QB
Rams outlook: The Rams have got Sam Bradford on a shaky knee, Shaun Hill on a one-year deal and Austin Davis just happy to be around after flunking out of training camp last year. The need for a long-term backup plan is apparent, and the Rams will probably address it before the end of Friday night.
Sleeper: Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech. Outstanding athlete who put on a good show at the Combine, throwing one beautiful 40-yard deep corner route after another with just a flick of the wrist. A project with considerable upside. Another strong-armed QB who'll get drafted a bit later: Dustin Vaughan, the heir to Keith Null's throne at the West Texas A&M QB factory.
Please avoid: Aaron Murray, Georgia. The Rams have shown a lot of interest in Murray, who would give them a second QB coming off a season-ending ACL injury. He's also smaller than any QB Fisher/Snead have suited up, and "small" doesn't always equal "Drew Brees" or "Russell Wilson", gang.
Worst name: David Fales, San Jose State. A player you have to hope doesn't live up to his name.
Rams outlook: The Rams have got Sam Bradford on a shaky knee, Shaun Hill on a one-year deal and Austin Davis just happy to be around after flunking out of training camp last year. The need for a long-term backup plan is apparent, and the Rams will probably address it before the end of Friday night.
Sleeper: Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech. Outstanding athlete who put on a good show at the Combine, throwing one beautiful 40-yard deep corner route after another with just a flick of the wrist. A project with considerable upside. Another strong-armed QB who'll get drafted a bit later: Dustin Vaughan, the heir to Keith Null's throne at the West Texas A&M QB factory.
Please avoid: Aaron Murray, Georgia. The Rams have shown a lot of interest in Murray, who would give them a second QB coming off a season-ending ACL injury. He's also smaller than any QB Fisher/Snead have suited up, and "small" doesn't always equal "Drew Brees" or "Russell Wilson", gang.
Worst name: David Fales, San Jose State. A player you have to hope doesn't live up to his name.
RB
Rams outlook: The Rams have a very likely 1,000-yard rusher in Zac Stacy, but plenty of questions behind him. Will Bennie Cunningham hang on to the ball and continue to develop? Will Darryl Washington get past last year's injury troubles and become a needed edge rushing threat? Will Isaiah Pead hurry up with my Quarter Pounder Extra Value Meal already? I said no catsup!
Sleepers: Charles Sims, West Virginia; JC Copeland, LSU (fullback). Sims would be perfect for the Rams imo; he caught about a million passes out of the backfield in college, and the Rams lack a true 3rd-down back or receiver out of the backfield (depending how you think of Tavon Austin, I suppose). Also, please use a 7th-rounder on Copeland if he's still hanging around. Yes, he's a 285-pound RB, but he's actually a good athlete who can catch, run-block, protect the QB and who should be a major goal line weapon.
Please avoid: James Wilder, Florida State. I appreciate the pedigree, but he's had several arrests and I think he may still be running his Combine 40.
Favorite name: Lorenzo Taliaferro, Coastal Carolina. With that name, if the NFL doesn't work out, he can start a sports car company, design shoes or go into opera.
Rams outlook: The Rams have a very likely 1,000-yard rusher in Zac Stacy, but plenty of questions behind him. Will Bennie Cunningham hang on to the ball and continue to develop? Will Darryl Washington get past last year's injury troubles and become a needed edge rushing threat? Will Isaiah Pead hurry up with my Quarter Pounder Extra Value Meal already? I said no catsup!
Sleepers: Charles Sims, West Virginia; JC Copeland, LSU (fullback). Sims would be perfect for the Rams imo; he caught about a million passes out of the backfield in college, and the Rams lack a true 3rd-down back or receiver out of the backfield (depending how you think of Tavon Austin, I suppose). Also, please use a 7th-rounder on Copeland if he's still hanging around. Yes, he's a 285-pound RB, but he's actually a good athlete who can catch, run-block, protect the QB and who should be a major goal line weapon.
Please avoid: James Wilder, Florida State. I appreciate the pedigree, but he's had several arrests and I think he may still be running his Combine 40.
Favorite name: Lorenzo Taliaferro, Coastal Carolina. With that name, if the NFL doesn't work out, he can start a sports car company, design shoes or go into opera.
WR
Rams outlook: Even with Tavon Austin's late-season breakout and some encouraging games from Stedman Bailey, the Rams still had the most dreadful receiving corps in the league. Thanks to Chris Givens regressing into Eddie Kennison, the team lacks a reliable vertical threat, and thanks to Brian Quick continuing to have no clue how to get open, ever, they also lack a legitimate #1 big go-to receiver. A couple of slot guys and a possession receiver (Austin Pettis) ain't going to get the job done, though Les Snead continued to insist the Rams "don't need a wide receiver" and actually made a bad group worse with the free-agent addition of Mr. Most Likely To Get Arrested, Kenny Britt. The Rams could use their first four picks on wide receivers and I wouldn't flinch.
Sleepers: Martavis Bryant, Clemson; tall flyer would be an upgrade on Quick; Josh Huff, Oregon; slot receiver showed a lot of toughness getting off jams and catching in traffic at the Senior Bowl; Isaiah Burse, Fresno State; the best route-runner in this class. Great after the catch on quick screens and drags and can get deep. Steal him late in the draft, you won't regret it.
Please avoid: Brandon Coleman, Rutgers. Led the nation in dropped passes. So unless the Rams are going for the league record, they can let Coleman go to another team. Shaq Evans, UCLA and "Philly" Brown, Ohio State are among the very few receivers who didn't look good at the Combine, with dropped passes or bad route-running.
Favorite name: Gerald Ford, Valdosta State. Whip Interference Now!
Rams outlook: Even with Tavon Austin's late-season breakout and some encouraging games from Stedman Bailey, the Rams still had the most dreadful receiving corps in the league. Thanks to Chris Givens regressing into Eddie Kennison, the team lacks a reliable vertical threat, and thanks to Brian Quick continuing to have no clue how to get open, ever, they also lack a legitimate #1 big go-to receiver. A couple of slot guys and a possession receiver (Austin Pettis) ain't going to get the job done, though Les Snead continued to insist the Rams "don't need a wide receiver" and actually made a bad group worse with the free-agent addition of Mr. Most Likely To Get Arrested, Kenny Britt. The Rams could use their first four picks on wide receivers and I wouldn't flinch.
Sleepers: Martavis Bryant, Clemson; tall flyer would be an upgrade on Quick; Josh Huff, Oregon; slot receiver showed a lot of toughness getting off jams and catching in traffic at the Senior Bowl; Isaiah Burse, Fresno State; the best route-runner in this class. Great after the catch on quick screens and drags and can get deep. Steal him late in the draft, you won't regret it.
Please avoid: Brandon Coleman, Rutgers. Led the nation in dropped passes. So unless the Rams are going for the league record, they can let Coleman go to another team. Shaq Evans, UCLA and "Philly" Brown, Ohio State are among the very few receivers who didn't look good at the Combine, with dropped passes or bad route-running.
Favorite name: Gerald Ford, Valdosta State. Whip Interference Now!
TE
Rams outlook: Given what they've got sunk into Jared Cook, the Rams won't do anything significant in the draft at TE, but they should do something, both to fill Mike McNeill's roster spot and to have an eye on Lance Kendricks becoming a free agent in 2015.
Sleeper: Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin. Definitely has the speed of a blocking tight end but ran nice routes, made nice catches and actually looked like one of the few TEs at the Combine who could run a decent deep route.
Please avoid: Colt Lyerla, Oregon. Drops too many passes and has too many COCAINE POSSESSION ARRESTS for my blood. Let's see if Jeff Fisher can resist.
Favorite name/school combination: Joe Don Duncan, Dixie State. Somehow I don't think Duncan is the only Joe Don who goes to Dixie State.
Rams outlook: Given what they've got sunk into Jared Cook, the Rams won't do anything significant in the draft at TE, but they should do something, both to fill Mike McNeill's roster spot and to have an eye on Lance Kendricks becoming a free agent in 2015.
Sleeper: Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin. Definitely has the speed of a blocking tight end but ran nice routes, made nice catches and actually looked like one of the few TEs at the Combine who could run a decent deep route.
Please avoid: Colt Lyerla, Oregon. Drops too many passes and has too many COCAINE POSSESSION ARRESTS for my blood. Let's see if Jeff Fisher can resist.
Favorite name/school combination: Joe Don Duncan, Dixie State. Somehow I don't think Duncan is the only Joe Don who goes to Dixie State.
OL
Rams outlook: The Rams offensive line has significant holes, but it could have been worse. They still have three starters: Scott Wells, Joseph Barksdale and Raider-for-five-seconds Rodger Saffold. They need a left guard to fill the spot Buffalo vastly overpaid Chris Williams to leave. Jake Long's knee injury leaves them needing tackle depth at a minimum, possibly another guard if Saffold has to go out to LT, or possibly a new starting tackle. The #2 pick overall figures to go a long way toward addressing that situation.
Sleeper: Michael Schofield, Michigan; Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma; Jon Halapio, Florida. Schofield is a guard/right tackle and late Senior Bowl roster addition who dominated there from the moment he arrived. He's as good as Zack Martin but won't go near as high. Ikard's a center who isn't high on any lists even though he doesn't lag the rest of the centers athletically and looked pretty flawless in technique at the Combine. Halapio projects as a late-round pick at guard. Far from a workout wonder but I think he has really good feet and wouldn't be lost in pass protection.
Please avoid: Seantrel Henderson, Miami, Fla., though he checks off what seems like many of the Rams' boxes at times. Played only about half his senior season? Check. Suspended twice for failing drug tests? Check. Added a failed test for marijuana AT THE COMBINE? Welcome to Rams Park!
Favorite name: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, McGill (Canada). Le Trait D'union!
Rams outlook: The Rams offensive line has significant holes, but it could have been worse. They still have three starters: Scott Wells, Joseph Barksdale and Raider-for-five-seconds Rodger Saffold. They need a left guard to fill the spot Buffalo vastly overpaid Chris Williams to leave. Jake Long's knee injury leaves them needing tackle depth at a minimum, possibly another guard if Saffold has to go out to LT, or possibly a new starting tackle. The #2 pick overall figures to go a long way toward addressing that situation.
Sleeper: Michael Schofield, Michigan; Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma; Jon Halapio, Florida. Schofield is a guard/right tackle and late Senior Bowl roster addition who dominated there from the moment he arrived. He's as good as Zack Martin but won't go near as high. Ikard's a center who isn't high on any lists even though he doesn't lag the rest of the centers athletically and looked pretty flawless in technique at the Combine. Halapio projects as a late-round pick at guard. Far from a workout wonder but I think he has really good feet and wouldn't be lost in pass protection.
Please avoid: Seantrel Henderson, Miami, Fla., though he checks off what seems like many of the Rams' boxes at times. Played only about half his senior season? Check. Suspended twice for failing drug tests? Check. Added a failed test for marijuana AT THE COMBINE? Welcome to Rams Park!
Favorite name: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, McGill (Canada). Le Trait D'union!
DL
Rams outlook: Robert Quinn's given the Rams one of the league's most lethal pass rushes, and if the Rams would happen to add Jadeveon Clowney or Khalil Mack to that, good grief, look out, NFL. They've been looking pretty hard at defensive tackles in the run-up to the draft, too. Michael Brockers and Kendall Langford both had very good and very underrated 2013s, but the Rams didn't get much off the bench. If you like to hedge your draft night bets, put a little loose change on the Rams taking defensive linemen with both first-round picks. It's not out of the question.
Sleepers: Scott Crichton, Oregon State. Can already get after the QB (22.5 sacks in 3-year career); now put him with one of the NFL's best d-line coaches and see what you get. Johnnie Farms, Memphis and Jamie Meder, Ashland: a couple of deep, deep sleeper DTs from the NFLPA all-star game. Farms was really quick off the snap and Meder got a lot of good pocket push and made several clutch plays.
Please avoid: Will Sutton, Arizona State. Played heavy as a senior and was ineffective, but at his junior weight I think he's much too undersized. Had a strong junior year, though, and the Ram front office pays as much attention to junior years as senior years.
Favorite name: Ego Ferguson, LSU. His brother Id has great instincts but is uncoordinated.
Rams outlook: Robert Quinn's given the Rams one of the league's most lethal pass rushes, and if the Rams would happen to add Jadeveon Clowney or Khalil Mack to that, good grief, look out, NFL. They've been looking pretty hard at defensive tackles in the run-up to the draft, too. Michael Brockers and Kendall Langford both had very good and very underrated 2013s, but the Rams didn't get much off the bench. If you like to hedge your draft night bets, put a little loose change on the Rams taking defensive linemen with both first-round picks. It's not out of the question.
Sleepers: Scott Crichton, Oregon State. Can already get after the QB (22.5 sacks in 3-year career); now put him with one of the NFL's best d-line coaches and see what you get. Johnnie Farms, Memphis and Jamie Meder, Ashland: a couple of deep, deep sleeper DTs from the NFLPA all-star game. Farms was really quick off the snap and Meder got a lot of good pocket push and made several clutch plays.
Please avoid: Will Sutton, Arizona State. Played heavy as a senior and was ineffective, but at his junior weight I think he's much too undersized. Had a strong junior year, though, and the Ram front office pays as much attention to junior years as senior years.
Favorite name: Ego Ferguson, LSU. His brother Id has great instincts but is uncoordinated.
LB
Rams outlook: The Rams are set at all three starters but there is precious little experience (though a lot of special teams penalties, ER, energy) behind them. A player with a lot of college LB experience who fell to them at the right time would be a nice pickup.
Sleepers: Christian Jones of Florida State, for instance, an OLB with 39 career college starts. Showed good pass coverage and blitzing skills at the Senior Bowl. (News that he failed a drug test at the Combine probably just moved him up the Rams' board.) Inside, there's Jeremiah George of Iowa State, undersized but a playmaker supreme who led the Big "12" in tackles.
Please avoid: Jordan Tripp, Montana. Which will be a problem, because Jeff Fisher has love for Montana players. One of his sons went to Montana State iirc. Tripp must have tried his spin move a million times on people Senior Bowl week and never even came close to beating anyone with it.
Favorite name: Andrew Jackson, ILB, Western Kentucky. Another President who could be drafted this year! Not to be confused with the guard Andrew Jackson who was in Buffalo's camp a couple of years ago.
Rams outlook: The Rams are set at all three starters but there is precious little experience (though a lot of special teams penalties, ER, energy) behind them. A player with a lot of college LB experience who fell to them at the right time would be a nice pickup.
Sleepers: Christian Jones of Florida State, for instance, an OLB with 39 career college starts. Showed good pass coverage and blitzing skills at the Senior Bowl. (News that he failed a drug test at the Combine probably just moved him up the Rams' board.) Inside, there's Jeremiah George of Iowa State, undersized but a playmaker supreme who led the Big "12" in tackles.
Please avoid: Jordan Tripp, Montana. Which will be a problem, because Jeff Fisher has love for Montana players. One of his sons went to Montana State iirc. Tripp must have tried his spin move a million times on people Senior Bowl week and never even came close to beating anyone with it.
Favorite name: Andrew Jackson, ILB, Western Kentucky. Another President who could be drafted this year! Not to be confused with the guard Andrew Jackson who was in Buffalo's camp a couple of years ago.
DB
Rams outlook: After Cortland Finnegan bombed and got hurt early last season, the Rams were left with a thin and greener-than-green secondary with Rodney McLeod, a safety by trade, at nickel. No offense to McLeod, but the Rams need to look to upgrade on him at nickel and at safety, and look likely to expend early-round draft capital to do so.
Sleepers: Rashaad Reynolds, CB, Oregon State; Dan Sorenson, FS, BYU. A couple of the top guys at the Combine in the 3-cone and short shuttle. Les Snead is usually all over the 3-cone times. Reynolds would be an ideal nickel without a high draft price. Sorenson would bring good athleticism and a ton of safety experience for a late third-day pick.
Rams outlook: After Cortland Finnegan bombed and got hurt early last season, the Rams were left with a thin and greener-than-green secondary with Rodney McLeod, a safety by trade, at nickel. No offense to McLeod, but the Rams need to look to upgrade on him at nickel and at safety, and look likely to expend early-round draft capital to do so.
Sleepers: Rashaad Reynolds, CB, Oregon State; Dan Sorenson, FS, BYU. A couple of the top guys at the Combine in the 3-cone and short shuttle. Les Snead is usually all over the 3-cone times. Reynolds would be an ideal nickel without a high draft price. Sorenson would bring good athleticism and a ton of safety experience for a late third-day pick.
Please avoid: Lamarcus Joyner,
Florida State. Nice player and one of everybody's favorite sleeper
picks. But the Rams already have Lamarcus Joyner; his name's Rodney
McLeod.
Favorite name: Stephen Obeng-Agyapong, Penn State. Hope his game has the bang in it that his name has.
Favorite name: Stephen Obeng-Agyapong, Penn State. Hope his game has the bang in it that his name has.
ST
Rams outlook: The Rams are set for the long term at punter, kicker and punt returner but have yet to establish much of a threat returning kicks. With all the touchbacks in the league now, I'm not even sure the Rams care about that position, or if they should.
Sleeper: Solomon Patton, Florida. The wide receiver was 5th in the nation with 29.2 yards a kick return and ran one back for a TD.
Please avoid: NEVER DRAFT A KICKER. Yeah, yeah, they drafted Greg Zuerlein. They didn't draft Johnny Hekker!
Favorite name: Nate Freese, Boston College. Did opposing coaches call timeouts to freeze Freese?
Rams outlook: The Rams are set for the long term at punter, kicker and punt returner but have yet to establish much of a threat returning kicks. With all the touchbacks in the league now, I'm not even sure the Rams care about that position, or if they should.
Sleeper: Solomon Patton, Florida. The wide receiver was 5th in the nation with 29.2 yards a kick return and ran one back for a TD.
Please avoid: NEVER DRAFT A KICKER. Yeah, yeah, they drafted Greg Zuerlein. They didn't draft Johnny Hekker!
Favorite name: Nate Freese, Boston College. Did opposing coaches call timeouts to freeze Freese?
The Texans are on the clock!
-$-
No comments:
Post a Comment