I decided 3 years ago I was going to change the way I operated as far as my half assed scouting. I would still do 3 mocks, but it would be post senior bowl, post combine, and pre-draft. Im not a website, so I don't need hits so I don't need to change my rankings or my mocks week to week for ad revenue. And to be honest, anyone that gets the draft process knows that players don't "rise" and "fall" week to week. Personal stuff might come up through team investigations of a player that make them slide or medical stuff. The senior bowl answers some questions, like can a D2 player compete with the big guys. How do they handle a pro style offense? How do they interview? The combine can confirm some stuff you think you see or don't see, but the combine is more for the interviews, drug tests and weigh ins.
As with any mock some assumptions have to be made. Here are mine:
(from Mock 1.0 on 2/3/20)1. Littleton does not resign. He qwill be just too expensive. He is the one guy I would resign. So I hope I'm wrong.
(Correct)2. Brockers does not resign.
(Correct then incorrect. he resigned.)3. Whitworth resigns - I think its on a reasonable 1 year deal.
(Correct, it might go 2, but not the full length)4. Blythe resigns - I am against this resigning, but I think they like him and he should be reasonable to sign...
(Correct)5. Fowler does not resign - I said this last year too, this time I mean it.
(Correct)6. Christian is resigned for S depth.
(Wrong)7. Greg Zuerlein resigns
(wrong)8. Weddle's option will not be picked up.
(Correct)9 .FA acquisitions - Last year I begged for Shaq Barrett, I'd like to thank Shaq for making me look really smart. lol. This year I would be all over Vic Beasley. He replaces Fowler. Another name I would love to see in horns would be 34 DE Derek Wolfe from Denver.
(so not Beasley, but another edge Floyd. And not Wolfe but another DL in Robinson. So I got both positions right)Just an FYI, 3 years ago Snead/McVay drafted 6 senior Bowl kids, 2 years ago they drafted 3 Senior Bowl kids (Noteboom, Obo and Demby) and 1 East West Shrine kid (Lawler), and last year they drafted Gaines from the Senior bowl. So again I would pay attn to those rosters. Esp with the lack of private visits.
With the Whit and Blythe resigned, the OL is mostly set, I will add 1 or 2 OL, LG and OC
Edge still needs a piece. Early. Later picks are just more of the same IMO.
ILB - Kiser is unproven, same with Howard (and add in undersized) Young is an interesting piece, and Reeder is not a starter.
DL - I think NT is set with SJD, Robinson and Gaines. And the Brockers resigning.
RB - with Gurley gone, another back will be added.
WR - with Thomas and Natson gone they will add one.
TE - set
QB - set
CB/S - might need some depth, esp. safety. Not a priority IMO
OTs - set for a year.
Now the draft. For the first time I am doing some trades, because I feel really strongly about them trading back. So the trades:
The Rams trade 2-52 and 7-234 to the Ravens for 2-60 and 5-157
The Rams trade 5-157 to the Packers for 5-175 and 7-242
2-60. Jordyn Brooks - ILB - Texas Tech - 6'-1" 240 lbs. - Great size for the position. Athletic, sideline to sideline thumper that was a tackle machine. Rams met with him at the combine.
previous pick: Leki Fotu - NT - Utah - He makes less sense with the Robinson signing.
Who else makes sense:
Any of the top 4 RBs: Jonathan Taylor, D'Andre Swift, JK Dobbins and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Maybe Edwards-Helaire is available. Maybe Akers if they feel he is a fit.
Any of the top 3 IOL: Cesar Ruiz, Lloyd Cushenberry or Matt Hennessy. Of these guys maybe Hennessy would be available.
Pick a Edge rusher- Curtis Weaver, Julian Okwara, Terrell Lewis, Josh Uche
3-84. Jon Greenard - Edge - Florida - 6'-4" 263 lbs. - Great size for the position. Can handle the run and the pass, making him a potential 3 down edge. Reported hard worker on and off the field. Great length and decent athleticism.
Previous pick - Ben Bartch - OT - St Johns - I'm afraid his short arms limits him to the inside instead of a OT prospect.
Who else works:
Any left over Edge rushers from the list above if the Rams go another route with round 2. Add in Bradley Anae to that list.
A LG like Logan Stenberg or Robert Hunt makes sense.
RBs like Eno Benjamin or maybe even Cam Akers would work for me.
WR - literally any WR that slides could work. But IMO its still too early for a WR.
OT Matt Peart would be a nice developmental guy.
Maybe a ILB like Willie Gay or Evan Weaver could work. But I think Gay is too risky and its too early for Weaver. Obviously only if they don't draft a ILBer like Brooks earlier.
3-104. Tyler Biadasz - IOL - Wisconsin - 6'-4" 314 lbs. - OC for any scheme. Excellent mover with a great anchor and good strength. Off season hip surgery slowed him down last season. Followed by shoulder surgery this off season. Could be a heck of a steal.
Previous pick - had a 4th comp pick, so I missed by a round
Who else works:
Basically see above. Same round, 20 picks later. The ILBers make more sense. As does a WR.
4-126. Ben Bredeson - IOL - Michigan - 6'-5" 315 lbs. - A LG prospect I love that has played in Gap/man/OSZ at Mich so he is versatile. Decent mover with good balance and very good power that looks to finish blocks.
Previous pick - Bredeson. - He just makes so much sense to me.I had the same feeling about Kiser, JJ3 and Kupp that I do about this guy.
Who else makes sense:
I think Darrynton Evans - RB makes sense starting in round 4.
As does RB Antonio Gibson.
ILB Evan Weaver would be a steal at this point.
Akeem Davis-Gaither LB if you like him, this is his sweet spot.
Broken record alert - WRs galore. Should be good value. A guy like Tyler Johnson.
TE Thad Moss would be pretty nice if he was here.
5-175. Darrynton Evans - RB - App. State - 5'-11" 205 lbs. - A hr hitter with some ridiculous lateral agility. Can catch the ball and is a ST returner for added worth. A timeshare 3 down OZS starter the Rams have interviewed.
Previous pick: - I traded to get this pick, so no previous pick.
Who else makes sense:
WR Devin Duvernay if Evans is gone. He is a speed demon that loves contact. McVay could do all sorts of things with him. Easily replaces Natson and Thomas.
Pick a ILB - David Woodward, Shaq Quarterman are 2 of my favs. here.
CB Neville Clarke - I want to mock him to the Rams because i just love his game and think he is a poor mans Ramsey. So I would be all for this.
6-200. Mykal Walker - LB - Fresno State - 6'-3" 230 lbs. - according to 21Dog he has played DE, OLB and ILB. 21 likened him to Greenlaw. 3 things stick out to me when I watched him: quick with sideline to sideline ability. he's a quick processor, and he uses his hands to shed blocks really well. He can drop into coverage, he can rush the QB and brings some thump. Absolutely perfect ILBer for todays NFL defenses.
previous pick - yup, it was Walker. I cannot get off him either.
Who else makes sense:
Its the 6th round. Start filling holes. CBs, S, WR, RB, are all possibilities. Maybe a DL if they don't have one yet.
7-242. Quez Watkins - Southern Miss. - 6'-0" 185 lbs. - A tad light, but he is a legit 4.35 kid with top popping speed. He created separation just on the fear of his speed against lesser competition. Needs to add some LBs and needs to learn the nuances of route running. But he is a 5th WR. He has time to learn.
Previous pick - Derrek Tuszka - Edge - NDSU - I have enough edge rushers so I will take advantage of the deep WR class.
Who else makes sense: CBs, WRs, S. Another edge like Tuszka.
So I filled LG, OC, RB and WR on Offense. Edge, DL, ILB on defense. Thats about as good as I think i can get this thing, still a month plus out. The biggest issues I have with this is the ILB spot. I have zero feel for what the Rams think of the ILBers on their roster. And it feels like Walker is a year away from contributing, but to get an immediate contributer, I have to sacrifice a guy I really want at a position that really needs him.
Im also not convinced the Rams add 2 OL spots. But I have no feel for which one they would add if they were to only add 1. So I added 2. And both could start sooner then later.
The last thing. After giving Gurley the boot, are they serious about going into the season with Hendo, Brown and a 4th or 5th round rookie? Seems risky. I bet they absolutely love Swift and Dobbins, but know there is next to no chance they could get either one.
As always, any thoughts, concerns or criticisms are welcome. As are any questions
Don't waste your time looking back, you're not going that way. - Ragnar Lothbrok
