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Elmgrovegnome

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Dude is also 25. So he’s probably peaked physically.

How much of this is Rams taking chances on older guys and how much of this is Covid/NIL related I wonder.

The Rams target leadership, maturity and love for the game. Two of those things are often developed by being an older player on your college team and come with experience.

One of the younger players that the Rams recently drafted was Bobby Brown. He took a few years to develop and is still developing. So, maybe they decided they get a faster return and it’s easier to really know who a player is if they are a little older.

If a team cannot retain everyone due to dealing with the salary cap, it makes more sense to draft more finished products that can contribute immediately, especially if a team is confident in their ability to continually identify quality players in college.
 

LA_Rams_#29

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No way Rams use R1.26 on ILB Consensus BigBoard has Knight right at R3.90. Just a point of reference.

It's possible they wouldn't draft an ILB at #26..... but if Jihaad is there, I don't believe there is any way that pass on him. I can understand people using history to tell them we won't draft an ILB that early.... but I think the historical analysis is missing some key points. The Rams have had a plan that involved CURRENT players at ILB going into the draft all those years. Thus, our early picks were focused on other positions where a current plan didn't exist. When our ILB plan was more questionable going into a draft, we drafted Earnest Jones. We didn't draft an ILB last year because Jones was still in our plans when the time the draft came.

Our ILB development of existing players impacted ups not drafting an ILB early as well. Littleton and Kiser were both in-house developed guys who projected as starters going into their 2nd season. Reeder shined in camp early as a UDFA and got a chance to play after Kiser got hurt.

We've had an existing plan going into all of these drafts.

But today..... we have no plan outside of Speights. The biggest tell to me is that we didn't bring back Rozenboom even after 100 plus tackle season. IF we weren't looking use draft capital on an ILB we would have brought back Rozenboom. We haven't brought Reader back either.....yet....which tells me that we're looking use some draft capital on someone to pair with Speights, and IF you'd bring Reader back it would be more for veteran depth.

It's possible Jihaad won't be there at #26.... it's possible we wouldn't draft another ILB besides him that early at #26 (which would be ok because there are some really good ILBs that would be there in the 3rd round for us). But I cannot see any way that we'd pass on Jihaad Campbell if he's there.... Adding him to our young defense honestly gives potentially one of the best Defenses in the league. Speights and Campbell give us the best ILB combo we've had since we've ran the 3/4 defense. We'd have a defense of young hungry aggressive players ..... no more practice squad players manning the ILB position.
 

Flatlyner

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It's possible they wouldn't draft an ILB at #26..... but if Jihaad is there, I don't believe there is any way that pass on him. I can understand people using history to tell them we won't draft an ILB that early.... but I think the historical analysis is missing some key points. The Rams have had a plan that involved CURRENT players at ILB going into the draft all those years. Thus, our early picks were focused on other positions where a current plan didn't exist. When our ILB plan was more questionable going into a draft, we drafted Earnest Jones. We didn't draft an ILB last year because Jones was still in our plans when the time the draft came.

Our ILB development of existing players impacted ups not drafting an ILB early as well. Littleton and Kiser were both in-house developed guys who projected as starters going into their 2nd season. Reeder shined in camp early as a UDFA and got a chance to play after Kiser got hurt.

We've had an existing plan going into all of these drafts.

But today..... we have no plan outside of Speights. The biggest tell to me is that we didn't bring back Rozenboom even after 100 plus tackle season. IF we weren't looking use draft capital on an ILB we would have brought back Rozenboom. We haven't brought Reader back either.....yet....which tells me that we're looking use some draft capital on someone to pair with Speights, and IF you'd bring Reader back it would be more for veteran depth.

It's possible Jihaad won't be there at #26.... it's possible we wouldn't draft another ILB besides him that early at #26 (which would be ok because there are some really good ILBs that would be there in the 3rd round for us). But I cannot see any way that we'd pass on Jihaad Campbell if he's there.... Adding him to our young defense honestly gives potentially one of the best Defenses in the league. Speights and Campbell give us the best ILB combo we've had since we've ran the 3/4 defense. We'd have a defense of young hungry aggressive players ..... no more practice squad players manning the ILB position.
I haven't had a chance to do a deep dive on Campbell, but are ya'll thinking he's in the Patrick Willis dominating mold? To take a MLB that high when we have other needs, he's going to have to be outstanding. Especially because there is going to be several quality MLB's available to us in the 3rd (Bassa, Paul Jr, Schwesinger, Mondon, etc.) Now if he is leaps and bounds better then those guys, I can see it.
 

LA_Rams_#29

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I haven't had a chance to do a deep dive on Campbell, but are ya'll thinking he's in the Patrick Willis dominating mold? To take a MLB that high when we have other needs, he's going to have to be outstanding. Especially because there is going to be several quality MLB's available to us in the 3rd (Bassa, Paul Jr, Schwesinger, Mondon, etc.) Now if he is leaps and bounds better then those guys, I can see it.
The comp I'm seeing for Jihaad has been Roquan Smith. He's by far the best ILB in the draft, strong wonderlic score, high character guy.

I'd also say we may have some other needs, but none more pressing that ILB. Not even close. We are solid at every position group with the only possible exception being CB....... drafting a TE, or a WR, or a QB that early when we have a gaping whole in the middle of our defense would be a travesty if a day one starter and dot wearer is available.

IF Campbell is gone by #26, I'd be fine with drafting Shavon Revel at CB (sign Witherspoon and cut Williams).....then drafting an ILB in the 3rd round (hopefull a Stutsman would be available)


but if he's there you take him....Jihaad is the real deal.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXCaKuJQ2Bg
 

Ram Ts

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Isn’t run defense a weakness of Jihaad? I’m not familiar with his play, but I thought I read that recently.
 

JonRam99

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It just means “struggle” and it can mean anything.

I’d root for any of the dudes with worse names from any Key and Peele sketch of it meant another Lombardi.

Also, I declared jihad against the 9ers in 1976…so I got that going for me…
Not to split hairs... it could indeed just mean "struggle", but in today's environment, it generally means only one thing, killing infidels. Up to 10k just in the last week in Syria alone, in case you didn't know.
It would be kinda like drafting a kid named "crusader" or "inquisitor" (i know who would ever name their kid this, just making a point), it's just an unfortunate name that can draw unwanted attention, as it refers to religious violence.
Anyway, I don't care what his name is, if he's got a rams jersey on, he's my guy. He apparently is "built like an old school MLB but moves like a Safety" (per a Redditor). Having someone like that next to Speights would be awesome. Him or that Emmanwori kid, who could be great at playing the Star role.
 

Allen2McVay

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Jim
Why do sorority girls wear panties?















To keep their ankles warm.
1742066066512.png
 

Ram_Rally

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Chidobe Awuzie just cut. Won't count against the formula and still has a little in the tank.
 

8to12

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Chidobe Awuzie just cut. Won't count against the formula and still has a little in the tank.
His PFF grade in coverage was 80.4 for last season. So, it sounds like he still has some gas left in the tank. I would be for that.
 

Ram_Rally

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His PFF grade in coverage was 80.4 for last season. So, it sounds like he still has some gas left in the tank. I would be for that.
Same here. He's had some injuries but we could bring akhello back with him for insurance.