Hindsight Draft: What do you do as Rams GM?

[FarNorth]

Does this look better?

#20 CB Jalen Ramsey
#52 RB Cam Akers
#57 WR Van Jefferson
#84 LB/Edge Terrell Lewis
#104 DB Terrell Burgess
#136 TE Brycen Hopkins
#150 OG Austin Corbett
#199 DB Jordan Fuller
#234 LB Clay Johnston
#248 K Samuel Sloman
#250 OG Tremayne Acnhrum

Except Corbett goes at #33 although much better value where you have him.

 

[jrry32]

Except Corbett goes at #33 although much better value where you have him.

He's saying we traded that pick for Corbett.

 

[FarNorth]

He's saying we traded that pick for Corbett.

ok, thanks!

 

[Gandalf]

I think the 5th rounder this year went to Jax as part of the Fowler deal The 2021 5th rounder went to Cle for Corbett.

Every trade made by the Rams since Sean McVay was hired in 2017

The Rams have made a ton of trades involving players since 2017. Here are all of them.

theramswire.usatoday.com

 

[Tano]

I would have only changed one thing in this draft.

And I already posted this thought in another thread.

Tyler Biadazx for Bryce Hopkins

I am extremely worried that Hopkins is Cooks 2.0 and will make drops at critical junctures of the game.

I am leary of that type of player.

 

[dang]

Rankings are subjective and don’t count towards success but I would label this years draft a success based on value of the picks. In general, it looks like we picked Jefferson at R2.57 andFuller at R6.199 significantly higher than their rankings. But we got Lewis at R3.84, Hopkins at R4.136 and Johnson at R6.234 significantly lower than their rankings. Akers, Burgess, Anchum near their rankings. I am really warming up to Jefferson, Burgess and Hopkins but admittedly knew nothing about them before the draft.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Rankings are subjective and don’t count towards success but I would label this years draft a success based on value of the picks. In general, it looks like we picked Jefferson at R2.57 andFuller at R6.199 significantly higher than their rankings. But we got Lewis at R3.84, Hopkins at R4.136 and Johnson at R6.234 significantly lower than their rankings. Akers, Burgess, Anchum near their rankings. I am really warming up to Jefferson, Burgess and Hopkins but admittedly knew nothing about them before the draft.

Not having access to the rankings of the 32 actual NFL teams who get all of the information (medical, background, security, etc.) on these players vs. the rankings of media draftniks working with limited information hurts.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Jordyn Brooks?

I read a rumor claiming that the Rams were very interested in Brooks.

 

[oldnotdead]

I am extremely worried that Hopkins is Cooks 2.0 and will make drops at critical junctures of the game.

Like Mundt?

Hopkins is a #3 developmental TE with a lot more talent than Mundt. IMO he will be coached up to be a blocking TE who has the ability to also catch off of play-action. Drops generally are a product of a lack of focus and poor technique. Hopkins has a lot of work ahead of him but he has upsides Mundt doesn't. Playing Mundt tips their hand too much. Everyone knows he runs poor routes and has poor hands so he's in there to block. In Brycen they have a TE of similar size but with much better speed giving them options on how to use him. I see a lot of wham blocks in his immediate future. LOL

 

[jrry32]

Like Mundt?

Hopkins is a #3 developmental TE with a lot more talent than Mundt. IMO he will be coached up to be a blocking TE who has the ability to also catch off of play-action. Drops generally are a product of a lack of focus and poor technique. Hopkins has a lot of work ahead of him but he has upsides Mundt doesn't. Playing Mundt tips their hand too much. Everyone knows he runs poor routes and has poor hands so he's in there to block. In Brycen they have a TE of similar size but with much better speed giving them options on how to use him. I see a lot of wham blocks in his immediate future. LOL

Hopkins is a terrible blocker. Some guys simply don't have the ability to be a quality inline blocker. Based on Hopkins's tape, he seems to be a guy who lacks that ability.

I think the 5th rounder this year went to Jax as part of the Fowler deal The 2021 5th rounder went to Cle for Corbett.

Every trade made by the Rams since Sean McVay was hired in 2017

The Rams have made a ton of trades involving players since 2017. Here are all of them.

theramswire.usatoday.com

You are correct on that. My mistake.

 

[oldnotdead]

Blocking is a technique like most things are in the NFL. More than one NFL player has said that the NFL is all about technique and the one thing about technique, is if a player has the necessary athleticism it then becomes all about being properly coached. Everett came in as a terrible blocker, but I've seen him execute some very nice blocks (also blowing a few) showing that he's come a long way. Most WR's aren't always coached in blocking but Ram WRs as a group block well downfield. Hopkins isn't an inline blocker at this point to be sure. But he has shown a willingness and ability to execute wham blocks at Purdue. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't what caught the FO's attention and got Brycen drafted. Give him a year to build up his body and strengthen, and be coached up in his technique and then let us judge whether he can block.

Lorenzo Neal Sr while with the Chargers as a FB averaged between 13-24 receptions per year. Why? Because as Philip Rivers once noted that the lead blocker in play-action is many times dropped in coverage, i.e. overlooked by the LBs and safeties. If the Rams show it early, it will force the LBs to hesitate just enough to allow the o-line the advantage they need to execute their blocks. Deception and confusion are weapons as much as any single player. It fits with McVay's system IMO. The jet sweep action that McVay loves does two things. It simplifies Goff's initial read and it makes the LBs read the play allowing the o-line the advantage.

Just because a player in college didn't block or didn't block well doesn't mean he can't block. It's all a matter of good coaching teaching good technique.

 

[jrry32]

Blocking is a technique like most things are in the NFL. More than one NFL player has said that the NFL is all about technique and the one thing about technique, is if a player has the necessary athleticism it then becomes all about being properly coached. Everett came in as a terrible blocker, but I've seen him execute some very nice blocks (also blowing a few) showing that he's come a long way. Most WR's aren't always coached in blocking but Ram WRs as a group block well downfield. Hopkins isn't an inline blocker at this point to be sure. But he has shown a willingness and ability to execute wham blocks at Purdue. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't what caught the FO's attention and got Brycen drafted. Give him a year to build up his body and strengthen, and be coached up in his technique and then let us judge whether he can block.

Lorenzo Neal Sr while with the Chargers as a FB averaged between 13-24 receptions per year. Why? Because as Philip Rivers once noted that the lead blocker in play-action is many times dropped in coverage, i.e. overlooked by the LBs and safeties. If the Rams show it early, it will force the LBs to hesitate just enough to allow the o-line the advantage they need to execute their blocks. Deception and confusion are weapons as much as any single player. It fits with McVay's system IMO. The jet sweep action that McVay loves does two things. It simplifies Goff's initial read and it makes the LBs read the play allowing the o-line the advantage.

Just because a player in college didn't block or didn't block well doesn't mean he can't block. It's all a matter of good coaching teaching good technique.

It's not just a matter of technique. It's also a matter of want-to, strength, and body composition. Hopkins didn't have the strength or want-to at the college level. And I'm not at all sold that he has the frame to add sufficient power. I also was thoroughly unimpressed with his willingness to put his body on the line on wham blocks. I saw him intentionally miss blocks multiple times.

 

[Merlin]

Hopkins is a terrible blocker. Some guys simply don't have the ability to be a quality inline blocker. Based on Hopkins's tape, he seems to be a guy who lacks that ability.

Yeah that's not to say he can't do it down the line but he's going to need some dev time to be a good blocker that's for sure.

If they want to get impact from him early on (which would be the case for example if they don't like what they're seeing from Everett over the first few games) it's gonna be as a passing game weapon only. But they have some flexibility here. If Everett plays well in his contract season the kid gets a redshirt. It's all good.

And Snead has said we're gonna be in more 12. So it's a reasonable expectation they want more depth too.

 

[Memphis Ram]

It's not just a matter of technique. It's also a matter of want-to, strength, and body composition. Hopkins didn't have the strength or want-to at the college level. And I'm not at all sold that he has the frame to add sufficient power. I also was thoroughly unimpressed with his willingness to put his body on the line on wham blocks. I saw him intentionally miss blocks multiple times.

I'm hoping for the best, but I agree. Learning technique is great, but you must have that want-to to implement it well. I think I saw some of the the same plays you did and cringed. He got in the way enough for some plays to be successful, but his want to seemed to be very lacking. Changing that mindset is going to be the key for his future success blocking.

But, despite all that, I wouldn't say that he's a terrible blocker as was previously stated. That's a bit too harsh.

 

[Gandalf]

Hopkins is a terrible blocker. Some guys simply don't have the ability to be a quality inline blocker. Based on Hopkins's tape, he seems to be a guy who lacks that ability.



You are correct on that. My mistake.

We've had a few 5th rounders flying in and out of here lately.

 

[FarNorth]

Hopkins is a terrible blocker. Some guys simply don't have the ability to be a quality inline blocker. Based on Hopkins's tape, he seems to be a guy who lacks that ability.

With all due respect, imo Hopkins should be able to learn to block if he works at it seriously, which I expect him to. BH is big enough and strong enough. Blocking seems to largely be a matter of dedication and technique. His Dad Brad Hopkins also played 13 seasons as a left tackle in the NFL and made the pro bowl a couple of times. Genetics count, and also can't believe that this kid or any serious competitor would not consider it a point of pride to master a learnable skill at which his father excelled in the NFL.

 

[jrry32]

I'm hoping for the best, but I agree. Learning technique is great, but you must have that want-to to implement it well. I think I saw some of the the same plays you did and cringed. He got in the way enough for some plays to be successful, but his want to seemed to be very lacking. Changing that mindset is going to be the key for his future success blocking.

But, despite all that, I wouldn't say that he's a terrible blocker as was previously stated. That's a bit too harsh.

It is harsh. I was speaking relative to NFL TEs. As a college TE, terrible is hyperbole. He can stalemate safeties and small LBs. But he doesn't look to finish guys, is hit and miss blocking on the move, and cannot handle a 3-4 OLB or 4-3 DE. I wouldn't trust him against a bigger off-the-ball LB either. He just doesn't have much power to his game.

With all due respect, imo Hopkins should be able to learn to block if he works at it seriously, which I expect him to. BH is big enough and strong enough. Blocking seems to largely be a matter of dedication and technique. His Dad Brad Hopkins also played 13 seasons as a left tackle in the NFL and made the pro bowl a couple of times. Genetics count, and also can't believe that this kid or any serious competitor would not consider it a point of pride to master a learnable skill at which his father excelled in the NFL.

And that's why it shocked me that he was bad at it, didn't have the mentality, and didn't show the power. Y'all are welcome to hope for the best, but I'm being straight with you. There's a reason that there are so few TEs in the NFL who are both legitimate inline blockers and legitimate receiving threats. It's a fairly rare skill-set. It's more common today to have specialists. Hopkins seems like a specialist to me, a slot TE who can block enough to handle a DB or undersized LB when flexed out.

 

[Memento]

I mentioned in another thread that I thought that Hopkins was softer than a baby sea otter's ass when it came to blocking. He's going to have to do a whole hell of a lot of improvement on his want-to in order to convince me otherwise.

 

[FarNorth]

It is harsh. I was speaking relative to NFL TEs. As a college TE, terrible is hyperbole. He can stalemate safeties and small LBs. But he doesn't look to finish guys, is hit and miss blocking on the move, and cannot handle a 3-4 OLB or 4-3 DE. I wouldn't trust him against a bigger off-the-ball LB either. He just doesn't have much power to his game.



And that's why it shocked me that he was bad at it, didn't have the mentality, and didn't show the power. Y'all are welcome to hope for the best, but I'm being straight with you. There's a reason that there are so few TEs in the NFL who are both legitimate inline blockers and legitimate receiving threats. It's a fairly rare skill-set. It's more common today to have specialists. Hopkins seems like a specialist to me, a slot TE who can block enough to handle a DB or undersized LB when flexed out.

Guess we'll see if Hopkins can turn it up with his blocking. If he wants to play more than a few snaps a game for McVay he will need to do so. Hopefully he will benefit from Rams coaching. I just have to think he can do it.

 

[iamme33]

I mentioned in another thread that I thought that Hopkins was softer than a baby sea otter's ass when it came to blocking. He's going to have to do a whole hell of a lot of improvement on his want-to in order to convince me otherwise.

is that first hand knowledge of the softness of a baby sea otter's ass if so how was that knowledge acquired.