JT: Barrett Jones Looks Bigger/Stronger

[LesBaker]

Long, Saffold, Wells, and Barksdale... That's a damn good foundation, when healthy.

If Jones develops (I agree with others he was never in the 2013 plans), plus we land a guy like Mathews or Robinson... The line is stout.

As always, in St. Louis, health is the key to making it work.

Fisher and Snead have said protecting Bradford is trhe #1 priority. Drafting a guy to redshirt who would have been a first rounder/second rounder (according to what I read) had he not been hurt was a smart move. They essentially spent a 4th for a guy who was way better but had to sit a year, which really cost very little money and gave him all that time to heal and get back into shape.

This was a move that was mostly unheralded, almost barley talked about since it happened, that I would bet in a year is going to be talked about as a great forward thinking decision. Because if he works out, Wells gets cut to save $$$, another elite guy gets drafted and they use some $$$ to bring in depth or get depth later in the draft this OL as you say could be stout.

Cmon even our WR's will get open if they have 5-7 seconds, right?

 

[ChrisW]

This news is quite the oasis in the desert of pre-draft news. Thanks @RamBill.

 

[LesBaker]

This news is quite the oasis in the desert of pre-draft news. Thanks @RamBill.

I think that turn of a phrase deserves recognition for it's excellence in allusion.

 

[RaminExile]

I hope he's in the gym right now. This second. Lifting. And then lifting some more. Come on Rock. LETS GET BIG.

 

[ChrisW]

I think that turn of a phrase deserves recognition for it's excellence in allusion.

Lol, thanks. I have my moments.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Fisher and Snead have said protecting Bradford is trhe #1 priority. Drafting a guy to redshirt who would have been a first rounder/second rounder (according to what I read) had he not been hurt was a smart move. They essentially spent a 4th for a guy who was way better but had to sit a year, which really cost very little money and gave him all that time to heal and get back into shape.

This was a move that was mostly unheralded, almost barley talked about since it happened, that I would bet in a year is going to be talked about as a great forward thinking decision. Because if he works out, Wells gets cut to save $$$, another elite guy gets drafted and they use some $$$ to bring in depth or get depth later in the draft this OL as you say could be stout.

Cmon even our WR's will get open if they have 5-7 seconds, right?

I kind of liken Barrett Jones to Tavon Austin.

Nobody is thinking about Jones right now. So, his potential impact on this roster isn't factored in (and understandably so, we don't know what we have there. But the Rams do).

Same with Tavon. We fear our WR corp isn't stout enough, but we don't take into account the fact Austin will make huge strides year two, like all WR do. I suppose we could say the same potential exists for Bailey... But "Tavon Sanders" is on a whole other planet.

 

[Tron]

At whatever position he wins in TC and the preseason.

And if he doesnt win out a tackle spot and they really want jones at LG, then I guess his position is the bench...nice use of an instant impact starter

 

[BonifayRam]

I have always had faith in Barrett becoming a very good Ram Ol'er for this team. I am sure that we will be hearing about Barrett's conditioning soon enough. One of the starting OG posts is certainly open for any OL who wants to work hard enough to earn that post. I still believe that Barrett's best 2014 position will be as the one of the two dressed top reserves. The fact that he has played all of the five positions @ Alabama would provide him the heads up on doing what both Shelley Smith & Chris Williams did for us in 2012 & 2013. I believe that Snead will still draft two very good OL prospects next week. A OT has priority over an OG IMO.

Long, Saffold, Wells, and Barksdale... That's a damn good foundation, when healthy.
If Jones develops (I agree with others he was never in the 2013 plans), plus we land a guy like Mathews or Robinson... The line is stout.
As always, in St. Louis, health is the key to making it work.

Yes CGI health is the key with this injury prone OL.

 

[max]

Here's a pic of Jones...



@SLPS_INFO: Many thanks to @STLouisRams Barrett Jones for speaking at the SLPS Scholar Athlete Luncehon today. pic.twitter.com/9yvmi0lIQb

 

[Alan]

Tron penciling in Jones before he plays a down:
And if he doesnt win out a tackle spot and they really want jones at LG, then I guess his position is the bench...nice use of an instant impact starter

I want to assume that you're joking here but since it wasn't in blue I'm going to respond as if you're serious by asking you a question that is just as ...curious.

So if we draft Clowney and he doesn't beat out Sammy Brown I guess his position is the bench...nice use of an instant impact starter

It's really hard to take that question seriously but lets say a consensus top 5 pick gets beat out by a player who hasn't been able to up his game to backup status yet but who "looks Bigger/Stronger" in the voluntary workouts. I guess that means we'll have real quality depth and a fantastic player to plug in when one of our starters goes down with an injury. Be able to let Barksdale walk next year instead of paying him the big bucks he'll probably ask for if he plays OK this year. Allowing us to spend that money to resign SB and Quinn in the near future.

 

[PressureD41]

RT ...Troy

 

[Username]

 

[SteveBrown]

Mark Stepnoski was 265 pound center for the Cowboys when the cowboys would run right up the gut against Michael Carter (300+ pound olympic shotputter) in 1992-1994. Ya, he had big guards protecting him, but Stepnoski went to many probowls. Intelligence, plus technician plus some talent = a good center. Barret Jones has all that and more. He will be a very good player; I watched those college games, and yes he was mandhandled a few times, but just as many times he steered his man out of the way, and Alabama ran the ball just fine. Barret Jones will start in 2015 for the Rams---and maybe in 2014. He is too intelligent and probably now weighs 312-315...that is more than enough. Scott Wells is pretty weak run blocking center, but he seems to just fine per NFL coaches...

Sorry, if I sound a little strong, but the whole 'he is weak' is taken a little far. He isn't Jacob Bell. Love 40 year Ram fan!!!!!!!

 

[SteveBrown]

Barret Jones might be like Duval Love, too---a average to good player. I am not saying he will be a super star, but I bet he can still plan LT or RT in a pinch....

 

[BonifayRam]

I would like to add a little more to this Barrett Jones appearance....I would never think that Barrett is ever going to be the next coming of Conan The Barbarian as far as body types. More like the bodies of the donuts brothers of Tom Nutten- Adam Timmerman- Andy McCollum .....where Barretts brains and intellect will be his best talent to bring to the OL.

It was very rare to see Barrett ever blow any other DL off the line or crush his opponent in massive power blocking....he did give ground but not enough for it to matter, he was mostly in the right position and making the right decisions on who he needed to block in the blitz conditions. His ability to keep the other OL'ers aware of what they were fix en to be hit with was seriously abnormal talent.

Barrett will never be in many OL highlight reels but you can bet that in the future that the Bamian & Sooner will be inseparable. Sam will recognize the true value of what Barrett will bring.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I didn't like the pick of Jones. The main reason is the type of injury. Chen Ming Wang was the ace of the Yankees staff until he stepped on third base wrong (damn inter league play) and got a LizFranc injury. He was a very good sinkerballer. His recovery took a full year but he was never able to push off the mound the same and has bounced around the minors and spot started ever since.

I get that people heal differently, but that is a worrisome injury. I thought Jones was a fourth rounder to begin with. He was not overly athletic or strong and his game was smarts and technique mostly, plus he was surrounded by some dominant line mates, which made his job easier IMO. I hope he can become a good center or Guard. Now that he is one of the good guys I think we all hope he succeeds.

 

[ChrisW]

I didn't like the pick of Jones. The main reason is the type of injury. Chen Ming Wang was the ace of the Yankees staff until he stepped on third base wrong (damn inter league play) and got a LizFranc injury. He was a very good sinkerballer. His recovery took a full year but he was never able to push off the mound the same and has bounced around the minors and spot started ever since.

I get that people heal differently, but that is a worrisome injury. I thought Jones was a fourth rounder to begin with. He was not overly athletic or strong and his game was smarts and technique mostly, plus he was surrounded by some dominant line mates, which made his job easier IMO. I hope he can become a good center or Guard. Now that he is one of the good guys I think we all hope he succeeds.

Wouldn't playing in a dome be ideal for his injury? He gets a nice solid surface for his whole foot to contact, rather than having to step half on and half off a baseball base.

 

[BonifayRam]

he was surrounded by some dominant line mates, which made his job easier IMO.

Barrett was surrounded with some well known OL teammates from 2009 to 2012. In 2008 he was red shirted. In 2009 he started ORG with ORT Mike Johnson (3rd rd draft pick in 2010) & OLT James Carpenter (1st rd draft pick) this Bama team played in the SEC Championship game. In 2010 Barrett once again started @ ORG. In seasons 2009 & 2010 Barrett started 25 games for Bama @ ORG & played with both Johnson & Carpenter too.

In 2011 Barrett started @ OLT he played next too OLG Chance Warmack (1st rd draft pick) yes the Bama OL was talented but it was Barrett earned the Outland Trophy as the nation's top lineman as well as the Jacobs Blocking Trophy (SEC's top offensive lineman) and was a consensus All-American. Not the other "dominant line mates". Maybe the others should have won those awards since they helped him so much. What is very unusual is he was recognized so highly playing OC-OG-OT of course the other Bama Ol'ers was not as lucky as Barrett they just played the same position yr after yr.......Barrett was having all that fun playing all over the OL.

In 2012 Barrett moved from the outside island into the mean pit @ center where he had OLG Warmack & OLT Kouandjio and Anthony Steen & DJ Fluker (another 1st rd pick) on his right. Barrett was there as Alabama ran for its third national title in fourth year. Barrett did play with some outstanding OL'ers in his college career even with that he was the most highly decorated Bama OL'er during his NCAA career & ended it when he won the 2012 William V. Campbell Trophy recognizing the "absolute best scholar-athlete" in the nation.

 

[MFaulk107]

Another thing looking good for us!

 

[BonifayRam]

Another thing looking good for us!

The same year that Barrett won that Outland Trophy as the nation's top lineman playing OLT his competition was 2013 pro bowlers & ex 2011 first round picks were OL'ers Tyron Smith, Nate Solder & Mike Pouncey. Just saying I would not underestimate Barrett Jones ability. Very good selection by Snead.