A quick look back at the S&F 1st round picks...

[Mojo Ram]

A GM should hit on most of his first rounders

But most of them don't. The Rams have done well.

 

[Alan]

LACHAMP46 minimizing the importance of deliberation:
I think G-Rob is fine....you guys are too picky...

"I'm probably being too picky" is exactly what I said before marrying my 2nd (of three) wife.

 

[FRO]

They had a blueprint. It didn't work.

What was it? Was the plan in 2012 and 2013 to build more of a spread offense? Cook and Austin aren't really the first guys you would want on a ground and pound squad. I just wish from day one they would have said we are going to be a ground a pound squad, built the line over playmakers, then moved on from there. The 2012 second round is the one area where they failed building offensive talent. On the whole Fisher and Snead are as good at drafting players as almost anybody in the league. Definitely a top 10 drafting team since 2012.

 

[BonifayRam]

Snead gets a from me on his drafting since his arrival. Yes I have some issues with several of his moves but overall from 2012 to 2015 things looks . The biggest question I have with Snead's drafts thus far is the Greg Robinson pick.

I find his play @ OLT not up to par with what is needed to have a successful offense. I expect much better from the overall 2nd pick of the first round. Its needs to be said too that GRob has been on the field starting for this team 18 out of the last 22 games!

I need to remind myself on a weekly basis that at the time of Snead selection of GRob his talent level on his OL was empty. The OL was in great need of youthful insertion into the OL cadre. Snead plan was to come out with two OT's. Things did not go that way.

In truth he came out with one OG. The plan as I saw it was to insert GRob in at OLG and let him play there for 2 to 3 yrs learning the OL trade in the NFL & then move him a few feet left into the OLT post when the Jake Long contract had come to an end. Instead Jake Long's starting NFL career came to an end. Thus GRob who was very unripened, raw & green was forced to play the most crucial OL post in the NFL...real bad luck. So we got what we have a still green but ripening OLT.

Just in-case GRob does not fully develop into a NFL caliber OLT... This off season Snead went out and drafted 3 OT's. On top of that he discover a 4th OT who was UDFA who turned out to be a :shocked: and make the 53 player roster. Three of the 4 have LT in their work histories. So if GRob is forced back into the starting OLG post Snead has that problem well covered.:yess:

 

[LetsGoRams]

I think they've done a fantastic job with the first rounders. Look at the talent on this team compared to when they showed up. Up and down the roster. I have full confidence in these guys getting good players. I'd like to see them do a better job with the free agent market, but I think they definitely have an eye for talent. Jury still out on a few of these guys.

 

[Rmfnlt]

Wow mfnlt your assessment is harsh. Calling anyone beyond the 3rd or 4th round a bust is a real misnomer. The success rate for even getting "solid" players beyond round 3 drops very significantly. I guess Snead and every GM in the NFL should be fired to making so many "busted" picks in the later rounds.

I guess I am with Rams43 and his more positive assessment of Snead's and Fisher's Drafting. I also think they do an excellent job unearthing gems via undrafted free agency.

McDonald and Johnson are "Solid"....LOL...are we watching the same games? McDonald is a budding Prow Bowl safety and Johnson is a very good starting CB in this league desperate for good starting CB's.

Gaines may be on IR but he much more than just a "depth" player. Most rate him as draft steal from last year and next year. He probably moves into the starting lineup when he returns next year and becomes a very good player replacing JJ and/or the "solid" Johnson because they were in such high demand via free agency.

Bryant who you already listed as a bust is only on the practice squad but he may still make a contribution to the team.

As noted the jury is still out on quite few but already writing them off would be a mistake IMO.

I hear ya... and it may be harsh to expect much past the 3rd round or so... but, as I said, that's what differentiates the really good GMs from the average ones.

I can see we're not going to agree on my assessment, so I'll leave it there.

 

[GabesHorn]

Snead , Fisher and (Demoff) especially will be in a CRITICAL DECISION MODE this upcoming Free Agent Season that will effect the RAMS Future Is NOW unlike anytime they have ever seen as a trio. Some things will most likely be out of their hands and other teams throwing money at our players will change original plans for sure. This offseason shows with the proper moves we ARE at the very least a PLAYOFF team roster Talent wise. We NEED some Final things that are OBVIOUS. Yet No One knows where and If injuries will once again blow it up.

I see CRITICAL moves like never before with just one offseason basically due to the XTRA LARGE amount of RAM talent exposed to Free Agency. Can't afford ANY Regrets. Demoff must be on his A+ game . Who stays and who GOES is Mind Blowing with how it effects THE RAMS NOW to be a REAL CONTENDER once again in DECADES.

Free Agency mixed with Draft and even outside possible pickups and then BIG CUTS TOO. All of this together in one Giant plan to be NFC West Champions (First) which we may even do this year if injuries stop and we can get a break and OL gels. Then to actually be a true Viable NFL Champion with the correct roster. Many here will have 100 different ideas on how to do it. It will take a master stroke and I;d like it more if Fisher was held back as Final say as personal feelings from a players coach will ruin everything. I think only the Fans care. I don't think Stan Kronke cares how close we are talent level wise.

To end this once again too long post, I'm so happy with the level of talent we have on our practice squad that will be big role players for us with NFL proper training. Almost like our farm team. Never seen us with SO MANY Critical Decisions and some to be sad and neccesary moves to make the RAMS the BEST they can be and leave the personal out of it as to who helped get us here NOW!!! Then comes Draft NEEDS next to Finish a Championship Roster.:yess:
NO INJURIES!!!

 

[Rmfnlt]

To call a player picked in the 4th round, or later, a bust is... Ummmmm... Unrealistic.

What am I to call them? How about "whiff"?

 

[drasconis]

What am I to call them? How about "whiff"?

I get your scale sir, that is all it is understanding your basis. Every player lines up as a result regardless of draft position or expectation. By comparison many others qualify based upon draft position...you in theory could do that, but it would be an extra step (a different rating - a more narrowed one).

for instance a starting player is "B", so a starter in the first round or a starter in the 6th round are both "B"'s, you are not doing or separating out the expectation step many others apply... for example :I expect an "A" in the first round so a "B" (while still a "B") is a disappointment, I expect a "D" from round 6, so a "B" there is exciting...

it is the sort of thing that can make these discussions difficult, everyone starts with a different scale....not that there isn't plenty of subject other elements that go into anyway....but without giving everyone the exact same guidelines the conversation get even tougher to synch.

Sort like when we were younger and you would be out with your buddies and one of them might point outa woman and say, wow she is 9+...and then debate ensued....lol

 

[Killgasm]

Compare it to Martz's 1st rounders...

Trung Canidate - bust
Damione Lewis - bust
Adam Archuleta - good player, box safety
Ryan Pickett - shouldn't have let him go
Robert Thomas - bust
Jimmy Kennedy - bust
SJax - borderline HOF (nice job)
Alex Barron - meh, not bust, but not good

In hindsight, I can't believe we passed up Aaron Rodgers for Alex "false start" Barren

 

[DCH]

In hindsight, I can't believe we passed up Aaron Rodgers for Alex "false start" Barren

Let's be fair, how many teams look back on that draft in hindsight and go, "God, why did we take XXX instead of Rodgers?" All but the Saints, probably...

 

[LesBaker]

Let's be fair, how many teams look back on that draft in hindsight and go, "God, why did we take XXX instead of Rodgers?" All but the Saints, probably...

He was drafted 24th overall so I would bet that number would be 23.

 

[drasconis]

He was drafted 24th overall so I would bet that number would be 23.

Poor Redskins ended up getting Jason Campbell at 25....

(Gotta agree it would be 22 of the 23...NO ended up with Brees, though not via draft)

 

[LesBaker]

Poor Redskins ended up getting Jason Campbell at 25....

(Gotta agree it would be 22 of the 23...NO ended up with Brees, though not via draft)

I bet they would have rather had a younger guy with no injury history that cost a lot less.

Just sayin'!!!

 

[OldSchool]

Add in the successes from UDFA they also factor into the draft results.

 

[yrba1]

In hindsight, I can't believe we passed up Aaron Rodgers for Alex "false start" Barren

Rodgers wouldn't be himself today if he didn't sat behind Brett Favre to hone is skills. Mike McCarthy also had an excellent QB school in his offseason program that I can see turning Hundley into a good, future starting QB. If Rodgers and Alex Smith switched situations, I'm fairly certain Rodgers would be a bust while Smith would be elite.

 

[DCH]

He was drafted 24th overall so I would bet that number would be 23.

Yea, that's pretty much what I meant - everyone who picked prior to his going who didn't already have a youngish HOF QB on the roster.

Funny too that Ronnie Brown, Cedric Benson, Cadillac Williams all went top 10, and Frank "Future HOF" Gore went in the 3rd. Hindsight is painful for every draft for every team.

 

[RamFan503]

What was it? Was the plan in 2012 and 2013 to build more of a spread offense? Cook and Austin aren't really the first guys you would want on a ground and pound squad. I just wish from day one they would have said we are going to be a ground a pound squad, built the line over playmakers, then moved on from there. The 2012 second round is the one area where they failed building offensive talent. On the whole Fisher and Snead are as good at drafting players as almost anybody in the league. Definitely a top 10 drafting team since 2012.

Probably had something to do with a healthy Bradford and Wells, building through the draft and bringing in a few key FAs. It's a pretty successful plan in many cases. Take Probowler Wells, Franchise QB Sam, LT Saffold and later Long out of the plan and it's not much good. As far as type of offense, there is a case to be made that we had the personnel (on paper) to make a pro-style spread work. But it didn't work so you move on. And Ground and pound doesn't really work without playmakers either.

 

[FRO]

Probably had something to do with a healthy Bradford and Wells, building through the draft and bringing in a few key FAs. It's a pretty successful plan in many cases. Take Probowler Wells, Franchise QB Sam, LT Saffold and later Long out of the plan and it's not much good. As far as type of offense, there is a case to be made that we had the personnel (on paper) to make a pro-style spread work. But it didn't work so you move on. And Ground and pound doesn't really work without playmakers either.

I understand what you are saying. They knew their defensive philosophy and identity from day one. They knew the types of players that fit. Offensively they changed the identity and philosophy a lot and they have guys that aren't great fits for our current scheme. I contend if Fisher and Snead said day one we are going to ground and pound, we would be in much better shape offensively than we are now. They are excellent drafters. Our line sucked when they got here and still sucks. I think had they decided to be ground and pound from day one they would have drafted differently.

 

[Zaphod]

I understand what you are saying. They knew their defensive philosophy and identity from day one. They knew the types of players that fit. Offensively they changed the identity and philosophy a lot and they have guys that aren't great fits for our current scheme. I contend if Fisher and Snead said day one we are going to ground and pound, we would be in much better shape offensively than we are now. They are excellent drafters. Our line sucked when they got here and still sucks. I think had they decided to be ground and pound from day one they would have drafted differently.

Really, I blame this on Shottenheimer and Fisher having different philosophies.