Yeah, a special player could drop especially if the QB needy teams force a QB. Possibly safety Caleb Down's, maybe RB Jeremiah Love? Not sure there is a dominant can't miss OT available either. It's supposedly a deep OT draft, so you could get a RT in rd 2 or with the 2nd #1.
There is a number of top 10 edges, but do you grab another edge that high? Might be able to move down a spot or two if a top edge is there and get a #2 pick for next yr. That would add to the QB draft arsenal for next year. Then you get a top WR a few spots later in this draft.
Makes me wonder how many blue chips we're talking before that dropoff point. And by blue chip I mean top end first rounders, after which there's kids usually considered by teams to be first round picks to somewhere midrounds depending on the class. But just in terms of your elite types...
You probably have 3 or 4 QBs in the early going, depending on who declares. Mendoza, Moore, Maiava all have enough tools to where they're not dinged for things like height, arm strength, etc. Simpson if he finishes strong and has a good pro day too. Who declares, I of course have no idea but I think for both Moore and Maiava maybe they think hey we're being told we could end up going real early so why not jump. So let's be conservative and call it 3, and any others who end up in that group the more the merrier.
Edges are legit as a group in round one. But to be conservative in terms of who goes in that top echelon, let's say it's Bain (I expect Faulk will end up there for his measurables but I don't like the workout or non-film types). So we'll go with 1.
RB you got Love. He's a blue chip dude for sure though as a RB that doesn't mean he goes in that group. So 1.
LT way I see it Fano is a blue chipper. He's got the length and smooth feet and can plug right in day one. 1 here too.
WR is where the lottery hit is in the upper group I think. I think there's 4, those being the big X types in Tyson, Boston, and Tate, and the smaller slot type in Lemon who also has enough juice I think for the outside. Now some may want to argue whether 4 of them are actual blue chips. But I think every one of them will be salivated over by offensive coaches, which includes McVay. He would not, for example, pass on Lemon if he's the last of the group on the board. WR is an elite position now, highly desired, and these boys are gonna blow up the combine. I have no idea who all declares, we'll see. But we're just spitballin here anyway. So 4 here.
CB as always I like the dudes who can play press man, and since we need a top draw who can erase MFers that's what I'd prioritize. Do the Rams agree? Probably not, they probably want Abney or similar, but who cares what the Rams want anyway. As to the blue chips I think there are two, those being Delane and Johnson, however to be conservative let's say there's 1. One of these guys will blow it up at the combine and measure in well and teams will have him way up there.
So by my rough napkin math here it looks like 11 top end options for the Rams to take with Atlanta's pick. We're well inside that right now. And even if I'm being too generous with the blue chip designation here, which is likely, Rams at 8 are going to be looking at one fine prospect. And if they're more towards 5 or so even better.