Very nice post, 93. As usual.
And I largely agree with it.
Just a couple of points to emphasize, if I may. Well, it morphed into more than a couple and turned into a stream of consciousness. Lol.
Los Angeles Rams 2021 NFL Draft Picks:
Round 2, pick 57 – Tutu Atwell, WR, Louisville
Round 3, pick 103 – Ernest Jones, LB, South Carolina
Round 4, pick 117 – Bobby Brown III, DT, Texas A&M
Round 4, pick 130 (From LAR through JAX) – Robert Rochell, CB, Central Arkansas
Round 4, pick 141 – Jacob Harris, WR, UCF
Round 5: No. 174 (from BUF through HOU) – Earnest Brown IV, DE, Northwestern
Round 7: No. 233 – Jake Funk, RB, Maryland
Round 7: No. 249 (From TEN through JAX) – Ben Skowronek, WR, Notre Dame
Round 7, pick 252 – Chris Garrett, LB, Concordia University St Paul
This draft went off the rails with the Tutu pick. A missed opportunity that forced them to try to play catch-up thereafter. As I’ve posted before, a classic unforced error that started a cascade of other errors.Tutu is gonna have his moments thanks to McVay’s scheming, but a fine speedy WR with decent hands and route running could have been had much later in the draft. 4th or 6th round would have been perfect in this WR rich draft for a 5th WR in training to replace DJ in ‘22. Would have been more than enough to loosen up a D to suit Stafford’s needs.
So many players were sitting there that had future Ram starter stamped all over them and McVay has to have his breakable smurf instead? Arrrrgh!
Then the trade down at 88 all the way to mid-4th? Too far, man. A swap of 3rd plus a 4th from another team would have been infinitely better in terms of Ram value. Or even a very early 4th plus a player? If such trades were not available then just say no and make a pick. Lots of quality players were sitting there that would have been much better additions than the scraps in the 4th. Serious depth and development players that could be starters as soon as next year. Bird in the hand scenario?
The Jones pick is a meh pick. High character but an unremarkable football player. Is he really a significant upgrade over our current 4 ILB candidates? Nope.
I, too, kinda like rounds 4-5. Rochell might be my favorite pick in this draft because of the need/upside value at pick 130. Then again, a CB might not have been necessary there if addressed at 57, 88, or 103. Sigh...
Round 7 was a ST strategy (plus Harris in the 4th) pure and simple. Like you, I understand and recognize that it was necessary after last year ST results. A previous year unforced error, btw.
Altogether, a very strange draft. Rams could have emerged with a minimum of 4 quality depth/development players at positions of future needs in keeping with their very successful recent draft strategy but the Tutu pick threw a monkey wrench into that strategy.
Couple of other surprises. Rams drafted 3 WR’s when most of us thought WR was an area of team strength. And they drafted 2 DL after praising 4 guys already allegedly waiting in the wings to start there. Meanwhile they totally ignore OL and Edge until Garrett at 252? C’mon...
Man, this looks like Amateur Hour. I’m accustomed to feeling good about Rams drafts since ‘17. Like a 6 year old on Christmas morning? But not this year.
I’m really missing Brad Holmes. Sigh...
