Looking at what we have gotten done in FA this year. i am still impressed with what we did with under $40 mil. to spend. Brought in 12 players. We didn't go out and break the bank to sign all the big names, yet we addressed needs and after looking over it, I noticed that we also addressed every unit on the team.
2 OL - Whitworth, Sullivan
1 RB - Dunbar
1 QB - Murray
1 WR - Woods
1 TE - Travis Wilson
1 DL - Walker
2 LB - Conner, Thompson
2 DB - Webster, NRC
1 ST's - Andrew East
That is a pretty amazing accomplishment considering we had under $4omil to spend. And not everyone of them are going to start, but the depth is also important. East will probably not last past training camp. But the rest of these guys are going to provide veteran leadership and depth across a team that has been known to be the youngest in the league.

Plenty of work yet to do but damn I applaud KD, Snead and McVay for looking at and finding guys to help every single unit on the team. We are in good hands.

Let's get started....with what we know....and this is all mine...

TRADE
I'm getting Trumaine Johnson and his contract outta here! Who takes him? Give me a McVay type player or pick....a vet....we settle for Tru to whoever....and our 5th (149) in 2017 for a 4th (108)....hell....anyone...but I'll say for these purposes.....Cleveland.....reunite this man with his old DC....
With that
2nd 37
Jarrad Davis-ILB

Yep.....wide receiver this....tight end that....Let's get a tone setter. A high character guy...Straight outta....wherever....You guys want his highlight vid? You wanna see him play? Ask in the comments. BPA here...with a need....We end all this Barron at ILB talk...Right now...and put this guy in there with Tree.

3rd-69
Kevin King-CB

Hey, I can dream right? I don't know if he falls....Hell, he could go round 1....but this is MY MOCK!!! MINE! ALL MINE!!! Oops...King had 22 pbu's...that's pass break ups...22..in ONE season....

4th-101 (via trade for Tru)
Ahkello Witherspoon-CB

Still dreaming....maybe....I think this guy has 11 pbu's....or it could be switched...he could have 22...and King 11...oh well....This is becoming a passing league. No matter how proficient your rush, you must have cover corners...we'll worry about the tackling later. I saw both of these guys and I think they are the best in the country at what they do.

4th-112
Jermaine Eluemunor-OT err, Antonio Garcia

Hey, Whitworth isn't playing 6-7 more years like Tom "I'm so perfect, I eat avocado ice-cream" Brady....Geez...I liked him better when he was destroying his phone like a common criminal. So, we gotta draft his replacement. I actually like Garcia here from Troy....in fact....My Mock...MINE!!!! sorry....I really liked this guy on some clips I saw..then watched him at the senior bowl For all you future mockers/scouts, watch the way a small school guy competes at the senior bowl....Fisher had that correct, he just didn't know what he was seeing. It's why I think Zay Jones is pretty special...and why I also like Kupp...Back to Garcia...he plays with an attitude. Learning from one of the best can only help his game.

4th- 141
Jon Toth-OC

I battled with Roullier....I did...He's heavy on the bottom....Nice ankles...Hey, that's how I picked my wife...don't laugh! I said don't laugh Dave! You either old school!!! What, you're laughing at me too, Boni? I thought we were boys???? LOL Chase Roullier is a baller, but his lack of competition scares me...especially in such a physical position...I like linemen from the SEC...Toth is a genius....He's a mechanical engineer....He's a 4 year starter at center...in the SEC....he faced Adams from Auburn, Allen from Bama, and Brantley from Florida....He'll learn from Sullivan and replace him if his back starts acting up...Trust me, backs act up all the time...Oh yeah, I'm also really high on JJ Dielman...I actually think he could start as a rookie if healthy..Smart, team captain type...Two drawbacks in my book, the Lisfranc injury, and he only played center for 1 year...actually 6 or 7 games....then hurt his foot. Yeah...I'd put him through the 3 month MRI...if he didn't go crazy, I'd risk a 4th on him...

This is a Fisher/Snead trait...double dipping....but these are different positions but same group.,..I like doing that as well...

5th -149
BPA WR/S (FS too)

Mack Hollins-WR

I really have a bunch of wr's I'd take here...all are matchup height, speed nightmares....with nice hands. 5th round means they'll probably need refinement of routes. Hollins is a high production type guy with vertical ability up the ying yang( 17 or 18 ypc) . Believe it or not, I noticed him while watching his teammate...a lil slot wr...Switzer or something...He's bad too (that means good)..I think th QB from UNC can turn into something...Serious athlete. Oh well

6th- 189
I want and edge rusher.....Any of those Youngstown State guys....#11....or Bashlam from Ohio.......How do you say his name again? Damn Dell laptop!!!!
Ok.....we back....I knew it was somebody I wanted here...
Dylan Donahue -OLB....W. Georgia.....I also like Ukeme Eligwe- OLB....He was part of a very good FCS defense the last 2 seasons. I think most of this defense transferred down here...Ok, last but not least...Ifeadi Odenigbo....he's a DE outta N.Western...yeah, that school...so, in a stacked defensive draft...I wanna go defense early, late, and often.


7th - 234

David Jones - FS

I like a good small school story....Love one actually.

Hey, I wanted to add somebody Snead looked at closely. Plus, my computer is freezing up...ahahahhahah, LOL!

Comments, critques, and suggestions are always welcome! Too nice, and I'm off to the booty thread!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...-policy-tested-arm-wrestling-event/100206930/

What happens in Vegas ... NFL gambling policy tested by arm-wrestling event
Jarrett Bell , USA TODAY Sports



Nearly three dozen NFL players are in Las Vegas this weekend for a competition that classically captures the macho spirit of football: Arm wrestling.

Dubbed the inaugural “Pro Football Arm Wrestling Championship” — with heavyweight and light heavyweight crowns in play — it’s a made-for-TV deal, to air on CBS over two weekends later this spring.

But arm wrestlers beware. Roger Goodell and Co, lurk for a strong-arm takedown.

That the event is being staged at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino has captured the attention of the suits at NFL headquarters on Park Avenue. The NFL’s gambling policy, of course, prohibits players from appearing at casinos as part of promotional events.

According to the NFL, players participating in this specific event — without pre-approval — are in violation of the gambling policy and subject to discipline.

“Had we been asked in advance if this was acceptable, we would have indicated that it was in direct violation of the gambling policy,” Joe Lockhart, the NFL’s executive vice president for communications and public affairs, told USA TODAY Sports. “No one sought pre-approval.”

Uh-oh.

With discipline perhaps coming in the form of a fine, the stage may be set for another skirmish between flamboyant Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison and his friends in New York.

Harrison, a vocal critic of Goodell who has had a series of differences with the NFL over a range of issues, is coaching one of the teams in the event. His counterpart is Marshawn Lynch, the free-spirited running back who received permission from the Seattle Seahawks this week to visit the Oakland Raiders as he contemplates coming out of retirement.

Other notable participants: Miami Dolphins receiver Kenny Stills, San Francisco 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman, Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey, Raiders punter Marquette King and defensive end Mario Edwards, and New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung.

And what event at a casino would be complete without the presence of a guy nicknamed, “Lucky,” as in Dallas Cowboys receiver Lucky Whitehead.

“This is great exposure for all involved,” said Alan Brickman, co-owner of the California-based company, Encinal Entertainment, that is putting on the show.

In addition to funneling half of the $100,000 in first-place prize money to charity, with the Give Back Foundation charged to support foundations in the players’ names, Brickman sells the TV package as a chance “to get to know the players behind the scenes.”

Interestingly, Brickman disputes the contention that pre-approval wasn’t sought from the NFL. He told USA TODAY Sports that, beginning in January, he engaged with two different departments within the league and tried to strike a deal to include the NFL as a partner with the event.

Obviously, the NFL didn’t sign up. Yet Brickman maintains that during communication with the league, guidelines were suggested that included showing no images during the broadcast of any gambling-related activities or any alcohol. He said the power was turned off on gambling machines in the vicinity of the events being taped.

“With a team coming here, I’m sure they’re branding it as a family destination,” Brickman said from Las Vegas on Friday night.

In the big picture, the arm wrestling event is a fresh test of the mettle of the NFL’s gambling policy.

Remember, two years ago the league essentially shut down a fantasy football convention that was connected to then-Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, warning players of fines and/or suspensions if they participated in the event in Las Vegas that wasn’t even to be actually held at a casino — although it was to be staged at a venue owned by a casino, Sands.

It would have been consistent with the Romo case for the NFL to try to squash the arm wrestling, too. But apparently, there was some communication breakdown as league officials insist that they were unaware of the event until the middle of this week.

In any event, as it stands now, even with the Oakland Raiders formally approved last month for a move to Las Vegas in 2020, the NFL is hardly relaxing a gambling policy that prohibits association with casinos or other gambling establishments.

“We did not change any of our gambling policies in the context of the Raiders relocation,” Goodell said in late March, as the NFL owners meetings wrapped up in Phoenix. “It wasn’t necessary and the Raiders didn’t ask us to do that. We don’t see changing our current policies.”

The NFL has a long history of opposing gambling, particularly sports books, which is why any association with casinos is frowned upon. Yet there’s seemingly a much grayer area in play now, with the Raiders headed to Las Vegas.

A few years ago, the NFL would have never dreamed of putting franchise in the gambling capital of the USA. But times change, and the Raiders move is fueled by the type of cash that always gets the NFL’s attention — $750 million in public funds to build a stadium.

As the Raiders situation progressed, several NFL owners told me that they were not concerned about gambling influences in Las Vegas, given how technology and the spread of casinos has many teams in proximity to such establishments. The league, after all, stages games in London, which has casinos.

Las Vegas, though, is gambling on steroids, so to speak. Moving into a market where gambling is the major industry could force the NFL to constantly re-establish its resolve against such a backdrop.

As Goodell acknowledged, “That is a major risk for us. We have to make sure that we continue to stay focused on making sure that everyone has full confidence that what you see on the field is not influenced by any outside factors. That is our No. 1 concern. That goes to what I consider the integrity of the game. We will not relent on that.”

It might be a stretch to associate an event such as the arm wrestling competition as a threat to the integrity of NFL games, but this is about optics.

Yet with the NFL planting a flag in Las Vegas, there will surely be more events like the arm wrestling championships at casinos and related properties, looking to connect with the NFL.

For example, shortly after the Raiders move was approved, a Nevada brothel owner revealed a plan to open a Raiders-themed brothel. That prompted a question to Goodell about whether special policies will be needed for the Raiders in Las Vegas. He seemed to have an open mind. Sort of.

“We have policies in place now and obviously we’ll continue to evaluate those policies,” he said. “If we think something specific needs to be done in Las Vegas, or any changes to our policy, we obviously retain the right to do that. We will continue to look at that.”

In other words, what happens in Vegas doesn’t necessarily stay in Vegas. It resonates on Park Avenue, too.

First he says you can't win an NCAA title with three white guys on the team. Nevermind that his son flopped that night and went 4-10 from the field and jacked up 6 three pointers and only made one and had 4 turnovers.

And he wants a 1BIL (yes billion) dollar shoe deal for the three of them. LOL yeah sure.

He runs his mouth nonstop and says really stupid shit.....that is not helping his kids. Parents like this irk me, I wish his dick would fall off.

I've never seen an athlete with a parent like this succeed in pro sports. If I was an NBA GM I think I would be afraid to draft him.

And what's with the stupid ass names he gave all thre of his sons? WTF was he thinking? Lonzo? LiAngelo? LaMelo? Are you high motherfucker?

This is an interesting time as many of the league's premier QB's are getting close to retirement. In many regards, "the face of the league" is changing fast.

Roethlisberger, E Manning, Brees, Brady, C Palmer are all on the doorstep. P Manning and T Romo just retired. Alex Smith, Flacco, and Rodgers are all 32 or older.

It doesn't feel like the inbound crops are keeping up... but I guess that might not be an accurate thing to say?

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...arterbacks-react-if-replacements-are-drafted/

How will aging franchise quarterbacks react if replacements are drafted?

It’s no surprise that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger decided not to retire and, in turn, not to pay back $18.6 million in unearned bonus money to the team. It won’t be a surprise if the Steelers use a first- or second-round pick on Roethlisberger’s eventual replacement.

With Roethlisberger openly musing about walking away, the Steelers need to be prepared for the inevitable, whether it comes in one year, two years, or three. Indeed, more than a decade ago the Packers picked Aaron Rodgers in round one, and he sat on the bench for a full three seasons before becoming the successor to Brett Favre, after Brett Favre made his annual retirement ruminations a tradition truly unlike any other.

But the Steelers aren’t the only team with a franchise quarterback that may be kicking tires on incoming signal-callers. The Giants are thinking about life after Eli Manning, the Chargers are thinking about life after Philip Rivers, and the Saints are thinking about life after Drew Brees. So what will any of these guys have to say, publicly or privately, if it comes to that?

Brees recently addressed that possibility in balanced, even-handed terms.

“f I’m going to start and that quarterback sits, well that’s not helping our team right now,” Brees said recently, via the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “So, I want somebody who’s going to help our team right now. That’s the only difference.

“When I leave here, I want this organization to be successful — whenever that is — so I want them to be prepared for that. They need to be thinking about that, but then again, I don’t want to make it seem like this is my farewell tour. That’s not the way I view it.”

Will Roethlisberger, Manning, and Rivers be quite as diplomatic if/when they see a pick that could be used on helping the team win now devoted to the future? Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has taken the high road (as far as anyone knows) when his team has used relatively early picks on quarterbacks, with two spent on third-rounders and one on a second-rounder since 2011.

The Patriots have been actively adding guys like Ryan Mallett, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Jacoby Brissett even though Brady has never talked about retiring. If anything, Brady remains committed to playing as long as he possibly can.

For now, Roethlisberger is the only franchise quarterback at the other end of the spectrum, broaching the subject of retirement not long after the season ended and waiting until April to declare that he’s coming back. While no one took that vow seriously as it relates to a 2017 retirement, the Steelers and everyone else need to take things seriously.

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angele...r-defense-what-should-be-the-rams-draft-focus
http://es.pn/2nKxPFf

LOS ANGELES -- The offense lacks impact talent, but includes several developing young players. The defense has plenty of talent, but not enough quality players under team control beyond the 2017 season. And that prompts an interesting question: Where should the Los Angeles Rams steer their focus in the upcoming draft, which is less than three weeks away?

It's easy to make either case.

The Rams' shortcomings on offense are obvious. The Rams were dead last in yards each of the last two seasons and have ranked within the bottom eight in scoring during eight of the last 10 seasons. They drafted a quarterback (Jared Goff) first overall in 2016 and a running back (Todd Gurley) 10th overall in 2015. Conventional wisdom would tell you that the Rams need to load up on pieces that will bring out the best in both of them.

But the Rams drafted seven offensive linemen from 2014 to '15, six of whom remain on the roster. Last year, four of their five picks after Goff went to pass-catchers -- Tyler Higbee, Pharoh Cooper, Temarrick Hemingway and Mike Thomas, respectively.

The Rams haven't drafted a defensive player higher than the sixth round in the last two years and have recently stomached the departure of key starters, particularly in their secondary. Free safety Rodney McLeod and cornerback Janoris Jenkins left via free agency last offseason. Strong safety T.J. McDonald left this offseason. And now the Rams are staring at a daunting list of players scheduled to be unrestricted free agents next offseason.

It includes their top linebacker (Alec Ogletree), their primary cornerback (Trumaine Johnson), their new strong safety (Maurice Alexander), their slot corner and potential free safety (Lamarcus Joyner), their potential No. 2 corner (E.J. Gaines), their new outside linebacker (Connor Barwin), their backup safety (Cody Davis) and three backup defensive linemen (Dominique Easley, Ethan Westbrooks and Tyrunn Walker).

The Rams need more young, quality depth throughout their defense, but they badly need weapons on offense, too. They will only have one selection within the first 68 picks, but still have a total of eight, five of which will come within the third and sixth rounds. The draft is deep on receivers and tight ends, but it's also deep on corners and safeties. As Rams general manager Les Snead said: "It’s definitely deep at a few positions that we need."

Rams coaches recently turned in their reports on draft prospects. During the next few weeks, they'll go over them with Snead and his scouting staff, at which point the Rams will begin to assemble their draft board. The Rams' first selection is 37th overall, the fifth pick of the second round. They have been linked to an assortment of players at every position except quarterback and running back. But here, for simplicity's sake, we'll zero in on receivers, tight ends, cornerbacks and safeties.

Below is a look at 10 intriguing ones, listed in alphabetical order.

S Budda Baker (Washington): Baker was first-team All Pac-12 in 2015 and 2016. He brings a lot of energy and explosiveness, with solid ball skills. At 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, Baker might be a little bit undersized as a safety, making it difficult for him to cover tight ends. But Baker can work as a roaming free safety, which the Rams could use. Even if Joyner does lock down the free safety position, he would probably return to his duties as a slot corner in nickel packages.

CB Gareon Conley (Ohio State): Conley, 6-foot and 195 pounds, was second-team All Big Ten as a junior in 2016, a season that included four interceptions and eight pass breakups. His size and length would no doubt be appealing to the Rams. Conley is good in press coverage and can make up ground quickly, but hasn't looked very comfortable in off-man coverage. He has drawn comparisons to Aqib Talib, and he might not be available to the Rams at 37.

TE Evan Engram (Mississippi): Engram led FBS tight ends with 926 receiving yards as a senior, with 138 of those yards coming in a near-upset over Alabama. The 6-foot-3, 234-pound Engram ran a 4.42-second 40-yard dash at the combine, the fastest by anyone at his position since 2010. Some consider him too small for tight end, others too slow for receiver. But he can make an make an impact on an offense that heavily utilizes tight ends in its passing attack, as Sean McVay is prone to do.

CB Marlon Humphrey (Alabama): A redshirt freshman for a deep Crimson Tide team in 2014, Humphrey started every game in 2015 and garnered Freshman All-SEC honors for a team that won the national championship. He followed with a couple of interceptions and five pass breakups in 2016. Humphrey, 6 foot and 197 pounds, might be a little raw in some areas, but has the ability and athleticism to make up for some of that. He's also a vicious hitter.

CB Adoree' Jackson (USC): An avid Rams fan who grew up near St. Louis, Jackson is one of the best athletes in this draft. As a freshman he was a starter at cornerback and receiver, ultimately named a Freshman All-American and the Pac-12 Defensive Rookie of the Year. In 2015, he was a first-team All-Pac 12 defensive back. In 2016, he won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best college defensive back. Jackson, 5-10 and 186 pounds, has some size concerns, but has the blazing speed to make an impact right away, in coverage and as a returner.

WR Zay Jones (East Carolina): Jones owns the FBS record for career receptions (399) and was second in the nation with 1,746 receiving yards as a senior. He’s 6-2 and 200 pounds with average speed, but an elite ability to make contested catches. Jones spent his first three years playing primarily in the slot, then moved to the outside and put up good numbers. His full name is Isaiah Avery Jones.

S Obi Melifonwu (Connecticut): Melifonwu is big and athletic at 6-4 and 224 pounds, with the ability to cover tight ends and dish out big hits. But he still needs to develop overall in coverage. Melifonwu was a four-year starter at UConn and was first-team All-America Athletic Conference as a senior in 2016 with four interceptions, three pass breakups and 2 1/2 tackles for a loss.


WR John Ross (Washington): The Rams desperately need the kind of speed that can take the top off opposing defenses, and Ross brings that. The question is whether he will fall to them after seeing his stock soar with a record 4.22 40-yard dash at the combine. Ross, who is 5-10 and 188 pounds, brings some injury concerns. He missed the 2015 season with a torn ACL and was scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery this past March. In between, though, Ross had 1,150 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns, second-most in Pac-12 history.

WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (USC): Smith-Schuster left school with a year of eligibility remaining and scored 10 touchdowns in each of the last two seasons, totaling 159 catches for 2,368 yards. Smith-Schuster got off to a slow start last year, but took off after Sam Darnold became USC's starting quarterback. He turned 20 on Nov. 22 and was the youngest invitee to the combine. At 6-1 and 215 pounds, he would bring some much-needed size and physicality to the Rams.

CB Tre’Davious White (LSU): White was an All-SEC selection last year, with a couple of interceptions and a team-high 14 pass breakups. At 5-11 and 192 pounds, White has the ability to stick with receivers for extended stretches. He might lack the physicality in run support and might need help as a tackler, but he'll be fine against most NFL receivers in man coverage. Not too many in this draft can say that.

I've made it clear where I stand on Kupp. He's my guy if I'm choosing a WR in the second round. Here's how the rest of the draft could play out.
Trade
Rams trade Round 2 Pick #5
Broncos trade Round 2 Pick #19 and Round 3 Pick #37

I heard a rumor that the Broncos like Evan Engram. They also need to address the OL. It's possible that they draft Engram at #20 and trade up to the top of the second for an OL or vice versa.

NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #19 - Cooper Kupp WR Eastern Washington
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Summary: Kupp owns every major career receiving record across all divisions of college football. He's a four-year starter who has averaged 107 catches for 1616 yards and 18 TDs per year. In 4 games against the Pac-12 during his career, Kupp produced 40 catches for 716 receiving yards and 11 receiving TDs. As a sophomore against Washington, Kupp caught a 41 yard TD against Marcus Peters in man, a 7 yard TD against Marcus Peters in zone, a 27 yard TD against Bubba Baker in man, and 15 to 20 yard catch against Kevin King in man in a game where he posted 8 catches for 145 yards and 3 TDs. On the field, Kupp is extremely technically sound. His route running is advanced for a college WR, and his releases against press are gorgeous. I could nitpick a minor thing or two in his route running that will improve at the next level, but you can tell that he's a guy who works very hard at his craft. Even still, I'd say the strongest part of his game is his hands. He catches almost everything. When he doesn't make a spectacular catch, you want to mark it down as a drop because he usually makes it look so easy. What are the negatives? He's "only" 6'2" 204 pounds and runs a 4.62 40. However, he posted a 4.08 short shuttle and a 6.75 three cone drill, which are highly impressive for a guy his size. It's easy to see that burst, agility, and change of direction ability in his game. Some of you might say, "We have enough slot WRs." I don't care. Whether Kupp plays split end, flanker, or in the slot, he's going to get open, he's going to catch the ball, and he's going to find the end-zone. Let's hope he's doing that for us.

Round 3 Pick #5 - DeMarcus Walker DE Florida State
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Summary: Walker's stock is hurt because he's a tweener who only fits in certain schemes. Walker doesn't have ideal size and strength for a 2-gap 3-4 defense and doesn't have the edge speed to be an ideal 4-3 DE. The reality is that Walker fits best in the NFL as a 3-technique, but he's undersized (6'4" 280) for that role. This is to our benefit because he fits perfectly as a LDE in Wade's 1-gap 3-4 defense. Walker posted 68 tackles 21.5 TFLs, and 16 sacks as a senior at FSU. He did the most damage while playing inside. Walker's burst off the ball, ability to get skinny through gaps, polished hand use, and diverse set of pass rush moves make him very difficult to handle when facing off against interior OLs. Walker has a motor that runs hot when he's not fatigued and alpha dog attitude on defense. He's an emotional leader type who leaves it all on the field. He has a diverse set of rush moves and counters along with a powerful punch. Walker also shows the ability to stack and shed blocks in the run game when he plays with leverage. However, Walker needs to be more consistent with his pad level, as OLs can drive him off the ball when he doesn't maintain leverage. As stated earlier, Walker also lacks the juice and bend to win the corner off the edge. He's much more dangerous inside where he can burst through gaps.

Round 3 Pick #37 - Jourdan Lewis CB Michigan
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Summary: With Lewis getting arrested for domestic violence, it seems likely that he'll fall further than he should. After reading about the circumstances preceding his arrest and considering his track record, I think it's pretty flimsy. As a player, Lewis is a tenacious competitor who makes up for his lack of height (5'10" 188) and elite long speed (4.54 40) with sticky cover skills, fluid hips, and extremely quick feet. Lewis camps out in the hip pocket of the WR. He's constantly challenging passes at the catch point, he displays polished footwork, and he uses his hands well while pressing. Despite his short stature, he's a highly effective press CB because of his quick feet, long arms (relative to his size), feisty nature, patient approach, and sound technical skill. I think Lewis is an outstanding fit in our scheme because he possesses the versatility to play both in the slot and outside the numbers. He can be our Chris Harris Jr. I think Wade will highly value Lewis's skill-set, and he seems to be getting underrated as people get caught up on the measurables of CBs who don't cover like Lewis does.

Round 4 Pick #5 - Chase Roullier C/OG Wyoming
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Summary: I stumbled onto Roullier late, but I really like this kid. As I said before, I like his skill-set for our scheme more than I do Pocic's and Elflein's. He's exactly what Kromer wants. Despite coming from Wyoming (small school), Roullier is a well-coached player exiting a pro style offense (his HC, Craig Bohl, was Carson Wentz's HC). Roullier spent his first two years as a starter at LG before moving over to Center this year. At 6'4" 312, Roullier fits what Kromer looks for in his interior OLs. Roullier is a strong player at the POA with the lower body strength, leg drive, and nastiness to move guys out of the way. Roullier does an excellent job of staying on his blocks and playing through the whistle. He displays sound technical skill and quality body control while blocking on the move. As a pass protector, Roullier shows nimble feet, sound footwork, polished hand usage, and a strong base. Roullier's weaknesses are his lack of experience at Center, his short arms, and his balance in pass protection. Roullier needs to do a better job of adjusting to stunts and twists. He also needs to get used to playing in the Center spot, as he lost his footing due to the bodies around him too often this year. All in all, Roullier is a quality all around player who fits our scheme and has few true weaknesses.

Round 4 Pick #35 - George Kittle TE Iowa
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Summary: George Kittle is one of the most interesting guys in this class. He was unheralded going into the Combine out of Iowa. He had solid production as a pass catcher in college but nothing eye popping (other than his yards per catch average). At the Combine, the 6'4" 247 pound Kittle surprised a lot of people by running a 4.52 40 and posting incredible jump numbers for a man his size. However, Kittle is more than just an athlete. What separates Kittle from your typical athletic project is that Kittle is a phenomenal blocking TE. Kirk Ferentz puts out a lot of polished TEs and OLs from Iowa. Kittle is another guy cut from that cloth as a blocker. He is a tenacious run blocker who uses his athleticism, body control, polished technique, and quality strength to create lanes in the run game and take his defender out of the play. Kittle plays through the whistle as a blocker and looks to bury his man. As a pass catcher, he's still developing as a route runner, but he has shown that he has the athleticism, YAC skills, and hands to be a factor.

Round 5 Pick #5 - Avery Moss OLB Youngstown State
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Summary: I'm surprised that Moss isn't getting more hype. Moss has some character red flags in his background (from his time at Nebraska) and is a raw pass rusher. However, Moss's physical talent stands out. At 6'3" 265, Moss possesses 34.5" arms and large hands. He has a vicious punch and great lower body power. He was able to overpower a lot of college OLs. He mainly relied on bullrushes and the dip and rip in college. His pass rush moves and hand usage are very unrefined. That's really too bad because he has the punch, length, and power to be a very disruptive pass rusher if he figures out how to use his hands better and attack OTs strategically. Moss needs to learn how to attack the half-man and use his punch/arm length to soften the edge. Moss did show the ability to explode off the line out of a two-point stance in college and some ability to drop into coverage. Additionally, he is a dominant run defender at times. He throws OTs around in the run game and generally plays with good leverage as a run defender. His ability to stack and shed is quite great. He has a nasty arm-over swim move that earns him a number of early wins as a run defender. However, he is an inconsistent run defender because his instincts and positioning are underdeveloped. He needs to do a better job of finding the ball and placing himself in the right spot. He too often allows himself to be pinned inside when he's supposed to set the edge.

Round 6 Pick #5 - Blair Brown ILB Ohio
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Summary: At 5'11" 240, Brown isn't the size you expected a 3-4 ILB to typically be. However, Brown plays with total reckless abandon in the run game. When he sees it, he attacks. It doesn't matter who is standing between him and the ball carrier. Brown has no problem attacking fullbacks, tight ends, and offensive linemen in the hole to get to the ball carrier. His play strength for his size is highly impressive, and he showed at the Combine that he has NFL athleticism (4.65 40 and great jump numbers). Brown has excellent instincts and play recognition skills in the run game. He really flies around the field. He's also quite adept at reading and blowing up screens (both HB and WR screens). Brown's weaknesses are mainly related to his cover skills and lack of length. Brown's lack of length makes it difficult for him to disengage once bigger players latches on. That all said, Brown will still stack the block and clog the hole. In zone coverage, Brown's instincts and recognition skills aren't good. He plays his assigned area but doesn't anticipate routes or make plays on the ball often. He does, however, look to blow up any crossers who enter his area within 5 yards of the LOS. Due to his athleticism, he's quality in man coverage, but he wasn't tested often at the college level. His ball-skills are a question mark in my mind.

Round 6 Pick #22 - Joshua Holsey CB Auburn
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Summary: Holsey is on my list of underrated CBs. This is such a deep and talented class that a guy like Holsey can go unnoticed. Holsey had two torn ACLs in his career, so that is a concern with him. However, he has exceptionally quick feet, the speed to run with WRs deep, loose hips, and good ball-skills. He can get a little grabby at times, but as we all know, some CBs use that to their advantage (*cough* Richard Sherman). Holsey is a CB who hides it well and uses it to his advantage. Holsey handled a number of top college WRs, including Mike Williams, during his senior season at Auburn.

Round 7 Pick #16 - Chad Williams WR Grambling State
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Summary: Chad Williams is a flyer and the first major character risk in this draft (I don't see Lewis as a character risk). Williams had a strong showing at the NFLPA Game and earned an invite to the Senior Bowl. He also had a strong showing during Senior Bowl practices. He reportedly showed the burst to separate out of his breaks and caught the ball well. He's still a very raw route runner and needs a lot of development before he's ready to play, but he has a lot of upside. Williams posted 90 catches for 1337 yards and 11 TDs this year at Grambling. In 2015, he posted 64 catches for 1012 yards and 10 TDs. Williams's basketball background has given him impressive body control and the ability to come down with jump balls. Williams proved he has NFL athleticism when he ran a 4.37 40 at his Pro Day at 6'1" 205. Williams plays the game with a chip on his shoulder, isn't afraid to get physical, and runs hard after the catch. However, he was arrested before this season on a marijuana and firearm possession charge.

Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
WR: Robert Woods
WR: Cooper Kupp
WR: Tavon Austin
TE: Tyler Higbee
LT: Andew Whitworth
LG: Rodger Saffold
C: John Sullivan
RG: Rob Havenstein
RT: Greg Robinson

LDE: DeMarcus Walker
NT: Michael Brockers
RDE: Aaron Donald
LOLB: Connor Barwin
LILB: Mark Barron
RILB: Alec Ogletree
ROLB: Robert Quinn
LCB: Trumaine Johnson
RCB: Jourdan Lewis vs. Kayvon Webster vs. E.J. Gaines
SLCB: Nickell Robey-Coleman
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander

K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Pharoh Cooper
PR: Tavon Austin

FWIW...in terms of our smallish secondary matching up in terms of size...
When you look at the current depth charts of our division rivals at WR:

AZ- Fitzgerald(6'3"), John Brown(5'10"), JJ Nelson(5'10"), Brittan Golden(6'0")

SEA- Doug Baldwin(5'10"), Jermaine Kearse(6'1"), Tyler Lockett(5'10"), Paul Richardson(6'0")

SF- Bruce Ellington(5'9"), P. Garcon(6'0"), Marquise Goodwin(5'9")

Larry Fitzgerald(6'3") is the only WR with good size. The rest of these guys are all 5'10 - 6' targets.
Not a whole lot of size in the division anymore(which includes our Rams with Britt and Quick gone).

Draft pending of course.

I'd like to think that coaches look hard within their division for matchups when forming a roster. This could be another reason that the Rams are willing to shop TruJ(?)

The additions of K.Webster, Nick Robey Coleman, moving Joyner to FS etc...
Having a big DB like Tru who can make plays is a luxury in the NFL...but the Rams could be looking to put together a secondary that can cover all these smaller weapons within the division. Just a thought.

Yep, I picked a 32 oz bottle of Modelo (also got a bottle of Wild Turkey Rye, as an aside)


I know that I am ruining my Keystone Light and Ice image up in here, but I'm going "uptown" by drinking that imported beer...:rockon: It a holiday where favorite beer is the point...A philosopher once said " Beer is proof that God loves us, and wants us to be happy..."

As I'm looking at it with the latest signing lets discuss the depth chart. The only thing IMO that is really up in the air is the LDE and NT and their rotations. I'm not really assigning roles to the CB group just top 3 and backups at any and all position. This is my take on it this is 31 people which is much more than we'll carry for a 53 man roster (likely 25ish).

RDE: Donald, Longacre
NT: Walker, Easley, Brockers
LDE: Brockers, Easley, Trinca Pasat

WLB: Quinn, Fox
ILB: Ogletree, Forrest, Grigsby
ILB: Barron, Hager, Northrup
SLB: Barwin, Thompson, Littleton

CB: Johnson, Jordan, Christian
CB: Webster, Hill, Countess
CB: Robey-Coleman, Gaines

FS: Joyner, Davis, Christian
SS: Alexander, Randolph, Johnson

In honor of these auspicious 24 hours tonight I will practice 11 and 12 oz. curls with Budweiser, Waikato, Speights, Alpine, Kraftig and IPL.:yay:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap30...n-gordon-doesnt-want-rivalry-with-todd-gurley

The atmosphere is ripe for a running back rivalry in Los Angeles, but fellow 2015 first-round picks Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon don't seem interested in sizing each other up now that they'll be playing for the same city.

"It's what you guys make it," Gordon told ESPN.com. "At the end of the day, we're both going out there trying to be the best back and trying to prove that we're the best back. It's not just Todd that I have to worry about -- there's a lot of great backs that I'm trying to beat and outshine.

"So there's more to focus on than just Todd. I know there's going to be a lot on that just because he's up the street from me. But I go out there and I do what I need to do, and that will talk for itself."

Their tale of the tape is catnip for sportswriters in the area looking to drum something up. Both were considered excellent running back prospects in the draft and both made the case for being the first one selected. Gurley went 10th, Gordon went 15th. Gurley had a spectacular rookie season with 1,106 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns and 4.8 yards per carry before a steep dropoff in 2016. Gordon had a disappointing 2015 before breaking out in 2016 with 997 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns and 419 receiving yards.

Now, both are entering a bit of uncharted territory. We have a general idea of what an Anthony Lynn offense looks like and a very good idea of what a Ken Whisenhunt offense does. The combination could end up being extremely beneficial for Gordon given Lynn's ability to provide more second-level opportunities for LeSean McCoy as offensive coordinator in Buffalo. With the Rams, there is a bit more mystery. Can Jared Goff take the kind of pressure off a running game that Philip Rivers can over time? Will Sean McVay's offense accentuate Gurley's best qualities, as McVay promised a few weeks ago?

Far more interesting than some non-consequential intra-city rivalry, though, is another year of data and observation. This has been a regenerated first-round running back market over the past two years with Gurley, Gordon and Ezekiel Elliott all getting selected in the top 15. This year, draft experts are projecting three more running backs to be taken in the first round with draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah projecting two -- Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey -- going in the top 10.

The first round of the draft, for those wondering, takes place on Thursday, April 27 in Philadelphia.

After the Trent Richardson implosion of 2012, teams stayed away from a first-round running back for two straight drafts before Gurley and Gordon broke through. Thanks to their play over the first two seasons, it now seems acceptable again to aim high at the position despite its notoriously short shelf life.

What's up with this guy? Love that the house cleaning is underway...

http://www.ramsheadquarters.com/browns-wr-kenny-britt-talked-crap-former-rams-teammates/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/24/fart-filtering-underwear_n_4156400.html

Fart Filtering Underwear Said To Neutralize Stink Of Passing Gas
By Ron Dicker

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Keep cutting the cheese, America.

A British line of fart-filtering underwear is doing big business, and it has the United States to thank for it.

“Americans are making up the majority of our sales at the moment,” Shreddies spokeswoman Ianthe Betts-Clarke told The Huffington Post.

Since word about the odor-neutralizing Shreddies passed through the Internet a few days ago, the company has experienced a 400 percent increase in orders over all, Betts-Clarke estimated.

Shreddies weaves a carbon cloth called Zorflex into its rear panel. Betts-Clarke says it can squash the smell of “200 times the average flatulence emission.” (Shreddies apparently hasn’t met my Aunt Edna.)

In 2008, the company began to serve customers with digestive-tract woes but branched out. “It’s a product for everybody, because everyone farts,” Betts-Clarke explained.

Men’s boxer briefs cost between $39 and $45, while women’s panties are about $31 to $34.

A product called the Flat-D Flatulence Deodorizer is also on the market. It’s an activated charcoal cloth pad that tapes to the inside of briefs to mask the stink.

Imagine your silent but deadly farts now just silent.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/b...explains-how-he-drank-his-way-out-of-the-nfl/

As the third running back taken in the 2013 NFL Draft, it seemed like Montee Ball had a bright future in the NFL when the Broncos selected him with the 58th overall pick.

However, Ball’s bright future in the league never materialized, and now we know why: The former Wisconsin running back says that he drank himself out of the NFL.

In a revealing interview with the Sporting News, Ball said that he got drunk at least four nights a week during the NFL regular season if the Broncos were playing a Sunday game.

The running back said that he would usually find time to drink on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays during the season. Ball had thought he was being coy about his issue until Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville called him out after a meeting one day.

“He talked about how he could smell the alcohol on me and that he thinks I may have a problem with drinking,” Ball said. “He said if I needed any help with that he could reach out to people I could talk to. I didn’t listen to him.”

During his two seasons in the NFL, Ball didn’t really listen to anyone. After being drafted, the NFLPA held regular seminars to let rookies know about the potential pitfalls of playing in the NFL. Unfortunately, Ball didn’t listen to them, either.

“I wouldn’t take any of it seriously,” Ball said. “I was naive enough to think my playing days would last forever. I would literally sit in the back of the room texting or being on Instagram not paying attention to the professional explaining to me about preparing for life after football and how important it is.”

Besides his alcohol problem, the running back also said that he made friends with “bad people” during his career.

“I failed to use my platform to help others and to use the NFL as a stepping stone in life,” Ball said. “I surrounded myself with bad people, not on the team but in the city. I was naïve enough to believe I had all the answers.”

According to Ball, his drinking problem started in 2011, just before his junior year at Wisconsin.

“I started to drink a lot more and it started to pour into football,” Ball said. “If I knew we had a super-easy practice the next day, I’d go out and get drunk with a whole bunch of people. I’d wake up drunk, hit the steam room and go to practice.”

The lowpoint for Ball came in February 2016 when he had to watch his former team win Super Bowl 50 from a Wisconsin jail cell. Ball, who as cut by the Broncos before the 2015 season started, was behind bars because he had been arrested on a felony battery charge just two days before the Super Bowl.

“It brought tears to my eyes,” Ball said of watching Denver win. “At one point, I was on top of the world and now watching the team that cut me a few months prior from a jail cell, that stung a lot.”

Back in August, Ball was sentenced to 60 days in jail after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct and and playing a role in two separate domestic abuse incidents.

In 2016, Ball learned that he was going to be a father for the first, time and that’s when he decided to take control of his life.

“That was the turning point,” Ball said. “I finally realized I have a purpose -- to raise that kid. That’s a responsibility I will take.”

The admitted alcoholic, who says he’s now sober, is returning to Wisconsin this summer to take classes at the school where he once dominated on the gridiron.

“I don’t want to whine or seek public pity,” Ball said. “But I do want to explain everything and give everybody some insight on what I’ve been battling.”

The 26-year-old finished his NFL career with 731 rushing yards and five touchdowns over two seasons with the Broncos.

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http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/don-rickles-dead-legendary-comic-was-90-720153

Don Rickles, Legendary Comic With a Gift for the Insult, Dies at 90
by Mike Barnes , Duane Byrge

"Mr. Warmth" forged a career when he turned the table on his hecklers, going on to insult everyone he encountered — even Frank Sinatra.

Don Rickles, the rapid-fire insulting machine who for six decades earned quite a living making fun of people of all creeds and colors and everyone from poor slobs to Frank Sinatra, has died. He was 90.

The legendary comic died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles of kidney failure, publicist Paul Shefrin announced.

Sarcastically nicknamed “Mr. Warmth,” Rickles had mock disdain for stars, major public figures and all those who paid to see him, tweaking TV audiences and Las Vegas showroom crowds with his acerbic brand of takedown comedy. A good guy and devoted husband away from the stage, Rickles the performer heartlessly laid into everyone he encountered — and they loved it.

After toiling in relative obscurity for years as a more conventional stand-up comedian, Rickles unwittingly discovered his biggest laughs came when he turned the table on his hecklers. His career then skyrocketed after he insulted the hot-tempered Sinatra, who normally did not take kindly to such treatment.

When the superstar singer and actor walked into a Hollywood club in 1957 where Rickles was performing, the comedian greeted the “Chairman of the Board” from the stage: “Make yourself at home Frank. Hit somebody.” Sinatra roared — with laughter.

With Sinatra’s endorsement, Rickles began his comedic assault on people famous and not so famous — Jews, Asians, African Americans, the Irish, Puerto Ricans, red-headed women, short guys, you name it — with tremendous results. He referred to stupid people as “hockey pucks,” and in 1959, he signed for his first Las Vegas appearance, in the lounge of the Hotel Sahara.

In 1985, when Sinatra was asked to perform at Ronald Reagan’s second Inaugural Ball, he insisted that Rickles accompany him for a comedy routine. Rickles, naturally, did not spare the president (“Am I going too fast for you, Ronnie?” he asked) and considered that performance among the highlights of his career.

Rickles was still going strong in June 2012 when, during the American Film Institute’s tribute to actress Shirley MacLaine, he joked that he “shouldn’t make fun of the blacks. President Obama is a personal friend of mine. He was over to the house yesterday, but the mop broke.”

Rickles honed his reputation in numerous appearances on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts that ran on NBC from the mid-1970s to the mid-80s. The specials provided a perfect venue for Rickles to unleash his caustic brand of humor on such visiting dignitaries as Sinatra, Reagan, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Kirk Douglas, Sammy Davis Jr. and Mr. T.

Johnny Carson provided Rickles a late-night stage by making him one of The Tonight Show’s most-frequent guests. On one memorable moment in 1968, Rickles cozied up to a half-naked Carson during a sketch with two Japanese female masseuses and said, “I’m so lonely, Johnny!” Carson threw him in a bathtub. More recently, he was a regular guest on Late Show With David Letterman, in which the CBS host treated Rickles like royalty.

Rickles intermittently played in movies, highlighted by Kelly’s Heroes (1970), where he co-starred with Clint Eastwood as Sgt. Crapgame, an Army black-marketer who had no compunction about cutting favorable deals with the Nazis.

He also played opposite beach bunny Annette Funicello in such movies as Pajama Party (1964) and Beach Blanket Bingo (1965), appeared as a Vegas casino manager in Martin Scorsese’s Casino (1995) and voiced the cranky Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story films.

He was still regularly working and had a recent gig touring with Regis Philbin.

Donald Jay Rickles was born in the New York borough of Queens on May 8, 1926. Following high school, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, then studied acting and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

At age 32, Rickles landed a small part in Robert Wise’s submarine drama Run Silent, Run Deep (1958), starring Clark Gable. Two years later, he was cast in The Rat Race with Tony Curtis and Debbie Reynolds.

Not surprisingly, Rickles found there weren’t many leading roles for a paunchy 5-foot-6 balding man. So, he worked up a nightclub act. After his Sinatra encounter, he perfected his bite and would land gigs in all the Vegas hotels: the Riviera, the Golden Nugget, the Desert Inn and the Sahara.

Rickles would come onstage accompanied by the old Spanish bullfight song “La Virgen de la Macarena,” a subtle signal that someone was about to be metaphorically gored.

Flush with his casino successes, Rickles cut two best-selling comedy albums in the ’60s: Hello, Dummy! and Don Rickles Speaks.

Success as a star of his own TV series eluded him. He played Naval Petty Officer Otto Sharkey in NBC’s CPO Sharkey, which ran from 1976-78, and a used car salesman and father of Richard Lewis in Daddy Dearest, quickly canceled by Fox in 1993. He had two series titled The Don Rickles Show; each ran a handful of episodes. For one season in the ’80s, he hosted ABC’s Foul-Ups, Bleeps & Blunders with singer Steve Lawrence.

Rickles’ TV guest appearances include episodes of The Twilight Zone, Wagon Train, Burke’s Law, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Beverly Hillbillies, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., I Dream of Jeannie, I Spy, Get Smart (alongside his buddy, Don Adams), Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, Sanford and Son, The Bernie Mac Show and Hot in Cleveland.

In 1965, Rickles married Barbara Sklar, who survives him. The couple, who often vacationed with deadpan comic Bob Newhart and his wife, Virginia, had two children, Mindy and Larry. His son, who produced the HBO documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project, died in December 2011 at age 41.

Other survivors include his son-in-law Ed and grandchildren Ethan and Harrison. Funeral services will be private. Donations cane be made to the Larry Rickles Endowment Fund at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Hey man....need to post....Final 4 wiped out my ROD$$$$$ stash. LOL

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-3-draft-needs-for-the-los-angeles-rams/

The Los Angeles Rams don’t have a first-round pick in 2017, as it was traded away as part of the compensation for the rights to the first overall selection in 2016. As a result of the trade-up for QB Jared Goff the Rams don’t have a selection until pick No. 37 in the 2017 draft.

The Rams need to do a better job of protecting Goff. The free-agent addition of tackle Andrew Whitworth and center John Sullivan will go a long way in helping to keep Goff upright, but both players are on the backend of their careers and the Rams’ offensive line could use some youth. The Rams must also add playmakers at wide receiver and tight end if they want see marked improvement from Goff and their offense in 2017. Here’s some key targets and the key areas of need for Los Angeles in this year’s draft.

Need: Playmakers at wide receiver
The Rams had a thin wide receiver unit in 2016 but then lost their most productive receiver Kenny Britt in free agency. While they added free agent Robert Woods, they still need to add playmakers at wide receiver to go along with Woods and Tavon Austin. Goff had excellent red-zone touch and accuracy at Cal and the Rams would be wise to build to his strengths. The Rams could use a big body to haul in Goff’s passes into the end zone or to haul in third-down passes at the sticks and move the chains for the new Rams’ offense.

Early-round target: JuJu Smith Schuster, WR, USC

Smith-Schuster is a prospect who has shown he can win with strength and size. Although he has been inconsistent over the span of his career he has battled through some injuries and a shifting role in the USC offense. Still he has consistently gained yards after the catch and averaged 6.1 yards after the catch per completion over the last three years. If Smith-Schuster can play with the physical nature that he is capable of he would be an ideal candidate to help out Goff. Our friends at 120 Sports also thought JuJu Smith-Schuster is a good fit for the Rams, and discussed why in this video.

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Mid- or late-round target: Jalen Robinette, WR, Air Force

Goff could use a big-bodied red-zone threat who can box his man out and catch touchdown passes. Robinette excelled at that role at Air Force and he could be a target if the Rams don’t add a wide receiver on the second day of the draft. Robinette plays wide receiver like a good rebounding forward in basketball. Robinette also displayed the leaping ability and ball skills to catch the passes that are targeted “helmet or higher” in the red zone so only the wide receiver can catch it. Robinette is also highly productive on downfield play-action passes and caught all 17 of his deep targets (20 or more yards downfield) for 699 yards.

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Need: Center
The Rams will likely be running more outside zone runs under head coach Sean McVay in 2017 than they ran in 2016. While newly signed free agent John Sullivan knows McVay’s offense from their time together in Washington, a young athletic center would be a valued addition to the new offense. The opportunity to pair a talented young rookie center with Goff and let them develop together would have to be strongly considered.

Early-round target: Ethan Pocic, C, LSU

Pocic is our top-ranked center in the draft class. Pocic isn’t as athletic as some other centers in the draft but is long and rangy for a center and consistently demonstrated his effectiveness as a reach blocker on outside zone runs. More importantly for the Rams’ offense Pocic has been successful at keeping pass-rushers off his quarterback as he didn’t allow a sack or hit in 2016. Pocic has only allowed 2 sacks, 2 hits, and 27 hurries over the span of the last three seasons and 963 pass-blocking snaps.

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Mid- or late-round target: Chase Roullier, OC, Wyoming

Roullier is an incredibly effective run-blocker and one of the most athletic centers in the draft class. Roullier is very good at reaching his man in outside zone run plays and splitting the defense. Roullier would be a great fit for the Rams’ new offensive scheme in 2017 and even if he isn’t selected until the third day of the draft, he would have a strong shot at winning the starting center spot. Roullier did not allow a sack and only gave up 1 hit and 7 hurries on 462 pass-block snaps in 2016.

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Need: Cornerback
Just a few seasons ago the Rams secondary was a strength on the team but the depth and talent has been depleted via free agency. Expect the Rams to be playing a healthy dose of man coverage next season under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and as a result to be eyeing athletic cornerbacks who can stay with receivers in sticky man coverage. Luckily for the Rams this is a very deep cornerback class and they should be able to find at least one contributor at the position in the draft.

Early-round target: Adoree’ Jackson, CB, USC

Jackson is one of the better athletes in the draft class. He has tremendous catch-up speed and can make touchdown-saving tackles of fast running backs from behind. Jackson is still a bit raw in coverage technique but has tremendous ball skills and has broken up 19 passes and made 6 interceptions over the past three seasons. Jackson’s aforementioned ball skills, speed and his open-field running ability combine to make him a dangerous returner who is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Jackson could also be used on offense for a few snaps a game to supplement a thin wide receiver group much like the Cardinals did a few years ago with Patrick Peterson.

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Mid- or late-round target: Shaquill Griffin, CB, Central Florida

Griffin’s coverage ability and grades improved each of the last three seasons and he finished 2016 with an impressive 87.2 coverage grade. He showed at the combine that he is one of the classes top athletes at the position by finishing in the top five among cornerbacks in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump. Furthermore, Griffin showed on film that he has the coverage ability necessary to play outside in Wade Phillips’ defense. Griffin only allowed 39.7 percent of the passes thrown into his coverage to be caught in 2016. Griffin is a talented cornerback who will get pushed down in the draft due to the depth at his position.

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Personally....I'm not a fan of Adoree....I'd be pissed if we grab a wr early....I wanna see if Pocic is worth all this juice....Let me watch a couple of games...

Downtown Rams Scouting Report: Penn State WR Chris Godwin

https://www.downtownrams.com/single...ms-Scouting-Report-Penn-State-WR-Chris-Godwin

In this new series, we are going to start breaking down our favorite players using media, our own knowledge of the game of football and what to look for in a prospect. This fourth edition of our Downtown Rams Scouting Report we bring you in this writer's opinion, the safest wide receiver in the draft. Chris Godwin shows you exactly what a safe number one receiver prospect should look like. We will now take an in-depth look at his game both from the positive and negative side.

Chris Godwin
6-foot-1
209 pounds
31 5/8 inch arms
9 1/8 inch hands
4.42 forty yard dash
19 reps on 225 lb bench press
36 inch vertical jump
126 inch broad jump

Overview:
Chris Godwin is one of the best wide receiver prospects in this year's NFL draft. He started every game of his college career, all 39 of them and was one of the biggest threats in the Big 10. Godwin finished his college career with 154 receptions, 2,421 yards receiving and 18 touchdowns for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Godwin, fresh off his best career performance in the Rose Bowl decided to declare for the NFL draft. What Godwin brings to the table for NFL teams is the fact he can step in right away and play day one. Godwin has all the tools to be a number one receiver in the NFL. He may not be the big 6-foot-4 Mike Williams or 6-foot-3 Corey Davis of the draft but he checked all the boxes after his combine performance for me, as well as many other draft fans in showing he can be a starting NFL receiver.

Strengths:

Big play ability and ball location

In this clip, we see a one on one match up Godwin has completely taken over by the time the two get to the end zone. Godwin uses his size advantage to gain leverage and make the big play for a touchdown. QB Trace McSorley lofted it up in what would have been a 50-50 ball situation if Godwin hadn't turned it into a 90-10 ball by the time the two players were in the end zone. This right off the bat shows Godwin's ability to win the end zone fade but on top of that, it shows his ability to high point the football. Godwin is going to be used a ton in this situation at the next level and he is going to win the majority of the time.

Hand-eye coordination and keen concentration

Godwin is one on one with defensive back Iman Marshall. Marshall actually makes a good play due to McSorley underthrowing the pass but Godwin sticks with it. Just watch how Godwin naturally follows the ball bobbling off his hands with his eyes. While he is doing that he has to do a 180-degree spin which makes it incredibly difficult to concentrate on the ball. Godwin makes the play and shifts the momentum of the entire Rose Bowl game on this play alone. Big time catch by a big time player.

Field awareness and hand strength

This is one of those miraculous plays that just commonly show up for Godwin on tape. This is the same game, Godwin and the Nittany Lions need a first down so he makes sure he makes his cut on the route past the sticks. In doing this, Godwin has established forward progress for the first down conversion as long as he catches it. McSorley throws an errant pass away from the receiver that Godwin stabs at with one hand and has the strength to bring it into his body and secure the catch. The huge catch allows them to extend the drive and score right before halftime. It also saved what would have been a guaranteed interception into the arms of Adoree' Jackson.

Able to make the contested catch and fight for every yard

Godwin in this clip just looks like a freak of a man. He goes up and snatches the ball out of the air while pretty much being wrapped up and tackled. Instead, he slips out of safety Leon McQuay III's clutches and continues to try to push forward and gain an extra five yards. This is a player that plays a lot like Pierre Garcon now of the San Francisco 49ers, every yard truly matters to him and that is something that is useful in the NFL. Maybe the yards don't mean much to a team here but you can be sure Godwin's ability to fight for every yard will come useful someday.

Break-away speed to stretch the field

Now, many have flagged Godwin for his lack of straight line speed but he should have silenced the crowd after running a 4.42 at the combine. Godwin is fast, he may not look as fast as say John Ross, but this is still a fast player. In this play, you see his ability to break through and blow by the defense. Another box that can be checked off for Godwin as he is seen blowing by as many as three different defensive backs and taking it all the way to the house for six.

Ability to run quality routes and sell them as well

This right here you don't see every day in college. Godwin completely schools his man by using a double move 10 yards downfield. So why does the defender bite so easily? Because Godwin sells the route to perfection. From the moment the ball is snapped he sprints downfield versus a safety playing far off him. Godwin uses the sprint out of the gate to sell the route as a streak pattern down the sideline. Well, it is that route but what the defender isn't ready for is Godwin to turn his body slow down 10 yards down field give a little head fake and then accelerate right back up the field. The defender bites because every inch of this play is done perfectly by Godwin. Double moves work in the NFL and the fact Godwin has been doing it perfectly in college shows he's ready for some real big boy coverage at the next level.

Shows will and heart to block for teammates and he's able to hold his outside edge.

One thing that can't be stressed enough about Godwin is how unselfish he is. This is a fourth and one play that is anchored by Godwin. Stud RB Saquan Barkley runs right after making a fantastic cut to the avoid the traffic inside. He gets to the outside and Godwin is there holding his block and securing the first down and much more. Godwin uses great technique staying square to his target and blocking him completely out of the play. If Godwin is unable to first off, establish position, secondly have the sense of urgency off the line of scrimmage and lastly, show the ability to drive back the defender and stay strong while engaged . . . then this play turns into a turnover on downs. Huge play here by Godwin and this is just something to add to his value chart heading into the draft.

Blocking awareness and clutch factor

I am not going to lie I could watch this clip all day. It's quite simply one of the best plays in his arsenal. Godwin makes a big time block on 2nd and 8 late in the game down three. The block springs Barkley to find enough of a crease to . . . do his thing (he is so going in the first round next year). What's funny about Godwin is I see a ton of Garcon in him but he looks like Steelers legend receiver Hines Ward on this play. Godwin shows off serious tenacity and situational awareness in practically spearing and blocking his assignment completely out of this play. The Rams in my personal opinion lacked this and have been lacking it. I think Godwin checks off many boxes and provides a ton of value for McVay's team to think about. This is one of those clips McVay and company will love seeing.

Weaknesses:

Lacks consistent explosiveness
Maybe it's just me but I do feel like Godwin can sell himself short at times. He is a phenomenal football player and I only believe he is going to keep growing until he is a pro bowl caliber WR. However, there are times where he seems as though he isn't playing to the speed he should be playing. It's not a motivational thing because he still comes back in the play and will show that he has a serious love and passion for the game. I just feel as though maybe he is too inconsistent with his explosiveness and maybe he does have explosiveness but struggles at consistently showing it.

Doesn't use his hands enough at the line when going against press/man coverage
Godwin is one of the best receivers in this class but he does lack something that likely pushes him out of being a first rounder. Godwin doesn't really use his hands much against a press/man defender. He is going to need to at the next level because he can't just rely on his speed when he is going against cornerbacks like Patrick Peterson who will be much faster. Godwin is a good athlete but that doesn't mean immediate success. Now, he is very well technically sound, but he needs to be more physical at the line of scrimmage or he could have a tougher time than other rookies at the next level.

Final Conclusion:
This is my number one target at No.37 overall for the Rams. Chris Godwin has so many strengths as we just covered and his film is full of him having to step up and put his team on his back. I think ultimately this guy resembles another perfect fit like we previously mentioned with Kittle, for the Rams new offense. Godwin, will start on the outside if drafted next to former-Bills wide receiver Robert Woods. Right off the bat you are getting two good route runners and run blockers which is going to be key in Sean McVay's offense. Just imagine Godwin, Woods and Austin on the field as weapons for Jared Goff. That would be a solid group and there is no way the Rams with the amount of capital they put into the offense this off-season would finish last in the league in offense again.

Now, moving away from the Rams for a second, Chris Godwin reminds me of two players in particular. I have said he reminds me a lot of now San Francisco 49er Pierre Garcon and after further film review I believe and said earlier that he is very similar to Pittsburgh Steeler great Hines Ward. Godwin and Garcon as far as pass catching, route running and run-after-the-catch ability are very similar. So why do I think of Ward when I watch Godwin? He has that same tenacity that Ward played with in the steel city. Go watch Hines Ward highlights if you need your memory refreshed, he laid the wood as a receiver. Those big time impact blocks can be seen out of Godwin as well but the great thing about Godwin and Ward is, anyone can "block" but both show their disciplined ability to be impact blocking receivers. If Godwin ends up anyhere near the level of player Ward and Garcon ended up being, consider this a great value pick in the second round.

For every Isaac Bruce there is a Brian Quick, we all know that now unfortunately. I can say with confidence that I do not see Godwin being a Brian Quick. Godwin is not a finished product by any means but he can contribute right away and most importantly give the Rams another starting receiver that should make Goff much more comfortable throwing to moving forward.

What are your thoughts Rams fans? Do you like Godwin? Let us know and stay tuned for the next edition of our Downtown Rams Scouting Report series.

I still do. Have a CD player and cassette tape player on the car stereo but never use them. No USB though which pisses off the kids so they can't blare their music through the speakers. I like not knowing what will play next and with four stations to choose there is usually something tolerable playing.

Been tough this year as no mess has been found. Enough for one person only. Been out three times and noticed the squirrels had scraped through the leaves hard. Looks like they got them each time. Sure would like to find a mess but the season here is nearly over. Doesn't seem right with the fruit trees blooming and no morels for supper. Maybe next year.

I haven't seen a thread to discuss Pro Day numbers. Baylor had their Pro Day today, and Ishmael Zamora had a big day:
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I think he has a Josh Gordon-like tool-set. I'd jump on the guy in the 4th round. He's raw but freakishly gifted. There are definitely character concerns that might keep the Rams from picking him, but I'd take the chance.

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25 year old rookie UDFA last year with the Texans only played in 2 games.

Time to do something different:

TRADE: Tavon Austin to the Buffalo Bills for #44.

(I love Tavon, but I don't love his contract. Buffalo could use a weapon on offense, and we could use a pick.)

TRADE: Trumaine Johnson to the Cleveland Browns for #33 and #108.

(It just makes all kinds of sense to trade Tru to the Browns. They get a lockdown cornerback on a contract, and we shed cap to eventually sign Donald and Ogletree. Fair trade, in my opinion.)

TRADE: #33 to the Minnesota Vikings for #48 and #79.

(Another trade that makes sense: Minnesota moves up for an offensive lineman in Feeney, and we get two picks in return.)

All right. Trades are done. Let's get down to business, shall we?

#44 - Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State.

#48 - Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington.

#69 - Sidney Jones, CB, Washington.

#79 - Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova.

#108 - Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia.

#112 - Chase Roullier, C, Wyoming.

#141 - George Kittle, TE, Iowa.

#149 - Ejuan Price, OLB, Pittsburgh.

#189 - Javancy Jones, OLB, Jackson State.

#206 - T.J. Logan, RB, North Carolina.

#234 - Josh Augusta, NT, Missouri.

(Godwin and Kupp add to an explosive wide receiving corps, Kittle is a great blocking tight end, Logan fills the Dunbar role eventually, and Roullier backs up Sullivan at center until he's ready. On defense, Price and Jones are late round picks, true, but they're studs. Kpassagnon needs no explanation. Jones and Douglas form a solid group at cornerback. Augusta takes snaps at nose tackle.)

Thoughts, comments, critiques, all are welcome.