Checking in on the Rams' 2021 draft class, end-of-season edition

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.

BonifayRam

Legend
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
13,435
Name
Vernon

Checking in on the Rams' 2021 draft class, end-of-season edition

Feb 26, 2022 at 12:00 PM
Stu Jackson of the Los Angeles Rams headshot, Thursday, May 20, 2021, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/LA Rams)

Stu Jackson

In most cases, the rookies seasons for members of the Rams' 2021 draft classes were a waiting game. Whether because of depth or a late-season injury at their respective position, playing time didn't come along until toward the middle of the season or late in the season. Some entered into starting roles, others saw increased playing time, but some also saw their seasons end prematurely due to injury.
After checking in with the group in mid-November, theRams.com has an updated, end-of-season look at how each of them fared.
Tutu

WR TUTU ATWELL (ROUND 2, NO. 57)
With established veteran depth at wide receiver, Atwell's playing mostly came on special teams through the first eight weeks. Of his 35 snaps, 25 came on special teams and 10 came on offense.

Although Atwell did not record any offensive stats, he still tallied 10 punt returns for 54 yards and five kickoff returns for 87 yards before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 8 against the Texans.
220226_CheckingInRookiesEndofSeason_16x9

LB ERNEST JONES (ROUND 3, NO. 103)
Jones also began his rookie season primarily playing on special teams – out of 177 total snaps through Week 7, 45 came on defense and 132 came on special teams.

After the Rams traded Kenny Young to the Broncos, Jones' role expanded significantly, as he started every game through Week 16 except for Week 10 against the 49ers. In Week 16, Jones suffered a high left ankle sprain that landed him on Injured Reserve, but he managed to return in time for the NFC Championship game and Super Bowl LVI. In the Super Bowl, he had seven total tackles and accounted for one of the Rams' Super Bowl-record-tying seven sacks in the game.

Jones finished his rookie campaign with 61 total tackles, a pair of interceptions and four pass breakups while starting in seven of the 15 regular season games he appeared in, plus those appearances in the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl in the postseason.
BobbyBrown

DL BOBBY BROWN III (ROUND 4, NO. 117)
Brown was inactive for the first seven weeks of the season before being activated to the gameday roster for the first time against the Texans in Week 8 following Sebastian Joseph-Day's pec injury.

While Brown played 10 snaps against the Texans, his playing time skewed more toward special teams – in some cases, like Weeks 14 and 15, exclusively. Ultimately, 47 of his 69 regular season snaps came on special teams, with 22 on defense.

He was active for each of the Rams' first three playoff games, but inactive for the Super Bowl with Joseph-Day returning.
All told, he appeared in 10 regular season games, finishing with one tackle, in addition to the three postseason appearances.
Rochell

CB ROBERT ROCHELL (ROUND 4, NO. 130)
For Rochell, playing time peaked in Weeks 5 and 6, due to becoming a starter in Week 5 and Darious Williams also sustaining an ankle injury that week.

Even when Williams returned from Injured Reserve, Rochell kept a starting role through Week 10 – except for Week 8 against the Texans, when he entered the game questionable due to a knee injury and played a couple of snaps but did not start. However, Rochell did not start in Week 12 against the Packers. In Week 13 against the Jaguars, he sustained a rib injury on special teams that would ultimately sideline him for the remainder of the season – he returned to practice during the playoffs but was never activated off of IR.

In 11 games (five starts), he tallied 14 total tackles, an interception, four pass breakups and one fumble recovery.
Harris

WR JACOB HARRIS (ROUND 4, NO. 141)
Harris was scheduled to play and learn the tight end position, but moved back to receiver – the position he played in college – after attrition due to mid-season injuries and departures impacted the Rams' depth.

His contributions across nine games primarily came on special teams, and his season ended prematurely after tearing his ACL and MCL covering a punt against the Titans in Week 9, on what Rams head coach Sean McVay described as a "freak accident" of a play.
EarnestBrown

DE EARNEST BROWN IV (ROUND 5, PICK 174)

Brown spent his rookie season on the Rams' practice squad.
Funk

RB JAKE FUNK (ROUND 7, NO. 233)
Although he was the third running back in the rotation, Funk's action as a rookie was limited mainly to special teams with trade acquisition Sony Michel and third-year back Darrell Henderson Jr. handling the bulk of the carries – a combined 357 of the Rams' 420 in the regular season, to be exact.

Funk sustained was initially called a season-ending torn hamstring against the Giants in Week 6, but ended up missing only seven games and was able to return later in the regular season.

Funk finished the regular season with two carries for five yards and four kickoff returns for 88 yards in 10 regular season games, then two carries for five yards in the playoffs (both coming in the Wild Card Round against the Cardinals) in the playoffs. He appeared in every Rams playoff game until he being inactive for Super Bowl LVI, when a healthy Cam Akers and Henderson were both available.

Skowronek


WR BEN SKOWRONEK (ROUND 7, NO. 249)
Once Skowronek returned from a preseason forearm injury that sidelined him for the first two weeks of the regular season, he primarily saw action on special teams through the first nine weeks of the season. The games he did see an uptick in offensive snaps were ones the Rams were well in control of – Week 6 against the Giants and Week 8 against the Texans.

Skowronek saw a season-high 40 offensive snaps against the 49ers in Week 10 and would be more involved in the rotation following Robert Woods' torn ACL in practice two days before the game. However, as free agent signee Odell Beckham Jr. got more comfortable in the offense, Skowronek's offensive snaps saw a small decrease, with time split between offense and special teams – of his 369 snaps during the regular season, 172 came on offense and 196 on special teams, with another on a two-point conversion attempt.
Skowronek also appeared in each of the Rams' four playoff games during their Super Bowl LVI-winning run, including playing 46 of 69 offensive snaps in the Super Bowl.

He finished with 11 catches for 133 yards and four kickoff returns for 70 yards in 14 regular season games, plus two catches for 12 yards in the Super Bowl.
Garrett

LB CHRIS GARRETT (ROUND 7, NO. 252)

Garrett began the season on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, missing the first two games while on it. Once activated, he played 10 total snaps (four defensive, six special teams) against the Bucs in Week 3, but did not record any stats in that contest and was inactive for each remaining game since, including each of the Rams' four playoff games.

Opportunities became especially more scarce after the bye week as the Rams integrated trade acquisition and veteran Von Miller into the mix at outside linebacker.
 

Kupped

Legend
Joined
Aug 5, 2021
Messages
8,692
Name
Kupped
One very solid starter in Jones.. a real player, if he can stay healthy.
One incredibly dubious choice in Atwell.
One Dlineman who has a chance to replicate SJD and Gaines career path.. start getting more snaps as a lower-rotation player in year two. A starter in year three or four.
One CB who has the tools to compete to be a starter next season.
A depth RB who can play special teams.
A STUD special teams player who can play a little WR. Needs to spend all offseason working on hands if he wants to keep job as WR.
A complete project WR big target who has some great traits but is very raw.
An interesting edge player who they thought highly enough to keep on roster all season.

I really like the draft... despite the really, really questionable pick in the 2nd round. Hopefully Tutu makes some kind of positive impact.
 

Merlin

Damn the torpedoes
Rams On Demand Sponsor
ROD Credit | 2023 TOP Member
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
39,708
I keep saying the Rams need to change what they look for at wideout to complement their QB but they did at least try to bring in two big-bodied depth ST types for the WR room in Skow and Harris. Skow had a great season for a guy drafted where he was. Impact teams option and served well in the fullback role when Woody went down. He should get more looks this year and rightly so.

And Harris was the guy they were running a ton of fades with from camp on. He looked pretty damn good doing it too, he's just not in Odell's class which is not a problem because few WRs are. They definitely both need to work on their hands but their teams association ensures both these guys stick on the roster.

I feel like for this draft to really arrive it is going to require Brown to grow into a starter. At the least a strong rotation piece who doesn't lessen your front when he's in there. But overall it feels like a depth/upside type draft where they said fuck it we'll take a shot on some talent types and hope we can develop them. Harris for example has excellent talent level even at the freakish and competitive position of WR. So does Brown.

Obviously Jones is the centerpiece of this draft right now. Really happy with his first season, he lived up to our hopes. Now hopefully year two is going to be Brown's time.
 

André

Always far too invested
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 21, 2014
Messages
1,585
This year's undrafted free agents have a lot of interest as well: Alaric Jackson (OL), Javian Hawkins (RB), Landen Akers (WR), Drake Jackson (C) and Adrian Ealy (OL) (and yes. I know that all but Jackson and Akers came as free agents, not directly as UDFA's).

Overall, just a good burst of talent for a year without a first rounder (or, as the Rams call it, a year).

And I don't mean to jump on the negative aspect, but yes, I also was really pulling for Creed instead of Tutu. But nobody is perfect. I guess I'll settle for the world championship. :)