2021 LA Rams Hindsight Draft - You're the GM

[FrantikRam]

I appreciate the posture. Realizing we all have different views but the same end goal of Rams winning is a solid mindset. Hey, even I'll admit I get overly negative and whiny at times about what I think is right, and have to reel it in some times. No one wants excessive whining or criticizing our players or coaches, or know it all attitudes. But we should be able to air our opinions and have a little bit of leash to vent to an extent, as long as we don't make it personal which I myself am guilty of.

Having said that, one of my gripes is the idea that coaches and GM's can't royally screw up. It happens all the time. Even the so called greatest evaluator Mike Mayock and Football Guru Chuckie have really layed some eggs in recent drafts and Free agency and had an embarrasment of a high school defense running around last year due to missed picks and personnel evaluations. How did Joyner and Littleton work out for them? How bout Clelin Ferrel?

I completely agree with Jrry that overthinking drafts and evaluations happen all the time. I think good evaluators are the exception not the rule. GM's like Ozzie Newson are rare.

Perhaps Snead and Mcvay should be given more credit for the strategy of selling picks for proven players, because the draft really is a crapshoot. But the Tutu pick is hard to stomach just from that standpoint of who was on the board and the fact that he has zero chance of being a starting player due to his size, at least from my vantage point.

I'm all for calling out a coach and GM when they make mistakes.

But seeing the same posters trash a draft class every year, turn out to be wrong, ignore it and come back and trash it again is a bit much.

Plus, Gruden and Mayock haven't experienced the success that our regime has.

And this year is different. The Goff saga was divisive and people are clearly carrying some resentment about that and it's going to magnify everything that Snead and McVay do.

 

[Allen2McVay]

One question for the forum. I see we picked up Alaric Jackson OT Iowa. He looks to be a very solid pickup. Projected R4 prospect. How do the Rams decide to pass on him yet pick up a 3rd WR and a jag RB. Both likely to be fighting for a ST spot? It really confuses me. Thoughts?

31 other teams also passed on Jackson in Rounds 5-7.

I would have preferred they draft Creed Humphrey at #57 instead of Atwell; and I was hoping for Drew Dalman at #117 but he was taken at #114.

Just curious, outside of Humphrey, which OL would you have liked the Rams draft, and at which spot?

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

Count me in as a no nothing nimrod with regards to my knowledge of the drafted players, however this much I know;

It’s crucial that Tutu has more football smarts than Tavon Austin, hopefully he has the IQ similar to DJax and and submits to being a willing student under Jackson’s wing, you gotta believe McSnead considered this, right?

 

[LOURam85]

Count me as one that are not mad they picked wr early... The line played pretty good with a QB that couldn’t read defenses for real and teams new that... I’m not to worried

 

[Merlin]

My favorite part is the people making the arrogant assumption that because we disagree with a pick we think we're smarter or better than McVay or Snead. Fact is that's just ignorant. It simply means in our amateur opinion we'd have done it differently. It may me we think there are people who would have been a better pick at that position.

It's also very fun expressing your opinion, being challenged on it and actually defending your position then being told you're a whiny angry POS. And yes you can deny it all you want but you and others have made comments challenging peoples fandom.

The claims that because we disagreed with a pick say Atwell we disagreed with Kupp and Akers etc etc. are particularly absurd.

Just so much fun participating on this board when there are a handful of people sitting in the cheap seats who only want to take shots at people especially without actually talking to those people.

OS gotta say I love reading a ton of your posts but this victim angle is unbecoming. You're acting like you need a safe place from the vicious attacks received while valiantly standing up for truth and justice.

We all do it my man. We all have our moments. That's all I was saying. You might want to turn your deep perceptions towards the mirror at times too if you think you don't do it.

 

[Hram]

One question for the forum. I see we picked up Alaric Jackson OT Iowa. He looks to be a very solid pickup. Projected R4 prospect. How do the Rams decide to pass on him yet pick up a 3rd WR and a jag RB. Both likely to be fighting for a ST spot? It really confuses me. Thoughts?

Probably because they were guessing he would slip and, I they didn’t draft any OL, they’d have a high probability of picking him up.
It shows good patience and in this case it worked.

 

[1maGoh]

Probably because they were guessing he would slip and, I they didn’t draft any OL, they’d have a high probability of picking him up.
It shows good patience and in this case it worked.

Yeah I don't really understand the question dang asked. We got him as a UDFA and the question is why didn't we draft him? Well, we got him as a UDFA so what's the problem? The 4th round grade mentioned was by people not doing the drafting. Everybody didn't draft this guy, so why would the Rams be judged negatively for not drafting him?

 

[OldSchool]

OS gotta say I love reading a ton of your posts but this victim angle is unbecoming. You're acting like you need a safe place from the vicious attacks received while valiantly standing up for truth and justice.

We all do it my man. We all have our moments. That's all I was saying. You might want to turn your deep perceptions towards the mirror at times too if you think you don't do it.

I'm not a victim I'm an asshole, acknowledged and embraced. I have no problem with it, others seem to not want to acknowledge it in themselves. It is funny though you say I want a safe place and all this other crap and it's the people crying about us having an opinion and stating it that seem to want a safe place. Safe from others voicing a disagreement or a different opinion from them or the club or whatever. I'm out in the open and participating. I'm not coming in taking shots at people then running away. No safe places needed here.

 

[FaulkSF]

31 other teams also passed on Jackson in Rounds 5-7.

I would have preferred they draft Creed Humphrey at #57 instead of Atwell; and I was hoping for Drew Dalman at #117 but he was taken at #114.

Just curious, outside of Humphrey, which OL would you have liked the Rams draft, and at which spot?

Morrissey. Smart, has heart and fits the outside zone

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I agree, but that doesn't stop people who can't admit they're wrong from having strong opinions about a draft class.

Its easy for me to mostly look at the bright side because I don't watch any college football outside of Ohio State.

And I get being passionate about moves that the Rams make - I certainly am.

But the draft is such a crapshoot with so many variables, and it's actually impossible for a fan to be right and organization to be wrong because they don't have the same information - it's like playing two different games. The team is putting in more time and resources than probably their entire fanbase combined, as well as talking to the player and people/coaches he's played with - all to basically, from a fan perspective, answer this question: will he or will he not be a good player?

Take Atwell for example - the Rams probably invested a ton of time watching film, talking to him and his coaches and decided he was not only worth the pick, but (presumably) not worth risking in a trade down first and draft later scenario. Meanwhile fans on here who have probably watched 1 hour of film or less - and most likely not any film that the coaches had access to - just say "bad pick he will be tackled by the wind" - and it's just going to be one of two outcomes: either he will have been worth the pick or not, so any fan has a 50/50 shot at being right.

I love reading everyone's opinions, but if people have the audacity to slam a move that the Rams have put 100 times more thought and have 100 times the information that a fan does, then id also expect the fan to admit when they're wrong.

You admitting the Rams out drafted you last year is the first time I've seen someone actually post that.

Its easy admitting I'm wrong about picks when I thought they were poor choices. That means the team got a good player. I didn't hate Akers or Jefferson but I didn't like the 2020 draft that much. It turned out that Akers looks pretty good. Jefferson still has some proving to do. But then I hated the Terrell Lewis pick because of his injury history. Most often I agree with some picks and not others. I rarely hate an entire class.


This year I was not that heavily invested, but they broke one Cardinal rule for me. Taking a small guy early is a big risk of a good pick. Despite all of the info GMs and coaches have privy too they are human and can talk themselves into a guys potential, or love a players character and over value them.

Think of Devanney. How hard would it have been to draft better than he did? How many picks did he make that you hated. Back to Snead and McVay I sometimes worry that McVay has a little Martz in him and gets excited thinking what could be with a great weapon in college. They drafted Van for his play speed last year. Why can't he be the deep threat. Did the Rams draft a receiver in round two ( a Premium pick) to have him sit on the bench most of his time here? There doesn't seem to be as many options as warranted for a round two guy like Van. Repeating picks in consecutive years sucks when considering value and efficiency.

 

[kurtfaulk]

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Yeah, when they drafted van I thought for sure woods was gonna get traded so he could get paid. Then the Rams paid him. It became a head scratching pick. Maybe they want him ready for next season if they let either Woods or Kupp go? So when he becomes a full time starter he'll hit the ground running.

.

 

[TexasRam]

I'm all for calling out a coach and GM when they make mistakes.

But seeing the same posters trash a draft class every year, turn out to be wrong, ignore it and come back and trash it again is a bit much.

Plus, Gruden and Mayock haven't experienced the success that our regime has.

And this year is different. The Goff saga was divisive and people are clearly carrying some resentment about that and it's going to magnify everything that Snead and McVay do.

Yea if people are trashing the draft every year I can see that being annoying. Personally I have seen some I really liked and more than a few that sucked.

I agree people are going to carry a negative perspective after the Goff trade. But honestly, if one is a true Ram fan they are going to forgive and forget and admit being wrong if the Stafford project and 2 straight drafts of ignoring the Oline works out. We are all speculating. We could 7-9 or 16-0 for all we know. In the end, if these moves work out Snead and Mcvay will be applauded and we will be one big happy family, with a few "told you so's" and a few "You were right". And I hope I am dead wrong on this because we are clearly in a win now window and the future is being sacrificed.

 

[FrantikRam]

Yea if people are trashing the draft every year I can see that being annoying. Personally I have seen some I really liked and more than a few that sucked.

I agree people are going to carry a negative perspective after the Goff trade. But honestly, if one is a true Ram fan they are going to forgive and forget and admit being wrong if the Stafford project and 2 straight drafts of ignoring the Oline works out. We are all speculating. We could 7-9 or 16-0 for all we know. In the end, if these moves work out Snead and Mcvay will be applauded and we will be one big happy family, with a few "told you so's" and a few "You were right". And I hope I am dead wrong on this because we are clearly in a win now window and the future is being sacrificed.

I don't see how the future is being sacrificed unless Stafford only plays with us for two years. We're still going to be one of the youngest teams in the NFL, and we're probably going to have 10 draft picks next year

 

[Tano]

Count me as one that are not mad they picked wr early... The line played pretty good with a QB that couldn’t read defenses for real and teams new that... I’m not to worried

In the Jets game that I watched the all 20 on, McVay only called one play in the first half prior to the two minute warning where a receiver ran a route past 20 yards.

And the Rams did not resign Blythe even though he was a fairly inexpensive signing by the KC Chiefs.

That to me tells me that McVay did not trust his line (essentially Blythe) to be able to hold the block long enough for routes to go past 20 yards.

And that one play that they ran the route past 20 yards, Goff had a receiver breaking open at the 20 yard mark past the line of scrimmage for a possible deep TD pass and Blythe's guy hit him just as he threw the ball.

They needed a huge upgrade at Center for pass plays and Creed Humphrey was still there in the second round and Meinerz was still there in the third round. I believe these were huge mistakes. Last year I wanted Biadesz instead of Hopkins.

Even if they didn't start him this year, this would have been a beneficial year for him to sit and learn the plays.

And I believe imho that they could have gotten Tutu in the third or even fourth round.

 

[RamUK]

If I could take over right now and roll things back I'd do this:

Round 2 Pick #25 - Tutu Atwell WR Louisville
Round 3 Pick #40 - Ernest Jones LB South Carolina
Round 4 Pick #12 - Bobby Brown DT Texas A&M
Round 4 Pick #25 - Robert Rochell CB Central Arkansas
Round 4 Pick #36 - Jacob Harris WR Central Florida
Round 5 Pick #30 - Earnest Brown IV DE Northwestern
Round 7 Pick #5 - Jake Funk HB Maryland
Round 7 Pick #22 - Ben Skowronek WR Notre Dame
Round 7 Pick #25 - Chris Garrett OLB Concordia-St. Paul

McVay and all his winning seasons shit, has earned my trust. Whereas I may be the monkey typing the works of Shakespeare on a typewriter, I'm way more likely to be the monkey shitting on the typewriter and smugly scratching my balls as Shakespeares watches on.

 

[RamDino]

Why all the BS about draft picks? The success rate is probably around 50%. I think most of you guys are taking this too personally. I've eaten plenty of crow in my short time here, and I enjoyed it! Keep posting all my Ram brothers and sisters. I love reading your opinions and perspectives and football knowledge, especially when it comes to our Rams.

 

[Psycho_X]

Why all the BS about draft picks? The success rate is probably around 50%.

Yeah, I stopped getting mad about individual picks a while ago. Especially now with an organization that I trust to put a winning football team on the field every year. And if we get good contributions from 50% of our draft picks I'll be happy. I don't care if the 1st rounder busts as long as the 6th rounder turns into a starter.

Looking from my amateur opinion I think we had a good overall draft. Tutu wouldn't have been my choice but I'm intrigued by the player with McVay in charge. We needed speed to make defenses be honest again and Djax/Tutu combination should provide that if they can stay on the field.

Jones, Brown, and Rochell all look like heavy rotational players this year with possibility to be starters this year or next. Harris and Skowronek if we can get one of them to stick as a big bodied receiver I'll be happy. The rest I'm not sure will be on the roster after a couple of years but hopefully one can surprise.

 

[rams1fan]

I would have had alot more strippers at the malibu pad

The place has nine bedrooms and they did not show any on TV so maybe...

 

[TheTackle]

I thought we would take Creed Humphrey and failing that trade up for Drew Dalman to start the 3rd day (especially considering the Stanford connection)

I will feel much better if we sign a quality vet guard if, as seems likely, one shakes free following the draft. If that is their plan, it’s a good one!

As for the future, we have wisely collected our full allocation of discretionary picks in next years draft which is going to loaded!

So, we look set to challenge and could dominate for years: 1. with the right FA addition 2. one or two of this years draft making significant contributions 3. Much more Cap space in 2022 and 2023 4. Plenty of picks in a loaded 2022 draft

 

[Merlin]

I just was never high on Humphrey like so many others were. His film is just as hit/miss as some other center prospects I've seen. You can tell where he and Myers went in round 2 was more about Green Bay and KC prioritizing needs and getting them right before round 3 where they were probably slated to go for most teams.

But passing on Meinerz bothered me. The Senior Bowl practices showed me a guy who could move his assignment. That is enormously valuable and something we don't have inside except for maybe Edwards. Meinerz is a positive dude too, seems like a nice locker room personality. I just think he's gonna be special and it's gonna suck watching him develop.