Lewan ahead of Matthews on Rams board? Kiper seems to think so.

[RamsJunkie]

Kiper: NFL teams prefer Lewan over Matthews

After talking to "several NFL clubs," ESPN's Mel Kiper stated Monday that he expects Michigan OT Taylor Lewan to be a top-six pick in May's draft.
Think what you want about Kiper as a "talent evaluator;" he's one of the most accurate mock drafters in media, posting a top-five cumulative mock score on The Huddle Report over the past five years. Kiper believes Greg Robinson is the No. 1 tackle on most teams' boards, Lewan is No. 2, and Jake Matthews is No. 3. "If he doesn’t go (No. 2 to St. Louis)," Kiper said of Lewan, "he could go to Oakland at five, definitely to Atlanta at six. I don’t think he gets past six."
Source: buffalobills.com
Apr 28 - 3:37 PM

 

[Rams and Gators]

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I just don't we it. The combine is one thing, his play on the field is another. I don't think NFL teams are as wowed by combine performances as the media is, especially now that Al Davis is gone.

 

[A55VA6]

I will be furious if we draft Lewan...

 

[jrry32]

If they are dumb enough to do this, it will bring back memories of Jason Smith for me and I will lose a lot of confidence in the guys in charge. I dare anyone that knows the OL position well to put on Matthews's film and Lewan's film, takes notes, and then honestly tell me that Lewan is better.

 

[TexasRam]

Patience my brethren.

I have found that often times the exact player we don't want turns out to be the best pick of All.


... Then again there are the Tye Hill picks :eek:

 

[jrry32]

I am petrified that we are going to royally screw up this draft based on all the garbage coming from the media. Learning that we have interest in Taylor Lewan AND Martavis Bryant in the same day? No bueno.

 

[Rams and Gators]

If we draft Lewan at 202 I'll be annoyed, at 2 I'm going on a rampage.

 

[Sum1]

I've consistently read lots of good things about Lewan for the past 2 seasons...the only place I seem to get a lot of worry and negative attention...forums.

 

[Stranger]

I am petrified that we are going to royally screw up this draft based on all the garbage coming from the media. Learning that we have interest in Taylor Lewan AND Martavis Bryant in the same day? No bueno.

sounds like media manipulation to me, jerry, played like a maestro.

 

[jjab360]

sounds like media manipulation to me, jerry, played like a maestro.

Don't know, Stranger, a lot of the rumors going around about the Rams right before the draft (desperately wanted Tavon, loved Ogletree, wanted to trade down from 22) turned out to be true.

 

[RaminExile]

I am petrified that we are going to royally screw up this draft based on all the garbage coming from the media. Learning that we have interest in Taylor Lewan AND Martavis Bryant in the same day? No bueno.

Surely the media have just had too long to stew over the whole thing. I don't ever remember hearing this much garbage in the run up to a draft.

RE: this particular piece of "news". Surely it can't be true. Smoke and mirrors all round.

I'm still confident the good guys will pick the right players come draft day.

 

[max]

If they are dumb enough to do this, it will bring back memories of Jason Smith for me and I will lose a lot of confidence in the guys in charge. I dare anyone that knows the OL position well to put on Matthews's film and Lewan's film, takes notes, and then honestly tell me that Lewan is better.

Shonka has them rated: 1. Matthews, 2. Lewan, 3. Robinson

 

[jrry32]

sounds like media manipulation to me, jerry, played like a maestro.

That's what I told myself on the second day of the draft in 2012. The media kept reporting the Rams were going to take Brian Quick. I kept telling myself, "No way, are they going to do this". I desperately wanted them to take Alshon Jeffery or Cordy Glenn. And then reality hit me like a punch in the gut.

I can't promise that I'm right this time if the Rams do end up taking Lewan. But I can promise you that it will hurt just as much as it did in 2012 and will leave me with a very bitter taste in my mouth...especially if things don't workout with Lewan. If they do, great. The Rams called it right and all is right with the world. But man, it just sucks when they get it wrong. Especially you have it right. Was miserable watching the old regime screw up year after year. And I know it's not fair to project that onto the new guys here but after all the misery, as a fan, it's difficult to just let it go.

So yea, the media is getting to me. Especially because I am liking the reports on the Rams less and less as we near draft day.

 

[jjab360]

If they are dumb enough to do this, it will bring back memories of Jason Smith for me and I will lose a lot of confidence in the guys in charge. I dare anyone that knows the OL position well to put on Matthews's film and Lewan's film, takes notes, and then honestly tell me that Lewan is better.

I respect your opinion, but I think you've had an agenda against Lewan for a while, jrry.

I think Matthews is the better OT right now, but I think Lewan is the better run blocker, is more athletic, and is more aggressive so I can see how a team thinks he will end up being the better player. As far as being a Smith type bust, I just don't see it. The top OTs in this draft are so much better and so much more polished than Smith was coming out, it's ridiculous.

 

[V3]

Patience my brethren.

I have found that often times the exact player we don't want turns out to be the best pick of All.


... Then again there are the Tye Hill picks :eek:

I don't find that true at all with the Rams.

 

[V3]

Moving the draft was a HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE decision.

 

[jrry32]

I respect your opinion, but I think you've had an agenda against Lewan for a while, jrry.

I think Matthews is the better OT right now, but I think Lewan is the better run blocker, is more athletic, and is more aggressive so I can see how a team thinks he will end up being the better player. As far as being a Smith type bust, I just don't see it. The top OTs in this draft are so much better and so much more polished than Smith was coming out, it's ridiculous.

I have no agenda. I evaluate every player based on their film. If Lewan had amazing film, I wouldn't give two shits about what he's done off the field...well, I would...but I'd still advocate drafting him.

And Lewan isn't more athletic than Matthews. He is more aggressive...to his detriment. As far as him being the better run blocker, that's arguable.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Aren't there some character concerns with Lewan?

I thought he got in legal trouble recently.

 

[Stranger]

That's what I told myself on the second day of the draft in 2012. The media kept reporting the Rams were going to take Brian Quick. I kept telling myself, "No way, are they going to do this". I desperately wanted them to take Alshon Jeffery or Cordy Glenn. And then reality hit me like a punch in the gut.

I can't promise that I'm right this time if the Rams do end up taking Lewan. But I can promise you that it will hurt just as much as it did in 2012 and will leave me with a very bitter taste in my mouth...especially if things don't workout with Lewan. If they do, great. The Rams called it right and all is right with the world. But man, it just sucks when they get it wrong. Especially you have it right. Was miserable watching the old regime screw up year after year. And I know it's not fair to project that onto the new guys here but after all the misery, as a fan, it's difficult to just let it go.

So yea, the media is getting to me. Especially because I am liking the reports on the Rams less and less as we near draft day.

I'm just going to stay positive and keep my expectations low. That's my plan, and I'm sticking to it