I decided 4 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. This year there is a virtual combine and its mostly just a bunch of pro days. I expect draft boards to be all over the place for this reason along with so many cancelled games and players opting out of the 2020 college season.
As with any mock some assumptions have to be made. Here are mine:
1. JJ is gone via free agency. He was a heck of a find and a heck of a player and leader, just too expensive.
2. Floyd is also gone via free agency. I know they'd love to resign him, its just too expensive. But then again this is going to be a weird FA year with the cap.
3. Gerald Everett is gone via free agency. its Hopkins time. That's why they drafted him.
4. Blythe is gone. Please. I also think Allen is cut.
5. I think Hill is also gone.
6. I think Darious Williams gets a 1st round tender. 2nd at worst.
7. Kenny Young gets cut to save a million bucks.
8 .FA acquisitions - This is just so tough with the Rams cap, trying to project the cap and how FA will even look this spring. That said:
a. Marvin Jones Jr. - this one makes almost too much sense to actually happen. Cal kid, wants to play with Stafford, fills a need...
b. A veteran OC. I think a guy like Ben Garland works on a short term deal, or if Weston Richburg gets cut, he could be in play. I just have a hard time the Rams go into 2021 without attempting to improve the OC spot. And with this seemingly 2 year window, a vet makes sense.
c. Somehow, someway an edge rusher will be brought in. Ryan Kerrigan on a 1 or 2 year deal, Romeo Okwara from Detroit makes some sense. My dream scenario is for Denver to cut Von Miller to save 18m and Miller decides to take a discount to chase a ring with the Rams. A man can dream.
Just an FYI, 4 years ago Snead/McVay drafted 6 senior Bowl kids, 3 years ago they drafted 3 Senior Bowl kids (Noteboom, Obo and Demby) and 1 East West Shrine kid (Lawler), and 2 years ago they drafted Gaines from the Senior bowl. Last year Burgess, Hopkins, Anchrum, Jefferson and Lewis were all Senior Bowl participants.
This year, I think the Senior Bowl will get extra special notice, due to the lack of the combine. I'm just guessing.
As of today, the Rams are deficient at Edge, OC, ILB, a vert. WR and secondary depth. This will obviously change. The biggest problem I am having right now is with JJ leaving and no real veteran ILB, who is calling the defense? Kiser, Young or Reeder? That just doesn't excite me. Neither does Burgess, Fuller or Rapp as far as setting the D. But thats not my problem.
2. 57 - Creed Humphrey - OC - Oklahoma 6'-4 1/2" 312 lb Senior bowl weigh in. Played well at Senior Bowl, team captain at Oklahoma. Tough, smart and physical. Moves well enough to work in any blocking scheme. Until I hear otherwise, I'm drafting him.
Other names to pay attn to:
Landon Dickerson, Quinn Meinerz and Josh Myers. The other top OCs in the draft. Myers is the best zone blocking fit, Meinerz is a small school, Senior bowl kid that can play OC or LG and Dickerson is just a nasty, brute leader that Saban loved at Alabama.
Dillon Radunz - LT from my NDSU squad, he would sit behind Whit and add some LT depth and we know how the Rams like to draft with the future in mind. He won practice player of the week at the Senior Bowl.
Joe Tryon - An Edge from Washington that would be too good to pass up, I think he is long gone though. 6'-4" 250 lbs and explosive off the edge with the needed athleticism to rush the QB or play in space. ideal Ram IMO.
Cam McGrone - Michigan, Dylan Moses - Alabama, Pete Werner or Baron Browning - Ohio St. or Jabril Cox - LSU. Any of these guys make sense at ILBer for the Rams. McGrone and Browning might need some seasoning, Cox can play all over the field and Werner and Moses could start inside immediately.
Rondale Moore - WR from Purdue is electric, but comes with an extensive injury history, which could cause him to drop. He fixes alot of ST and deep play WR issues immediately.
3. 101 - Baron Browning - LB - Ohio State 6'-4" 241 lb. senior Bowl weigh in. He's played mostly outside, but could move inside in a 34. Uber athletic with high upside. Could be used in a variety of spots and can rush the passer. He may be a late 2nd early third rounder, but for now he's right here.
Other names to pay attn to:
Walker Little - Sanford and James Hudson - Cinn. seem like round 3 LTs to me and could use a year of weight training and coaching to get them up to NFL levels. But the talent is there and they both fit the scheme. Like Radunz, this would be a draft and stash for Whit eventual retirement.
Ronnie Perkins - an Edge from Oklahoma, much in the Obo mold of edge rushers, he's 6'-3" and 250ish.
Quinn Meinerz - him again, I cant get a feel on where he lands yet. I'm thinking when my evals are done he will be a late 2nd round guy. I bet the Rams love him.
Elijah Moore - WR Ole Miss - Electric and one of many 5'-9" WRs in the draft. KR to boot.
Aaron Robinson - a slot CB from UCF makes sense here. So do CBs Keith Taylor and Kelvin Joseph.
Safeties could come into play here as well. Andre Cisco comes to mind immediately.
3.104 - Kelvin Joseph - CB - Kentucky 6'-1" 190 lbs. - A raw prospect that transferred from LSU. He is long, can cover WRs and TEs and can be used in zone and press man. Prefect developmental kid with all the tools and natural size to be a late day 2 steal.
Other names - See the list for pick 101. Again, a LT, an edge or a S makes a ton of sense.
4. 136 - Jonathon Cooper - Edge - Ohio State 6'-3" 254 Senior Bowl weigh in. A designated pass rusher at this point. Needs development, but is a high motor, high effort guy. Lack of length and experience pushes him to round 4. He flashes a serious skill set.
Other names to pay attn to:
At this point, CB, S, OT, WR all make sense. A MLB that slides could work.
Elerson Smith UNI and Patrick Johnson Tulane - both smaller school Senior bowl invites that would work on the edge for LA.
Anthony Schwartz - WR from Auburn. Literal world class track speed. Under used and under developed at Auburn he will need coaching and will need to add some weight.
Josh Imatorbhebhe - a WR from Illinois that has all the tools, and little raw. USC transfer that could be developed behind Woods, Kupp, Jefferson and Jones.
6. 205 - Ben Mason - FB - Michigan 6'-3" 254 lb Senior Bowl weigh in. - An absolute hammer that helps McVay run the ball. Blocker first, can catch the ball, can carry in short yardage and I think could line up as a H back or in line TE as well as his FB spot. Also a ST demon. Senior Bowl stand out.
At this point, look for LBers, TEs, S and CBs that can help depth and ST.
7. 249 - Jaelon Dardon - WR - North Texas 5'-9" 170 lb - Immediate ST returner and sub package as a deep threat and vertical WR. Excellent athlete in space with great vision. Size and level of competition slide him down.
Other names to pay attn to:
Anything at this point - Maybe a long snapper. Shawn Davis S Florida is a name I keep coming back to.
As far as UDFA goes, I'd look at some CBs, S, a RB is always smart. Maybe Master Teague from Ohio State or Stephen Carr from USC. A safety like Brady Breeze. Jonathan Adams Jr from Ark. St. is a big WR that could be developed. Interior Lineman Bryce Hargrove would be a nice get. Dicaprio Bootle is a CB/S prospect that I like a little, plus, that name man is fun.
So obviously this will change as the offseason moves along. The 3 big spots will really change things as far as the draft. If the Rams resign Blythe or get a decent longterm OC, then center becomes less of a need and maybe edge or ILBer moves up. And vice versa.
On Offense: I think the RB room is solid with Akers, Hendo, Jones and Mason. The TE room is good with Higbee, Hopkins, Mundt (bring him back cheap) and Mason pulling double duty. The OL would look like Whit, Edwards, Humphrey (or vet OC ), Corbett and Havs with Noteboom, Evans, Anchrum as your backups with maybe Hargrove. QBs are Stafford, Wolford and Perkins. WRs are Woods, Kupp. Jones Jr, Jefferson, Dardon with Webster, Jackson and Koski
On defense: The DL is AD, Brockers, Robinson, SJD, Gaines and hopefully Fox. Edge hopefully adds a vet, but looks like this: Lewis, Obo, Hollins, Cooper and I hope they resign Rivers. ILBers are Reeder, Kiser, Browning, Howard and Rozeboom. Safeties are young but good in Fuller, Rapp, Burgess, Scott, Jervase, Hughes and Reed. Corners are Ramsey, Williams, Long and Deayon. Burgess works as a slot CB as well as a safety, so there's scheme flexibility.
Thats a possible 55 players with the LS, K and Punter being 58. Room for more on the PS. But its so early.
Looking at that, the offense looks set. The DL looks set, the safeties are young, the ILBers are young and the CBs need depth. I still don't like the edge. Not near enough production. I just can't seem to fix it. Even adding a 2nd round talent like Tryon doesn't move the needle enough for me.
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
