2nd Rd / Pick #46 - Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon

[OldSchool]

I’m not surprised. This was the concern I and some others had when Gladstone got the Jags job. He’d be targeting some of the same players the Rams were in this draft because that was the brunt of his scouting intel. Secondly he will be using very similar criteria in the future for picking players. That’s not a huge deal but with the Jags always picking ahead of the Rams it could create some competition for the same players, and since Snead’s system seems to really limit the number of targets they like in each round, like the ones who get the “Hot” tag, it could end up with them liking the same targets.

Much ado about nothing.

Different rosters needs and goals and it's just as likely other GMs without knowing who we like happen to like the same players.

 

[Psycho_X]

ya know, we just gotta chalk it up to the Rams family tree. But it does make me wonder, how much it was our system that produced a future GM, or if Gladstone brought new methods to the Rams that improved our drafting success.
I guess time will tell. I think the Jags had a good draft, getting the best player in the draft was a coup. They also got Tuten & Kiser. Not sure who Ransaw CB is... but I think Milum OL was on some mocks here. They traded up for Hunter & still had 9 picks this draft.

McVay and Snead have always been open about learning from other people while bringing in smart, dedicated visionairies. I do not think they shy away from that and I think Gladstone probably helped refine their methods and McSnead helped shaped Gladstone into a GM candidate. IMO, that keeps McSnead ahead of the curve generally speaking.

I remember a lot of members on this board were extremely negative towards Snead after Brad Holmes left even started to have rumblings from some fans that Snead needed to go because Holmes was the brains the whole time according to them. Since then we've had arguably the two best drafts in Rams history back to back. Not enough people give credit to how good they are at hiring talent.

I'm ride or die with McSnead for as long as they are willing to grace us with their presence in the Rams organization.

 

[Stl2La]

View: https://x.com/bgrisaktst/status/1917224688985534474?s=46&t=gEUcKN5ugzpn7hhJJvpNKw

 

[brucebruce]

Rams ran TE screens to Higbee at least once a game going back years.

how many games has higbee played recently?
and the games that he played in that past few years, how banged up was he?
how many of the screens were anticipated by the defense because OL wasn't holding up?

regardless of the answers which will not be positive, overall the screen game has been ugly. puka seemed to have some success at a cost.

 

[brucebruce]

A head coach going Gaga over a prospect isn’t always a good thing. I recall McVay being the one behind the Atwell pick. I know the coaches have to be a part of the process but I’d rather the scouting staff and GM have most of the say. Jourda. Has referred to Snead having to reign in McVay’s excitement over a prospect.

John Schneider is a good GM but he was constantly being overruled by Pete Carroll and it resulted in a lot of failed draft picks.

i recall mcvay going gaga over puka and giving, "if you dont pick him now, snead, I'm leaving" vibes.

 

[brucebruce]

View: https://x.com/bgrisaktst/status/1917224688985534474?s=46&t=gEUcKN5ugzpn7hhJJvpNKw

the rams needed a TE. you don't have to be ms cleo to predict fergy. then he pats himself on the back with the bullseye line.

 

[DzRams]

A head coach going Gaga over a prospect isn’t always a good thing. I recall McVay being the one behind the Atwell pick. I know the coaches have to be a part of the process but I’d rather the scouting staff and GM have most of the say. Jourda. Has referred to Snead having to reign in McVay’s excitement over a prospect.

John Schneider is a good GM but he was constantly being overruled by Pete Carroll and it resulted in a lot of failed draft picks.

This is my fear with Ferguson. The coaching staff being desperate and too excited for a TE that they pass up much better players.

 

[dang]

View: https://x.com/bgrisaktst/status/1917224688985534474?s=46&t=gEUcKN5ugzpn7hhJJvpNKw

It seemed obvious the Rams were hellbent on a TE. While they would have loved Warren or Loveland the process too high. I believe they had Ferguson over Taylor but either would do. They May have taken one at R1.26 but thank goodness ATL came a calling with an offer that couldn’t be refused. And I think R1.26 was a little too rich for either.

 

[DzRams]

the rams needed a TE. you don't have to be ms cleo to predict fergy. then he pats himself on the back with the bullseye line.

And yet no one here, no media expert, nor the consensus big board predicted that Ferg would go before Arroyo and Fannin.

 

[TheTackle]

And yet no one here, no media expert, nor the consensus big board predicted that Ferg would go before Arroyo and Fannin.

I respect your opinion but am struggling to get your point. They preferred Ferguson over those two TEs. Gladstone said (all the way from Jacksonville) that Ferguson was a priority player I.e. what Snead called a “hot pick” and Gladstone named as a “bullseye” when he rightly predicted they would take him.

If so, what is not to like? Time will tell but I trust our front office and coach over nearly other front office and certainly as much. Certainly much more than the consensus board

 

[WestCoastRam]

how many games has higbee played recently?
and the games that he played in that past few years, how banged up was he?
how many of the screens were anticipated by the defense because OL wasn't holding up?

regardless of the answers which will not be positive, overall the screen game has been ugly. puka seemed to have some success at a cost.

I think we've been watching different teams.

The screen game has been quite good. It's not like any team should be calling them 6-8 times a game or anything.

I wonder if people are comparing it to when we ran a lot of RB screens with Gurley at a higher rate - I would suspect we were league leaders in the screen game back then but that was a unique back and a time when we were running a more zone scheme which lent itself to RB screens.

The offense has issues, screens to the TE (this includes Allen but not necessarily Parkinson) are not one of them.

 

[DzRams]

I respect your opinion but am struggling to get your point. They preferred Ferguson over those two TEs. Gladstone said (all the way from Jacksonville) that Ferguson was a priority player I.e. what Snead called a “hot pick” and Gladstone named as a “bullseye” as he predicted they would take him.

If so, what is not to like? Time will tell but I trust our front office and coach over nearly other front office and certainly as much. Certainly much more than the consensus board.

I was responding to someone who implied that it wasn't a big deal that Gladstone knew the Rams would pick Ferg. No one made that prediction except for him so that he knew is significant.

It wasn't commentary on whether he'll work out. I hope he does even though I'm a bit skeptical.

 

[PhillyRam]

This is my fear with Ferguson. The coaching staff being desperate and too excited for a TE that they pass up much better players.

Well, it was a definite need and had they passed on him there. They don't get one of the top 6 TEs and then we would be complaining about that.

In Philly the hot discussion right now centers on Dallas Goedert and why Philly didn't draft a TE when they have made it clear that he is likley going to be released or traded.

Well, they drafted Campbell and that pretty much sealed their fate in getting a top TE. By pick 64 the top 5 were gone. Only Fannin and Helm were left.

Howie Roseman was asked about getting a TE, and he said at every pick they would have been a reach. So to them Fannin was a big reach at 64 and they needed a starting S, so they took one. After that they really didn't have a shot at another top TE. Early 4th they took a DT which was also a pressing need so by the 5th Helm was gone.

So it shows you how you can miss out on a big need pick. Drafting Campbell, cost the Eagles a starting TE this year if they move on from Goedert.

Had the Rams passed on Ferguson, they would have been left with Helms being the best available at pick 90, and maybe a reach there.

So I am fine with Ferguson. I like the player and I see the Rams put an emphasis on fit. Greg Cosell was asked about that pick on the Ross Tucker podcast and he said he actually had in his draft notes that Ferguson reminds him of Tyler Higbee. So you can see the fit is there. Hopefully he can stay healthy.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I was responding to someone who implied that it wasn't a big deal that Gladstone knew the Rams would pick Ferg. No one made that prediction except for him so that he knew is significant.

It wasn't commentary on whether he'll work out. I hope he does even though I'm a bit skeptical.

Ferg feels like a dice roll on him growing as a player around his athletic traits but one thing I thought was helpful was that they reported he was already working on TE stuff this offseason with Logan Paulson who McVay speaks highly of.

 

[brucebruce]

I think we've been watching different teams.

The screen game has been quite good. It's not like any team should be calling them 6-8 times a game or anything.

I wonder if people are comparing it to when we ran a lot of RB screens with Gurley at a higher rate - I would suspect we were league leaders in the screen game back then but that was a unique back and a time when we were running a more zone scheme which lent itself to RB screens.

The offense has issues, screens to the TE (this includes Allen but not necessarily Parkinson) are not one of them.

The reality might be in the middle because, higbee has been out, and I've definitely seen the screen-game become stale and ineffective for long stretches and not implemented even when the defense was pinning their ears back to attack the QB. And when finally implemented, it was clunky, and you can see it coming a mile away resulting in poor results, save for a couple of high-profile plays. There's some wishful thinking on my part that fergy will be a force on screens and short-yardage 3rd down slot.

 

[JonRam99]

The reality might be in the middle because, higbee has been out, and I've definitely seen the screen-game become stale and ineffective for long stretches and not implemented even when the defense was pinning their ears back to attack the QB. And when finally implemented, it was clunky, and you can see it coming a mile away resulting in poor results, save for a couple of high-profile plays. There's some wishful thinking on my part that fergy will be a force on screens and short-yardage 3rd down slot.

I will say, Ferg's highlight reels show a lot of TE screens, and very well disguised -- I had to rewind these plays to see them craftily develop, so he's very good at it.
Thing is though I saw 1 or 2 of these go for big gains, but most were of the 10-15 yd gain variety. I haven't seen the 'explosive plays' yet that Ferg is rated highly for, but I may not have been watching closely. Ferg seems to be a great pass-catcher, but the 'yac' that he's know for, I didn't see either - it seemed to me he was easily knocked off balance & tackled.
Anyway, I'm excited about this guy -- much more so than Everett, who it always seemed was dropping passes. Ferg looks like he has great hands & will be a monster in the red zone.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

i recall mcvay going gaga over puka and giving, "if you dont pick him now, snead, I'm leaving" vibes.

I saw the video, I don’t recall it going exactly like that