through CAR) – Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
53) Tennessee Titans – Dillon Radunz, OT, North Dakota State
54) Indianapolis Colts – Dayo Odeyingbo, DE, Vanderbilt
55) Pittsburgh Steelers – Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State
56) Seattle Seahawks – D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan
57) Los Angeles Rams – Tutu Atwell, WR, Louisville
58) Kansas City Chiefs (from BAL) – Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
59) Carolina Panthers (from CLE) – Terrace Marshall Jr., WR, LSU
60) New Orleans Saints – Pete Werner, LB, Ohio State
61) Buffalo Bills – Carlos Basham Jr., DE, Wake Forest
62) Green Bay Packers – Josh Myers, C, Ohio State
63) Kansas City Chiefs – Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma
64) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Kyle Trask, QB, Florida

Round 3​

65) Jacksonville Jaguars – Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse
66) Minnesota Vikings (from NYJ) – Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M
67) Houston Texans – Davis Mills, QB, Stanford
68) Atlanta Falcons – Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan
69) Cincinnati Bengals – Joseph Ossai, DE, Texas
70) Carolina Panthers (PHI) – Brady Christensen, OT, BYU
71) New York Giants (from DEN) – Aaron Robinson, CB, UCF
72) Detroit Lions – Alim McNeill, DT, NC State
73) Philadelphia Eagles (from CAR) – Milton Williams, DT, Lousiana Tech
74) Washington Football Team (from SF) – Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Minnesota
75) Dallas Cowboys – Osa Odighizuwa, DT, UCLA
76) Saints (from NYG) – Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
77) Los Angeles Chargers – Josh Palmer, WR, Tennessee
78) Minnesota Vikings – Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina
79) Las Vegas Raiders (from AZ) – Malcolm Koonce, LB, Buffalo
80) Las Vegas Raiders – Divine Deablo, S, Virginia Tech
81) Miami Dolphins – Hunter Long, TE, Boston College
82) Washington Football Team – Dyami Brown, WR, North Carolina
83) Carolina Panthers (from CHI) – Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame
84) Dallas Cowboys (from PHI through IND) – Chauncey Golston, DE, Iowa
85) Green Bay Packers (from TEN) – Amari Rodgers, WR, Clemson
86) Minnesota Vikings (from NYJ through SEA) – Wyatt Davis, G, Ohio State
87) Pittsburgh Steelers – Kendrick Green, G, Illinois
88) San Francisco 49ers (from LAR) – Trey Sermon, RB, Ohio State
89) Houston Texans (from CLE through CAR) – Nico Collins, WR, Michigan
90) Minnesota Vikings (from BAL) – Patrick Jones II, DE, Pittsburgh
91) Cleveland Browns (from NO) – Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn
92) Tennessee Titans (from GB) – Monty Rice, LB, Georgia
93) Buffalo Bills – Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa
94) Baltimore Ravens (from KC) – Ben Cleveland, G, Georgia
95) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Robert Hainsey, G, Notre Dame
96) New England Patriots (compensatory selection) – Ronnie Perkins, DE, Oklahoma
97) Los Angeles Chargers (compensatory selection) – Tre’ McKitty, TE, Georgia
98) Denver Broncos (from NO) – Quinn Meinerz, G, Wisconsin-Whitewater
99) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection) – Nahshon Wright, CB, Oregon State
100) Tennessee Titans (compensatory selection) – Elijah Molden, CB, Washington
101) Detroit Lions (from LAR; compensatory selection) – Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB, Syracuse
102) San Francisco 49ers (special compensatory selection) – Ambry Thomas, CB, Michigan
103) Los Angeles Rams (special compensatory selection) – Ernest Jones, LB, South Carolina
104) Baltimore Ravens (special compensatory selection) – Brandon Stephens, CB, SMU
105) Denver Broncos (from NO) – Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State

Round 4​

106) Jacksonville Jaguars
107) New York Jets
108) Atlanta Falcons
109) Houston Texans
110) Cleveland Browns (from PHI)
111) Cincinnati Bengals
112) Detroit Lions
113) Carolina Panthers
114) Denver Broncos
115) Dallas Cowboys
116) New York Giants
117) Los Angeles Rams via San Francisco 49ers
118) Los Angeles Chargers
119) Minnesota Vikings
120) New England Patriots
121) Los Angeles Rams via Las Vegas Raiders
122) New England Patriots (from AZ through HOU)
123) Philadelphia Eagles (from MIA)
124) Washington Football Team
125) Minnesota Vikings (from CHI)
126) Tennessee Titans
127) Indianapolis Colts
128) Pittsburgh Steelers
129) Seattle Seahawks
130) Jacksonville Jaguars (from LAR)
131) Baltimore Ravens
132) Cleveland Browns
133) New Orleans Saints
134) Minnesota Vikings (from BUF; conditional)
135) Green Bay Packers
136) Baltimore Ravens (from KC)
137) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
138) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection)
139) New England Patriots (compensatory selection)
140) Pittsburgh Steelers (compensatory selection)
141) Los Angeles Rams (compensatory selection)
142) Green Bay Packers (compensatory selection)
143) New York Jets (from MIN) (compensatory selection)
144) Kansas City Chiefs (compensatory selection)

Round 5​

145) Jacksonville Jaguars
146) New York Jets
147) Houston Texans
148) Atlanta Falcons
149) Cincinnati Bengals
150) Philadelphia Eagles
151) Carolina Panthers
152) Denver Broncos
153) Detroit Lions
154) New York Jets (from NYG)
155) San Francisco 49ers
156) Miami Dolphins (from DAL through PHI)
157) Minnesota Vikings
158) Houston Texans (from NE)
159) Los Angeles Chargers
160) Arizona Cardinals
161) Buffalo Bills (from LV)
162) Las Vegas Raiders (from MIA)
163) Washington Football Team
164) New York Giants (from CHI)
165) Indianapolis Colts
166) Tennessee Titans
167) Las Vegas Raiders (from SEA)
168) Minnesota Vikings (from PIT through BAL)
169) Cleveland Browns (from LAR)
170) Jacksonville Jaguars (from CLE)
171) Baltimore Ravens
172) San Francisco 49ers (from NO)
173) Green Bay Packers
174) Buffalo Bills
175) Kansas City Chiefs
176) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
177) New England Patriots (compensatory selection)
178) Green Bay Packers (compensatory selection)
179) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection)
180) San Francisco 49ers (compensatory selection)
181) Kansas City Chiefs (compensatory selection)
182) Atlanta Falcons (compensatory selection)
183) Atlanta Falcons (compensatory selection)
184) Baltimore Ravens (compensatory selection)

Round 6​

185) Los Angeles Chargers (from JAX through TEN)
186) New York Jets
187) Atlanta Falcons
188) New England Patriots (from HOU)
189) Philadelphia Eagles
190) Cincinnati Bengals
191) Denver Broncos
192) Dallas Cowboys (from DET)
193) Carolina Panthers
194) San Francisco 49ers
195) Houston Texans (from DAL through NE)
196) New York Giants
197) New England Patriots
198) Los Angeles Chargers
199) Minnesota Vikings
200) Las Vegas Raiders
201) New York Giants (from AZ)
202) Cincinnati Bengals (from MIA through HOU)
203) Houston Texans (from WAS through LV and MIA)
204) Chicago Bears
205) Tennessee Titans
206) Indianapolis Colts
207) Kansas City Chiefs (from PIT through MIA)
208) Chicago Bears (from SEA through MIA; conditional)
209) Los Angeles Rams
210) Baltimore Ravens
211) Cleveland Browns
212) Houston Texans (from NO)
213) Buffalo Bills
214) Green Bay Packers
215) Tennessee Titans (from KC)
216) Pittsburgh Steelers (from TB)
217) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (compensatory selection)
218) New Orleans Saints (compensatory selection)
219) Atlanta Falcons (compensatory selection)
220) Green Bay Packers (compensatory selection)
221) Chicago Bears (compensatory selection)
222) Carolina Panthers (compensatory selection)
223) Arizona Cardinals (from MIN; compensatory selection)
224) Philadelphia Eagles (compensatory selection)
225) Philadelphia Eagles (compensatory selection)
226) New York Jets (from CAR; compensatory selection)
227) Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection)
228) Chicago Bears (compensatory selection)

Round 7​

229) New Orleans Saints (from JAX)
230) San Francisco 49ers (from NYJ)
231) Miami Dolphins (from HOU)
232) Tennessee Titans (from ATL through MIA)
233) Houston Texans (from CIN)
234) Philadelphia Eagles
235) Cincinnati Bengals (from DET through SEA)
236) Buffalo Bills (from CAR)
237) Denver Broncos
238) Dallas Cowboys
239) Denver Broncos (from NYG)
240) Philadelphia Eagles (from SF)
241) Los Angeles Chargers
242) New England Patriots
243) Arizona Cardinals
244) Miami Dolphins (from WFT through LV)
245) Pittsburgh Steelers (from MIA)
246) Washington Football Team
247) Arizona Cardinals (from CHI through LV)
248) Indianapolis Colts
249) Jacksonville Jaguars (from TEN)
250) Seattle Seahawks
251) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from PIT)
252) Los Angeles Rams
253) Denver Broncos (from CLE)
254) Pittsburgh Steelers (from BAL)
255) New Orleans Saints
256) Green Bay Packers
257) Cleveland Browns (from BUF)
258) Washington Football Team (from MIA through KC)
259) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Well today was a hell of a headscratcher for me but there is some pretty good players for our 3 picks in the 4th tomorrow.

Two specifically I think can do well being next to AD and the rest of our line.



I love his versatility
TQ Graham Texas DT
Login to view embedded media View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI0jI-Wcuck

Overview
Well-built with long arms and good lean mass, Graham looks the part physically but plays with below-average twitch and quickness to make plays. He has the length and strength that might make more sense as an odd-front five-technique on a unit that leans heavily on physical traits. He won't offer much as a rusher, so he'll really need to elevate his game as a run stuffer to play in the league.
Strengths

• Elite length with over 35-inch arms.
• Athletic build for an interior lineman.
• Heavy hands taking on blocks.
• Shows some stack-and-shed talent at the point of attack.
• Length gives him a shot to find quick wins at point of attack with more work.
• Might be able to set strong edges as an odd-front end.
• Hands and feet work together in lateral slides across blocker's face.

Weaknesses

• Average first step into neutral zone.
• Engages with blocks and loses sight of the football.
• Heavy feet lack play range and closing burst.
• Needs earlier attack with his hands.
• Below-average strength as pure interior player.
• Slow-twitch tackling mechanism.
• Head-first rusher with no true go-to moves.
• Sluggish movements in twist game.

Absolutely love this guy and pairing him with AD would be a dream.
Dayvion Nixon DT Iowa
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Daviyon (pronounced DAVE-ee-un) Nixon began his collegiate career at Iowa Western Community College, and he played well in his one season for the Reivers (nine tackles for loss, five sacks). He was considered a top junior college prospect, but the Wisconsin native stayed in the Midwest instead of taking an offer from Alabama, among others. Nixon redshirted the 2018 season to get his grades in order, then entered the transfer portal after the season. He stuck around Iowa City in the end, playing in all 13 games with one start in 2019 (29 tackles, 5.5 for loss, three sacks). He earned first-team Associated Press All-American, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Nagurski Trophy finalist honors in 2020. Nixon led his squad with 13.5 tackles for loss and tied for the lead with 5.5 sacks among his 45 total stops in eight starts. -- by Chad Reuter

Analysis

By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Rounds 3-4
NFL Comparison
Ross Blacklock
Overview
Three-technique who thrives with his ability to penetrate and disrupt the offensive proceedings. He’s good at getting skinny and darting into gaps in order to attack the run or cause blocking schemes to come off track. He appears to have much more functional strength in his lower body than upper body and has trouble controlling blockers at the point of attack with hand work and shed quickness. His agility and pursuit quickness will help him make plays that other interior defenders can’t get to, but offenses will likely have success running right at him. He has Day 2 (Rounds 2-3) talent and could become an eventual starter.
Strengths

• Has experience at three-technique and slant nose.
• Maintains knee bend and pad level off the snap.
• Slippery with efficient slide-and-go shots into the gap.
• Knives in and shoots upfield to disrupt blocking scheme.
• Above-average lateral movement for reactive tackles in his gap.
• Speedy big man who's able to range way outside home base.
• Possesses pursuit agility and change of direction to make plays.
• Lower-body flexibility for surprising anchor when hips are unlocked.
• Good job of setting up rush moves.
• Shows ability to get to his rush edge with finesse or power.
• Keeps tight track to quarterback when attacking pocket.
• Quick to sniff out screen passes.

Weaknesses

• Lacks desired mass and width for interior defender.
• Not built for read-and-react football.
• Not enough upper-body power to press, separate and control blockers.
• Labors to neutralize base blocks and rarely gets quick block shed.
• Drops head into contact and loses sight of play development.
• Edge-to-edge movements can be a little gradual as rusher.
• Below-average rush counters when locked up.
• Did not stack sacks on a consistent basis.

Huge length and size to him
D'Ante Smith OT ECU
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D'Ante (pronounced dee-ON-tay) Smith was an all-region pick in football, as well as a heavyweight wrestler, at Grovetown High School in Augusta, Georgia. Smith played in the season opener of his true freshman season but was injured, causing him to redshirt. Coaches got him into seven games the following season, including four starts at left tackle and one at left guard. Smith took over the left tackle spot for the Pirates permanently in 2018. He started all 12 games that season and in his junior campaign. He began the 2020 season opener at left tackle, as well, but suffered an undisclosed injury late in the game. Smith eventually decided to shut it down for the year to prepare for the NFL draft. He accepted an invitation the Senior Bowl. -- by Chad Reuter

Analysis

By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Round 4
Overview
Smith has intriguing length and good feet, but his lack of size and strength is a concern. Determining whether or not he has the frame to consistently carry over 300 pounds will be critical, as his lack of natural strength and body control is already working against him. He might need to begin his pro career as a swing tackle while he puts in the necessary work to get ready for a bigger role. His Senior Bowl practices were a strong step in the right direction, but there is still plenty of work to be done.
Strengths

• Tremendously long.
• Has 85-inch wingspan and 35-inch arms.
• Punch is well-timed and has some snap on it.
• Keeps scrambling in recoveries and will find wins.
• Lateral foot quickness to make back-side/play-side reach blocks.
• Good rhythm as a work-up blocker to second level.
• Looks to get a strong finish once he takes the lead as run blocker.
• Length helps with last second redirection blocks.

Weaknesses

• Narrow through waist, hips and chest.
• Has struggled to keep enough weight on his frame.
• Way too much lean and reach in his play.
• Needs to trust his length and foot quickness more often.
• Upper-body strength is way below par.
• Struggles to press, extend and separate at point of attack.
• Gets tossed around by powerful opponents.
• Overreacts in pass pro, creating easy counter shots.
• Doesn't have the body control or block sustain teams look for.

I'm sorry but I absolutely love this guys play and think he could be a stud in our defense. (but highly unlikely since we drafted a LB)
Cameron Mcgrone ILB Michigan
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McGrone was a five-star prospect, rated among the top-25 overall recruits in the country out of Indianapolis' Lawrence Central High School when signing with the Wolverines. He redshirted his first year in Ann Arbor, playing in one game on special teams. Moving into the starting lineup for 10 of 13 contests in 2018, McGrone garnered honorable mention All-Big Ten honors with 66 tackles, 9.5 for loss, with four sacks. He started five games in 2020 (26 tackles, two for loss), missing time with an injury before declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft. -- by Chad Reuter

Analysis

By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Overview

Inside linebacker with adequate size and athletic ability who might require a heavier lean toward the 2019 tape due to limited action in 2020. McGrone plays with a naturally physical demeanor and carries heavy pads as a body-on-body tackler. He has the skill and strength to make the plays that are in front of him, but he tends to play the game through a straw, limiting his field recognition and ability to play with efficiency against play-action and misdirection. There isn't enough good tape to suggest he can be a factor on passing downs, but he has the talent to be an early down backup who could move up the ranks.
Strengths

• Proportional build and musculation.
• Reads keys and understands blocking schemes.
• Good understanding of attack angles.
• Willing to take chances to make plays behind the line.
• Adequate upper-body strength to unglue from blocks.
• Subtle level changes to keep blockers guessing.
• Shoots for body-on-body tackles.
• Closes out target and finishes with good play strength.
• Ability to bend and dip under pulling blocks on split zone.
• Adequate sideline-to-sideline range.

Weaknesses

• Relatively limited amount of game action.
• Plays with narrow and below-average vision.
• Poor feel for angles to successfully leverage the gap.
• Allows play-side shoulder to be covered by lead blocker.
• Would benefit from more proactive use of hands to control the action.
• Downhill mentality will run him out of positioning against counters.
• Will lose track of coverage duties at times.
• Unable to sniff out play-action or misdirection.

Rochell (pronounced row-SHELL) was a fantastic athlete in high school, earning All-District honors in football for Fair Park High School in Shreveport and finishing third in the 100-meter dash at the Louisiana state track meet. He started three times in 11 appearances for the Bears as a redshirt freshman (eight tackles, one interception, six pass breakups). In 2018, he started eight of 11 contests played (25 tackles, three for loss, four interceptions, six pass breakups). Rochell had a breakout junior campaign, when he tied for 10th in the FCS with five interceptions and garnered first-team All-Southland Conference honors with 44 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and a team-high 13 pass breakups. UCA played a nine-game schedule in 2020 and Rochell started seven of those contests (27 tackles, three pass breakups), missing two due to injury. He accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl. -- by Chad Reuter



Guy has freakish ability, needs some legit coaching to polish him up.
Robert Rochelle CB Central Arkansas
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Draft Projection
Round 3
NFL Comparison
James Bradberry
Overview
A freakish athlete with outstanding size, length and explosiveness, Rochell has evaluators buzzing about his expected testing numbers. He typically works as a press-man corner but has all the tools necessary to play in a variety of coverages, including Cover 3, where he has displayed an ability to excel with his range and ball skills. His technique and spotty transitions will be quickly discovered and exploited by pro talent so he might require a year for additional work and polish. He attacks throws like the former wideout he is and could become successful at baiting quarterbacks into throws they shouldn't make. The ball production and rare physical traits/abilities could make him a fast riser in this draft as a Day 2 talent.
Strengths

• Highly coveted physical and athletic traits.
• Explosive leaper with long arms and tremendous straight-line speed.
• Legitimate ball-hawking talent with 12 career takeaways.
• Speed to stay in phase down the sideline.
• Recovery speed jumps off the tape.
• Shadows and crowds any outside release.
• His leap and length create challenging high-point roadblock for receivers.
• Spies the throw and will overlap his coverage to make plays on the ball.
• Uses long arms to tag and separate from blocks in space.
• Accelerates through targets and wraps up as a tackler.

Weaknesses

• Needs to improve press technique and calm his feet.
• Too persuaded by early release fakes.
• Inconsistent slowing the release from press.
• Upright pedal causes delays with lateral and vertical transitions.
• Average plant-and-drive to the throw from the top of his drop.
• Forgets to find the football when he's in trail position.
• Can do a better job of smothering routes underneath.
• Loses contain duties at times.
• Occasional imbalance when changing direction.