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.
Correct)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.
(Incorrect)3. Gerald Everett is gone via free agency. its Hopkins time. That's why they drafted him.
(Correct)4. Blythe is gone. Please. I also think Allen is cut.
(TBD, edit, yup correct, he is gone)5. I think Hill is also gone.
(Correct)6. I think Darious Williams gets a 1st round tender. 2nd at worst.
(Correct)7. Kenny Young gets cut to save a million bucks.
(Incorrect so far)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...
(DeSean Jackson instead, same need filled, just with a jerky, injury prone over the hill WR)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.
(Maybe not, I get the weird feeling they are leaning towards Anchrum, thats a huge gamble)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.
(I guess correct, they resigned Floyd)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,
DL 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.
I don't think I've ever done a trade in my normal mock drafts before, but I am just stuck. They currently need bodies, and a trade down makes almost too much sense. We all know trades happen in the draft, but predicting them is a fools errand. So what I am going to do is throw out a trade proposal that 1. Has been done in the recent past. 2. Makes some sense for both teams involved. And the Rams have traded down multiple times in the '19 Rapp draft, so it does make sense from a Rams M.O. idea.
The Trade: The Rams trade the 57th (2nd) overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for their 79th (3rd) and 122nd (4th) picks.
The Raiders: The Raiders pick back to back in the 3rd at 79 and 80 and you have to think Mayock and Chuckie are feeling the heat and could use a 2nd round pick better than a 2nd third rounder and their fourth rounder.
The Rams: They need bodies, and a extra 4th round body is more important than the 22 spots they are moving back.
Reference: NE traded 64 to Seattle for 77 and 118 in 2019.
3. 79. Quinn Meinerz - OC/OG - Wisconsin Whitewater - 6'-3" 320 lbs. - team captain, team MVP, academic honor roll. He dominated at the Senior Bowl and the Rams (including new OL coach) has spoke to him twice. He is everything the Rams look for in a draft pick. Why he makes sense on the field? He can play OG or OC. his best fit in the NFL is OC. But the Rams love OL that can cross train. He would bring a physical, tough presence to the middle of a line that could use some. Does he start day 1? No. If the Rams sign Blythe
(edit: he's gone, no worries) to anything more than a 1 year contract do I change this pick? Yes. He also makes sense in a trade down, I think 57 is too rich for Meinerz, but 88 is too late. So trade down, get him and add a 4th rounder. Its a win-win.
Previous pick: @ 57, Creed Humphrey OC Oklahoma. I just don't think he is there at 57, and even if he is, I think the Rams would pass. I don't know why
Other names that makes sense (in a non-trade down scenario) I think edges Joe Tryon, Joseph Ossai or maybe even Jayson Oweh make sense.
OL Dillon Radunz, Creed Humphrey and Sam Cosmi make sense.
CBs Asante Samuel Jr would be really hard to pass up at 57.
LBer Jabril Cox would also be tough to pass on.
WRs Nico Collins and Rondale Moore both also make a ton of sense, but using their top pick on the #5 WR on the roster seems unlikely.
S Richie Grant would be a fun, if unneeded pick.
3. 88. Hamilcar Rashed Jr. - Edge - Oregon State - 6'-3" 254 lbs. - I don't think there is a ton of drop off from the round 2 edge guys to Rashed. He played well at the Senior Bowl, was productive at Oregon State and just needs to get better against the run, but with Floyd and Lewis, he gets that weakside spot and let him run and chase. I think he is vastly under-rated.
Other names that make sense:
Edge Quincy Roche - Rams have shown interest. I personally prefer Rashed a bit better. The Rams or you might feel otherwise.
LBers Cam McGrone or Chazz Surratt make a bunch of sense here
OL Walker Little and James Hudson make sense, esp. Little and the new Stanford connection. Little is someone I really want to mock, just not finding room.
DBs Paulson Adebo fits and again, the Stanford connection makes sense. Trill Williams is intriguing as is Rodarius Williams
3. 103 Cameron McGrone - ILB - Michigan - 6'-0" 234 lbs. - He comes in and immediately competes for one of the ILB spots. He is a sideline to sideline guy, can blitz, can cover and isnt afraid of OL. He needs seasoning and to get more consistant.
Previous pick: Baron Browning - LB - Ohio State - I don't think he gets out of the 2nd round. He seems to be climbing.
Other names that make sense: See Above
4. 121. Ihmir Smith-Marsette WR - Iowa - 6'-1" 181 lbs. - He is a perfect fit for the Rams as a guy that is a return specialist which is obviously needed, he was used in sweeps and screens and is an obvious deep threat with a 4.43 40 time. He was under-utilized in Iowa's offense and by Iowa's QB. He'd be a nice value meets need. He is Jackson insurance for when he inevitably gets dinged this year and is the best return guy the Rams have had in years.
Previous Pick: none
Other names that make sense:
Edge guys like Dayo Odeyingbo, Shaka Toney, Jonathon Cooper
ILB Justin Hilliard, Derrick Barnes and Monty Rice fit
OC Drake Jackson would be good if they don't get a OC earlier
CBs Thomas Graham and Kary Vincent would be excellent picks here
S Caden Sterns would be a HR pick as well
WR Anthony Schwarz and Marquez Stevenson are ultra fast deep threats.
4. 141. Chauncey Golston - Edge - Iowa - 6'-5" 269 lbs. - He played DE for Iowa and then played DT and DE at the Senior Bowl. He could be a nice combo piece for the Rams as they attempt to replace Fox and Brockers. Not super exciting as a pass rusher, he is great against the run and plays with a great motor.
Previous Pick: Jonathon Cooper - Edge - Ohio State. If edge is still a need in the 4th round. This is still my guy.
Other names that make sense: See Above
6. 209. Marco Wilson - CB - Florida - 6'-0" 190 lbs. - Versatile. Has played inside and out, I think he could be a S as well, giving the Rams a ton of options with him. Great size for the position and a willing tackler and a good blitzer.
Previous Pick: Ben Mason - FB - Michigan - I moved him down a pick.
Other names that make sense:
OT makes some sense here, esp one they think could play multiple positions. Cole Van Lanen from Wisconsin fits this bill.
Again, a S, CBs, a speedy undersized WR that is a good return specialist.
DL is still a need.
7. 252. Ben Mason - FB - Michigan - 6'-3" 254 lbs. 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.
Previous Pick: Jaelon Dardon - WR - N. Texas - He is still my favorite deep threat, return guy if the Rams haven't solved that by the 7th round.
Other names that make sense:
At this point, look for LBers, TEs, S and CBs that can help depth and ST.
The Rams roster looks like this:
QB - Stafford, Wolford, Perkins
RB - Akers, Henderson, Jones,
MasonWR - Kupp, Woods, Jackson, Jefferson,
Smith-Marsette, Webster
TE - Higbee, Hopkins, Mundt, Blanton
OL - Whitworth, Edwards, Anchrum, Corbett, Havenstein, Evans, Noteboom,
Meinerz, Coleman, Allen
Thats 27 on offense
DL - Donald, Robinson, Joseph-Day, Gaines, Banks, Copeland, Williams,
GolstonEdge - Floyd, Lewis, Okoronkwo, Hollins,
Rashed, Lawler
ILB - Howard, Reeder, Kiser,
McGrone, Rozeboom, Young
CB - Ramsey, Williams, Long, Deayon,
WilsonS - Rapp. Fuller, Burgess, Scott, Hughes, Reed
Thats 31 on defense
STs:
K - Gay
P - Hekker
LS - Holba
Thats 3 on ST
So my math says thats 61. Its a good start. I expect that if this was the case the 8 most in danger are: (and they could be PS guys) Perkins, Blanton, Allen, Young, Reed, one of Copeland, Banks or Williams, Blanton and Webster.
I really wanted to add a S somewhere, a OT somewhere and a CB earlier than I did. But with so many spots and so many picks, it gets tough. Anyways, its all in good fun. Enjoy.
Don't waste your time looking back, you're not going that way. - Ragnar Lothbrok
