Rush OLB is now our top need

[jrry32]

Carter ran a 4.46 in the 40 yd dash
Shaquem Griffin ran a 4.38 in the 40 yd dash!

If NFL teams don't wise up, Griffin will be the best value pick of this Draft.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Very doubtful but IF that were to happen Rams do have a strong safety type veteran who may be phased out of his weak side interior LB post. JJ III would shift to the deep/free safety/Nickle post (LJ's position) to fight it out with Blake Countess.

Again If that were to occur that new vacant Strong Safety post would have Marqui Christian, Isaiah Johnson & just maybe that displaced LB'er Mark Barron (who by the way started @ safety every game he played in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons for Bama. A two-time first-team All-American...three-time All-SEC Selection playing safety. Started 42 NFL games @ safety until game 4 2015 when he started @ WSLB'er in the 43 D.

Rams had a problem with Barron as we know with injuries playing up so close to that traffic & fighting off those big offensive linemen. Knee/Shoulder/Thumb & Achilles were all very big issues. There is some 3 million in dead money involved in the cut of Barron in the future. Barron is over 6-2 & goes between 220-225 looks like the average NFL SS to me.

If they do not release Mark Barron & they do not resign Joyner don't be surprise that they go to Barron @ SS to help beef up that weak run defense.

This would certainly solve a problem, if Joyner leaves. Maybe that is why we haven't heard anything about his potential release, other than speculation. He could drop a few ponds to increase speed. He would still be a hammer but have less contact with the OLine.

 

[BonifayRam]

DERRICK NNADI
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2018/profiles/derrick-nnadi?id=2559812

Draft Projection Round 4

Nnadi has the physical tools to play in one or two-gap schemes and has NFL starting ability.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Is it just me or are there a number of players that could fit our needs near the top of the draft... not sure that means we have a ton of holes or that the draft just shapes up to work out for us in its makeup this year. Prob somewhere in between.

 

[Merlin]

Is it just me or are there a number of players that could fit our needs near the top of the draft... not sure that means we have a ton of holes or that the draft just shapes up to work out for us in its makeup this year. Prob somewhere in between.

It's not just you, and it's not just the top of the draft either. The Rams' needs just happen to line up nicely with the strengths of this draft throughout. They will sign some filler JAG types for some of the positions pre-draft, and some of their own key FAs, maybe even a big addition from outside, but what is great is they can go with the strengths of this draft and fill needs while getting high value.

The only need that lines up with a $#!T position is OT. Tackles are a damn mess man. I like some of them of course (like Miller for example) but they'll be overdrafted due to the weakness of the position (like WR) and there's not really great options for the blindside spot. This is why the Rams will go after LT next year IMO.

 

[HX76]

Can the Rams get Marcus DAVENPORT?

 

[Mackeyser]

Watch Derrick Nnadi. Trust me. He stacks up double teams, can shed single blocks, and bulls interior OLs into the QB's face. Doesn't have a ton of speed and explosiveness, but he's strong as an ox with heavy hands and a low center of gravity.

I did and really liked what I saw. He's a step down from Vea and Settle, imho (I don't consider Payne a 3-4 NT), but I liked what I saw from Nnandi.

I didn't like PJ. He had two games against decent competition where he makes 1-2 solid plays, usually in stacked formations like goal line, but otherwise, he wasn't an issue. Which is crazy, because stopping the run in goalline situations is about the hardest thing for a NT to do.

But anyway, I could see us getting Nnandi in the 5th or 6th if they go that route.

We never know who's gonna fall that reorients our draft strategy... like say Billy Price has actually fallen to 23. Not likely, but possible. Ask the Cowboys how much difference Travis Frederick made. I can't see Snead passing on him. So, the draft day unknowns make this time of year pretty intriguing. I could see the draft playing out almost all offense at the top even as we are emphasizing defense.

Sometimes it just plays out that way.

 

[BonifayRam]

The only need that lines up with a $#!T position is OT. Tackles are a damn mess man. I like some of them of course (like Miller for example) but they'll be overdrafted due to the weakness of the position (like WR) and there's not really great options for the blindside spot. This is why the Rams will go after LT next year IMO.

Yep the OT is very weak but its been like that for a while now. I was watching the combine & I was hearing that teams who need OT's are even looking at the over 6-5 330 pound bad boy LG Quenton Nelson as a possible OT prospect since this draft class is so pathetic. He is the highest rated LG I can recall in over a decade.:shocked:

 

[jrry32]

I did and really liked what I saw. He's a step down from Vea and Settle, imho (I don't consider Payne a 3-4 NT), but I liked what I saw from Nnandi.

I didn't like PJ. He had two games against decent competition where he makes 1-2 solid plays, usually in stacked formations like goal line, but otherwise, he wasn't an issue. Which is crazy, because stopping the run in goalline situations is about the hardest thing for a NT to do.

But anyway, I could see us getting Nnandi in the 5th or 6th if they go that route.

We never know who's gonna fall that reorients our draft strategy... like say Billy Price has actually fallen to 23. Not likely, but possible. Ask the Cowboys how much difference Travis Frederick made. I can't see Snead passing on him. So, the draft day unknowns make this time of year pretty intriguing. I could see the draft playing out almost all offense at the top even as we are emphasizing defense.

Sometimes it just plays out that way.

I doubt Nnadi lasts that long. I also don't expect us to draft Price in Round 1 due to the torn pec.

 

[Merlin]

Yep the OT is very weak but its been like that for a while now. I was watching the combine & I was hearing that teams who need OT's are even looking at the over 6-5 330 pound bad boy LG Quenton Nelson as a possible OT prospect since this draft class is so pathetic. He is the highest rated LG I can recall in over a decade.:shocked:

I haven't really looked at a lot of his cutups simply because we know he won't be there for us. So I'm sure he's amazing and all, but in general for myself an interior OL would have to be insanely good to consider in round one, would have to be very special.

Just a philosophy I have man. I know Dallas rewrote the script with the Center impact high in the draft, which for the time they did it was pretty radical, but in the massive list of interior types the best ones aren't necessarily the early guys. It's not like, say, LT, where you gotta go after them in the first two rounds statistically.

 

[BonifayRam]

I haven't really looked at a lot of his cutups simply because we know he won't be there for us. So I'm sure he's amazing and all, but in general for myself an interior OL would have to be insanely good to consider in round one, would have to be very special.

Just a philosophy I have man. I know Dallas rewrote the script with the Center impact high in the draft, which for the time they did it was pretty radical, but in the massive list of interior types the best ones aren't necessarily the early guys. It's not like, say, LT, where you gotta go after them in the first two rounds statistically.

Rams will need to find a starting LG to work on the blind side with the NFL oldest starting LT. Rodger Saffold will demand @ least a 4 yr 40 mil contract or better. He may want Norwell's $$$ if he makes the Pro Bowl in 2018 5yr 60 mil range. So IF a OG like a left LG Quenton Nelson were to fall to us it would make perfect sense to invest in protecting your highest valued player Goff.

I also have no issue with spending some cap $$$ on a interior starting OL'er now to avoid the mess next yr at this time. It take some time to stew a rookie OL'er for the NFL. More than likely both James Daniels & Isaiah Wynn will be available for us @ #23 if they desire an interior OL'er bad enough both fit the Kromer system.

 

[Merlin]

Rams will need to find a starting LG to work on the blind side with the NFL oldest starting LT. Rodger Saffold will demand @ least a 4 yr 40 mil contract or better. He may want Norwell's $$$ if he makes the Pro Bowl in 2018 5yr 60 mil range. So IF a OG like a left LG Quenton Nelson were to fall to us it would make perfect sense to invest in protecting your highest valued player Goff.

I also have no issue with spending some cap $$$ on a interior starting OL'er now to avoid the mess next yr at this time. It take some time to stew a rookie OL'er for the NFL. More than likely both James Daniels & Isaiah Wynn will be available for us @ #23 if they desire an interior OL'er bad enough both fit the Kromer system.

Yeah and if they go OL all I can say is I'll accept and understand why they did it. But I think it will be a mistake to pass on an impact defender there at 23. Now, if there's a mad run on defense, well, guess we'll get OL or TE or maybe a WR. But I doubt that happens, what with the continued focus on scoring in this league. I think CB will go like crazy round one, probably gonna have like 6 drafted in that round. But Rams will still be lookin at insane defensive value IMO.

 

[Akrasian]

Yeah and if they go OL all I can say is I'll accept and understand why they did it. But I think it will be a mistake to pass on an impact defender there at 23. Now, if there's a mad run on defense, well, guess we'll get OL or TE or maybe a WR. But I doubt that happens, what with the continued focus on scoring in this league. I think CB will go like crazy round one, probably gonna have like 6 drafted in that round. But Rams will still be lookin at insane defensive value IMO.

Yeah, I would hope they would go for top value at a position of need - and if there is someone at a position of little need who is the best value, they would find a slight trade down. It doesn't always work out that way - but that would likely be best for the Rams. But so long as they stick to their value chart, it should all be fine.

 

[tbux]

You NEVER pick for need unless you have to. For the first time in years- we are in position to pick best player on the board of position of need. We need secondary, LB, Oline- so I think you take best player avail or trade back or up depending. Don't reach- and I don't think we will.

 

[Adi]

This defense doesn' work without great edge rush.

Tamba hali might be available, I know there were some issues with him last season . He still has gas in the tank and always set the edge .
Does wade see someone in the draft that he likes? Shane Ray had alot of sacks as a rookie in Denver and look what he did with an aging demarcus ware.
I can't wait to see what happens

 

[Merlin]

Can the Rams get Marcus DAVENPORT?

What I don't like about Davenport is fit, where I wonder how he'd do in space as a 3-4 OLB. When I watch him he looks moreso like a 4-3 DE who has enough natural skills to blindside but is also big and physical enough to line up on the left. He's probably going to be taken by a 4-3 team IMO and well before 23, but if he's there and the Rams feel like he can do it, he's probably the pick because the dude is a physical freak type (4.58 forty at 6'6" nearly 260 :eek who should go top 15ish.

What I love about him is he showed up at the Senior Bowl and competed, first off, where some guys like my favorite OLB Lorenzo Carter opted not too grr. Then come game time he showed well, and made plays showing he belongs.

But again he's gonna go real high. He should at least. But then again there's so many guys you can say that about on the defensive side of the ledger that maybe one of them ends up at our spot. Exciting stuff.

 

[DaveFan'51]

3 or 4

Mid-Late 2'nd round ?

Between these two guesses, I think Jrry32's is correct! At least I was guessing 3rd round! JMHO!

 

[Riverumbbq]

Between these two guesses, I think Jrry32's is correct! At least I was guessing 3rd round! JMHO!

I've got him in the 3'd in my mock, but he's done a lot to help himself lately, i've seen some mocks recently with him going in the 2'nd, and that was before the Combine. 3'rd round does seem more likely to me now though.

https://www.draftsite.com/mydraftsite/jsc4820/nfl/mock-draft/2018/

 

[Merlin]

I've got him in the 3'd in my mock, but he's done a lot to help himself lately, i've seen some mocks recently with him going in the 2'nd, and that was before the Combine. 3'rd round does seem more likely to me now though.

https://www.draftsite.com/mydraftsite/jsc4820/nfl/mock-draft/2018/

Interesting mock there River, and I can get waaaay behind that one lol. Guy like Evans under Wade's scheme would be outstanding, as he can do a bit of everything.