Jourdan's piece about how college prospects become Rams must be read if a fan wants to actually know the draft process. It puts to rest so much speculation and in some cases silliness about what goes on.
I came away with a few thoughts.
1) The Rams are virtually reinventing the draft process and no doubt are, or will be, using AI but probably won't say anything about it and the role it plays (this is my speculation reading between the lines). They avoid the typical NFL processes of sending loads of scouts and coaches to the Senior Bowl, Combine, etc., because they are seen as a waste of time, and time is viewed as currency with only so much to spend. So, what it is the absolute most efficient way? That's what is being reinvented along with the analytic evaluation points that actually matter, and combining the objective with the subjective including keeping track of how other teams seem to make their choices so that the Rams can speculate a little better when player X might be taken.
2) We as fans, and those media/online prognosticators, have little chance of getting it right because the amount of effort, and the enormous teams of people, and the time spent to gather data, sift it, and then discuss it, is beyond imagination to determine who the Rams like and want. The Rams have a very specific profile and it is secret.
3) The NFL teams, and the Rams especially, have access to players and coaches, and thus to mountains of data about players that no one else has.
4) Some NFL teams use pretty much identical, and traditional, processes that are pretty predictable to analyze and choose players. The Rams have developed their own unique way.
5) It is Snead who runs the draft/player acquisition show. McVay obviously has great input, but with every pick the buck stops at Snead's desk.
6) It is again verified that once the Rams drafted Verse, they were going to do whatever it took to get Fiske. Not only because they rated him so high, but because of a unique chemistry the 2 had working together. In fact, they hoped to find and draft a tandem like that (2 guys from the same team who worked well together), even though the odds were very much against it happening. So, this is why the Rams are ecstatic and spent so much draft capital to move up to get Fiske, and why they consider themselves having pure luck go their way to allow them to draft Verse in round 1 without having to move up. Had they been forced to move up using more draft capital to get Verse, they wouldn't have been able to move up to get Fiske.
7) Verse was in a pod of 3 guys they targeted in round 1.
8) I can't tell you how impressed I am with Jourdan. I can't recall a Rams sports writer with the football knowledge, the writing ability to explain things in an understandable and enjoyable way, or with such incredible access to the inner workings of the Rams. The Rams must think as high or higher of her than I do.
9) Yes, pure luck plays a role not so much in whether a player works out, but during the draft the guys you really want are there to be picked.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2024 02:20AM by RockRam.
