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Rams should focus on receiver, O-line, secondary at combine
By Alden Gonzalez
A closer look at the positions the Los Angeles Rams could target at the NFL combine in Indianapolis:
Positions of need: The Rams have numerous holes on offense, and it isn't because they haven't used past draft picks to address them. They picked seven offensive linemen from 2014 to '15 but had one of the game's worst lines in 2016. They finished last season with five rookie receivers, but not one of them made much of an impact. This might sound repetitive, but the Rams will probably be scouting offensive linemen and wide receivers at this year's combine. They must also be on the lookout for defensive backs, because their depth has eroded quickly there. The Rams lost their primary cornerback (Janoris Jenkins) and their starting free safety (Rodney McLeod) through free agency last offseason and replaced them internally. No. 1 corner (Trumaine Johnson) and starting strong safety (T.J. McDonald) are set to become unrestricted free agents. The Rams don't have much impact talent left beyond them.
Gareon Conley (cornerback), Ohio State: Conley has drawn comparisons to star Broncos corner Aqib Talib, which should be enough to get you excited. Conley became an All-Big Ten honorable mention as a sophomore in 2015 and was then named second-team all-conference in 2016. Conley is listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds. He has NFL size and length to go with soft hands and outstanding timing, as stated in a scouting report by NFL.com. Conley projects to be an early starter who can immediately play in a zone scheme and hold his own in press coverage. But he isn't very physical and needs to work on his tackling. Over the past two years, Conley has combined for six interceptions and 13 pass breakups.
Cam Robinson (tackle), Alabama: A freshman All-American and two-time first-team All-SEC pick, Robinson has been a reliable, physical left tackle for the Crimson Tide. He was named a consensus All-American as a junior in 2016, an undefeated regular season that finished with a last-second loss to Clemson in the national championship game. Robinson is listed at 6-6 and 326 pounds, a similar body type as another left tackle with the same last name. That would be Greg Robinson, the former No. 2 overall pick who has struggled as Rams left tackle these past couple of years. Cam Robinson brings great power and explosiveness, as you might expect, and has shown the ability to adequately get to the second level with his blocks. His balance and instincts are deemed weaknesses at this point, and Robinson has struggled against quicker, more athletic defensive ends.
JuJu Smith-Schuster (receiver), USC: Smith-Schuster, listed at 6-2 and 220 pounds, was first-team All-Pac-12 as a sophomore in 2015, catching 89 passes for 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns in 14 games. Those numbers dropped partly because of a back injury in his junior season -- to 70 catches for 914 yards and 10 touchdowns -- but Smith-Schuster was still good enough to be named second-team all-conference. He brings good size, a willingness to go across the middle and a great feel for eluding defenders. He's a solid route runner, a reliable blocker and a hyper-competitive athlete. The only negative, it seems, is Smith-Schuster's speed and acceleration. And granted, that's important. But, as NFL.com said in its scouting report, teams with speed elsewhere at receiver can complement that nicely with Smith-Schuster's physicality. The Rams have speed with Tavon Austin and Pharoh Cooper, so perhaps there's a fit.
[www.espn.com]
By Alden Gonzalez
A closer look at the positions the Los Angeles Rams could target at the NFL combine in Indianapolis:
Positions of need: The Rams have numerous holes on offense, and it isn't because they haven't used past draft picks to address them. They picked seven offensive linemen from 2014 to '15 but had one of the game's worst lines in 2016. They finished last season with five rookie receivers, but not one of them made much of an impact. This might sound repetitive, but the Rams will probably be scouting offensive linemen and wide receivers at this year's combine. They must also be on the lookout for defensive backs, because their depth has eroded quickly there. The Rams lost their primary cornerback (Janoris Jenkins) and their starting free safety (Rodney McLeod) through free agency last offseason and replaced them internally. No. 1 corner (Trumaine Johnson) and starting strong safety (T.J. McDonald) are set to become unrestricted free agents. The Rams don't have much impact talent left beyond them.
Gareon Conley (cornerback), Ohio State: Conley has drawn comparisons to star Broncos corner Aqib Talib, which should be enough to get you excited. Conley became an All-Big Ten honorable mention as a sophomore in 2015 and was then named second-team all-conference in 2016. Conley is listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds. He has NFL size and length to go with soft hands and outstanding timing, as stated in a scouting report by NFL.com. Conley projects to be an early starter who can immediately play in a zone scheme and hold his own in press coverage. But he isn't very physical and needs to work on his tackling. Over the past two years, Conley has combined for six interceptions and 13 pass breakups.
Cam Robinson (tackle), Alabama: A freshman All-American and two-time first-team All-SEC pick, Robinson has been a reliable, physical left tackle for the Crimson Tide. He was named a consensus All-American as a junior in 2016, an undefeated regular season that finished with a last-second loss to Clemson in the national championship game. Robinson is listed at 6-6 and 326 pounds, a similar body type as another left tackle with the same last name. That would be Greg Robinson, the former No. 2 overall pick who has struggled as Rams left tackle these past couple of years. Cam Robinson brings great power and explosiveness, as you might expect, and has shown the ability to adequately get to the second level with his blocks. His balance and instincts are deemed weaknesses at this point, and Robinson has struggled against quicker, more athletic defensive ends.
JuJu Smith-Schuster (receiver), USC: Smith-Schuster, listed at 6-2 and 220 pounds, was first-team All-Pac-12 as a sophomore in 2015, catching 89 passes for 1,454 yards and 10 touchdowns in 14 games. Those numbers dropped partly because of a back injury in his junior season -- to 70 catches for 914 yards and 10 touchdowns -- but Smith-Schuster was still good enough to be named second-team all-conference. He brings good size, a willingness to go across the middle and a great feel for eluding defenders. He's a solid route runner, a reliable blocker and a hyper-competitive athlete. The only negative, it seems, is Smith-Schuster's speed and acceleration. And granted, that's important. But, as NFL.com said in its scouting report, teams with speed elsewhere at receiver can complement that nicely with Smith-Schuster's physicality. The Rams have speed with Tavon Austin and Pharoh Cooper, so perhaps there's a fit.
[www.espn.com]
