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Los Angeles Rams' 2017 draft picks: Analysis for every selection
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Alden GonzalezESPN Staff Writer
Alden Gonzalez breaks down the
Los Angeles Rams' 2017 draft class.
Round 2, No. 44 overall: Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama
Rds. 4-7: Saturday, noon, ESPN/ESPN App
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NFL draft home page »
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Pick-by-pick analysis |
By team
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NFL Nation: Pros, cons for 2nd-rd picks
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Fantasy: Day 2 reaction |
Round 1
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Tracking every trade
My take: The Rams traded down from 37th overall with the Bills in order to gain an additional third-round pick. This pick fills their biggest immediate need, especially when you consider just how crucial tight ends are for new coach Sean McVay. No team received more yards out of the tight end position than McVay's Redskins last season, and his hope is Everett develops into his new
Jordan Reed. Everett, at 6-foot-3 and 239 pounds, was a four-year starter who bounced around in college and didn't begin playing football until his senior year of high school. Over his past two years at South Alabama, he caught 90 passes for 1,292 yards and 12 touchdowns, being named All-Sun Belt Conference each season. Everett brings speed, athleticism and ball skills that make him a mismatch against linebackers and safeties. He needs to improve as a blocker, but he can be an immediate weapon for franchise quarterback
Jared Goff.
How he fits: Everett joins
Tyler Higbee, a fourth-round pick last year, to give the Rams two young pass-catching tight ends who can line up on the outside. This position became a major need after the Rams cut ties with veteran
Lance Kendricks earlier this offseason. Their three pass-catching tight ends -- Everett, Higbee and
Temarrick Hemingway, a sixth-round pick last year -- have combined for 11 NFL receptions but will get a chance to prove themselves immediately. The Rams have finished last in the NFL in yards each of the past two seasons. They need more talent at receiver, but
Tavon Austin signed a long-term extension last year,
Robert Woodswas signed in free agency, and
Pharoh Cooper was a fourth-round pick in 2016.
Round 3, No. 69: Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington
My take: The Rams got another weapon for Goff with Kupp, a possession receiver who set 15 FCS records in college. Kupp, 6-2 and 204 pounds, finished his career with 428 catches, 73 touchdowns and 6,464 yards, more than any collegiate receiver at any level. Kupp was the FCS Offensive Player of the Year each of the past two years. He isn’t necessarily explosive -- as evidenced by a 4.62 40-yard dash and a 31-inch vertical leap -- but he is a reliable pass-catcher with soft hands. It’s a great fit for Goff, who would benefit from a security blanket on those in-breaking routes that McVay loves to run. Kupp is expected to be ready to contribute right away, which the Rams, devoid of impact receivers for about a decade, desperately need.
How he fits: It’s no secret that the Rams badly needed more weapons for Goff. And they got them with their first two picks, first with an explosive tight end and then with a reliable receiver. The Rams now have two tight ends, Everett and Higbee, who can line up on the outside and beat teams down the field. Their top four receivers -- Austin, Woods, Cooper and Kupp -- are better at short-to-intermediate routes. But the Rams are also hopeful that Austin, who boasts blazing speed, can develop into a vertical deep threat, a la
DeSean Jackson.