https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2019/04/30/nfl-draft-rams-best-quote-picks-rookies/
Best quote from Rams coaches, GM about every 2019 draft pick
By: Cameron DaSilva
A team never makes a draft pick that it’s not excited about in one way or another. Sure, it might not have been the front office’s ideal target, but every pick is made with some kind of plan. That’s certainly the case for the Los Angeles Rams, whether it’s their top pick Taylor Rapp or their final one, Dakota Allen.
Ideally, all eight of their rookie selections will contribute in 2019, but not every first-year player makes the 53-man roster – especially on a team that just reached the Super Bowl. Les Snead, Sean McVay, Wade Phillips and other coaches think highly of the players brought in during the draft and shared their thoughts about them
Here’s the best thing the Rams have said about each draft pick so far.
McVay on Taylor Rapp
“He’s one of the guys that jumps off the screen,” McVay said on Friday night. “He’s got unbelievable instincts – talk about a guy that has a feel for navigating traffic and being able to make knife tackles as a blitzer. He’s playing in the box – extremely instinctual. And that’s where you just look at the tape, you talk about the short-space quickness. A lot of the things that you love so much about Eric (Weddle) and ‘JJ’ (John Johnson III) – we feel like Taylor (Rapp) has a lot of those similar traits and characteristics.”
McVay on Darrell Henderson
“This had to do with his skill set,” Snead said of why the Rams drafted Henderson. “He was a player that we identified as a unique playmaker. He can obviously so some things as a runner, but the versatility that he provides and some of the things that he can do are what was so enticing about him for us. You see the explosiveness – over eight yards a carry. There’s a lot of good things that you’d seen with what he’s done and his résumé at Memphis. We’re excited to get him in here and get to work and really learn under Todd and Malcolm.”
McVay on David Long
“When you get into David Long, the character is off the charts and he is a guy that has a skillset, the ability to come off and play man coverage, be able to play physical and be able to stay in guys’ back hips and mirror,” McVay said Friday. “You can see he is able cancel routes out as he goes and he just shows up and in a really, really productive defense over the last couple years. This was one of the best corners based off a production standpoint and another guy that loves football.”
Snead on Bobby Evans
“We still needed depth, so that’s where we added Evans tonight. And he’s the guy who’s played right and left tackle for Oklahoma, and as you know, Aaron Kromer – he’s going to slide him in at left guard and right guard, too. So, there’s some versatility there. He’s a really smart and intelligent player there that can learn all four,” Snead said after Day 2.
D-line coach Eric Henderson on Greg Gaines
“The thing you like about Greg is he’s a true grinder,”
Henderson said. “I think he can really help us in run defense up front, being able to take on those double teams and split guys and make plays in the backfield. You’ve gotta have some tough guys inside. Greg provides that toughness for us. We like what he’d be able to bring to the table and be able to help us from a substitution standpoint, staying fresh and being able to really, really help improve our rush defense on first and second down situations.”
Snead on David Edwards
“He did play this year through an injury, you give him credit for that, he was toughing it out, so you go back and watch him play,” he said following Day 3 of the draft. “I know we were talking this morning about how he did well against (Patriots third-round draft choice) Chase Winovich back in the 2017 season. You kind of dig deep and go back to when he was healthy and see what he might be when he is healthy, those types of things are what you try to do.”
Phillips on Nick Scott
“We appreciate you, that’s why we picked you, baby,”
Phillips said on the draft-day call to Scott. “I know you play special teams, but we’re looking forward to you playing safety, too, now. On special teams, you’re great at that. but I think you have a chance to be a great safety, too, so let’s look forward to that.”
Snead on Dakota Allen
“I do know what was really neat going through the process was – the mistake he made at Texas Tech – there were people at Texas Tech who definitely fought for him to get a second chance based on who he was,” Snead said after the draft. “Great phone call today. I think it was one of our favorites because you can tell he was definitely appreciative to get this opportunity. Fun football player to watch. It was one of those situations where Coach (Joe) Barry and Coach ‘Bones’ were on board and we all know how those linebackers are that maybe aren’t starting, they’re covering a lot of kicks for us, hopefully.”
