First 3 Picks

[Allen2McVay]

IMHO if Chicago picks Williams number one overall, that’s going to get somebody fired.

Yeah, I think many people expect Matt Eberflus to be out in Chicago.

But I think GM Ryan Poles is retained. Believe the Bears' have improved a very weak roster. The trade with Carolina last year gave the Bears a boat-load of assets; and, if a few of the QB prospects in this Draft are appealing, Poles might be able to trade the Bears' first round pick for another terrific haul of assets.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Why is everyone so high on him? I have to admit I don't watch his games but his stats don't warrant a top 10 pick, hell maybe not even a first round grade. Has anybody on this forum actually watched Maye play and can convince me otherwise? I also don't give credit to 2 or 3 splash plays a game when the rest of the game is filled with poor decisions and mediocre play.

I've only watched a little but guys got arm talent (accuracy, above average strength, touch), makes NFL throws (which you don't always see in many college offenses) and seems to be doing it with marginal talent around him.

Sounds like he's shown improvement every year which could be a good predictor of what's to come next. Peeps do seem to say that his aggressiveness gets him into trouble.

An alternative question is: why do people on here start from a place of doubting him if they've never watched him play or read up on trusted sources on him?

Also, what kind of stats do you think warrant a top 10 pick or whats the bar for you for stats on a 1st round pick at QB?

 

[dieterbrock]

Darnold was a 6th round and future 2nd and 4th. He'd also played better than Fields and Wentz had played much better than him. Both also were traded in weak QB drafts which got a better return. This year seems loaded with QBs which will likely drive down any value Fields has. Also I never said he would be cut I said if he's cut. I'm not trading for him I'd draft a qb or sign Wentz.

They'd have to give me a 1st rounder with Fields in order for me to take him....
He's definitely better than Darnold was when traded, but that's like deciding who's hotter, Rosie O'Donnell or Whoopi Goldberg

 

[Memento]

I would be shocked if either of our first two draft picks was a defensive player. And I think it's possible that our first four are all offense

Disagree. Depends on the best player on the boarrd. If that's Brock Bowers, great! If that happens to be Jer'Zahn Newton (DT, Illinois), I wouldn't be the least bit upset. If we trade down with our first/second to grab another pick, I wouldn't mind us taking Kris Abrams-Draine (CB, Mizzou) or Dontay Corleone (NT, Cincinnati) either.

Wouldn't mind seeing a left tackle, but it would have to be in the second round because I think there are some good ones that are going to fall (Cooper Beebe, Kingsley Suamataia, Javon Foster), possibly a center (Sedrick Van Pran Granger, maybe Graham Barton; I don't see any blue-chippers aside from those two). Maybe even Luke Lachey (Iowa) is an option at tight end, maybe a wide receiver (if we don't re-sign Tyler Johnson)? Or - I'm hoping - Cody Schrader as a late round pick?

 

[fanotodd]

We do have needs at some of those positions (not ILB or DL - we have never prioritized that second ILB position, and we won't need DL unless Donald retires - everyone on the DL currently is coming back next year save for Murchison).

We have young CBs, Safeties and Edge rushers - we don't need more young unproven guys there. We need to spend our cap dollars there.

It's the opposite on offense - next year we will have everyone returning on offense except Dotson, who I imagine we will try pretty hard to re-sign.

But Stafford, Kupp and Higbee are all older and have injury histories. Tutu and Sko will be a FAs after next year and really doubt they will be with the team beyond that. An explosive RB would be nice.

This all adds up to signing a CB and Edge in FA (biggest priorities by far), signing an OL or Dotson - and then focusing on OL/QB/WR/RB in the draft, possibly TE as well.

Or put more succinctly:

Spend FA dollars on the defense because we have a TON of young guys with potential who should be supplemented with proven players.

Spend draft capital on the offense because we have a TON of experienced players who we will need to replace in the coming years.

Gotta admit, I wasn’t seeing it that way when you originally proposed the idea, but you make a compelling case.

 

[Merlin]

We do have needs at some of those positions (not ILB or DL - we have never prioritized that second ILB position, and we won't need DL unless Donald retires - everyone on the DL currently is coming back next year save for Murchison).

Generally agree re: ILB but there are outliers in those rare guys. For example I suspect this guy will end up grading very high because he can be a super nickel (3 down) and make a DC look like a genius.


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

 

[FrantikRam]

Generally agree re: ILB but there are outliers in those rare guys. For example I suspect this guy will end up grading very high because he can be a super nickel (3 down) and make a DC look like a genius.


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

I agree with you 100% - I just don't see the Rams doubling down on it when Ernest has progressed as well as he has

 

[FrantikRam]

Disagree. Depends on the best player on the boarrd. If that's Brock Bowers, great! If that happens to be Jer'Zahn Newton (DT, Illinois), I wouldn't be the least bit upset. If we trade down with our first/second to grab another pick, I wouldn't mind us taking Kris Abrams-Draine (CB, Mizzou) or Dontay Corleone (NT, Cincinnati) either.

Wouldn't mind seeing a left tackle, but it would have to be in the second round because I think there are some good ones that are going to fall (Cooper Beebe, Kingsley Suamataia, Javon Foster), possibly a center (Sedrick Van Pran Granger, maybe Graham Barton; I don't see any blue-chippers aside from those two). Maybe even Luke Lachey (Iowa) is an option at tight end, maybe a wide receiver (if we don't re-sign Tyler Johnson)? Or - I'm hoping - Cody Schrader as a late round pick?

It's not only what I think makes sense, it's what I think the Rams are going to do. I mean if we have a defensive player graded SIGNIFICANTLY higher than an offensive player, sure. But I think that level of significance is unlikely to happen. I would bet that even now our scouts are focusing more on offense. We spent a TON of draft capital on defense in recent years and have aging offensive pillars at QB, WR, TE and RT - with a question mark at LT and impending FA on RG who is rapidly putting himself into big money FA territory with how he's playing.

On top of all that, this young defense has somehow kept pace with our offense and even outplayed them in some games.

 

[Badfinger]

We do have needs at some of those positions (not ILB or DL - we have never prioritized that second ILB position, and we won't need DL unless Donald retires - everyone on the DL currently is coming back next year save for Murchison).

We have young CBs, Safeties and Edge rushers - we don't need more young unproven guys there. We need to spend our cap dollars there.

It's the opposite on offense - next year we will have everyone returning on offense except Dotson, who I imagine we will try pretty hard to re-sign.

But Stafford, Kupp and Higbee are all older and have injury histories. Tutu and Sko will be a FAs after next year and really doubt they will be with the team beyond that. An explosive RB would be nice.

This all adds up to signing a CB and Edge in FA (biggest priorities by far), signing an OL or Dotson - and then focusing on OL/QB/WR/RB in the draft, possibly TE as well.

Or put more succinctly:

Spend FA dollars on the defense because we have a TON of young guys with potential who should be supplemented with proven players.

Spend draft capital on the offense because we have a TON of experienced players who we will need to replace in the coming years.

I can see this. But banking on FA to get an edge AND a CB1 seems risky. And AD won't play forever, either...

 

[fanotodd]

I agree with you 100% - I just don't see the Rams doubling down on it when Ernest has progressed as well as he has

I wouldn’t be so sure about that. If there is one thing this FO likes to do with it’s day 3 picks, it’s draft ahead. They replaced the entire secondary LAST offseason. They lost the entire first string secondary THIS season. They drafted Allen THIS season, but it looks like he’s really not gonna be much of a factor until next year. Higbee wasn’t going anywhere THIS year. Nacua comes in with a banged up Kupp and both Atwell and Skow nearing the ends of their contracts.

Apply this idea to the drafting of Z Evans and his redshirt season of 2023. Even the Conductor can be seen as a future replacement of AD—Turner just happens to ahead of schedule just too damn good to keep off the field.

2024 will be a contract year for Jones. Either the Rams get him extended or look for them to find a day 3 guy who will need a year to grow into the role.

…that’s why I would be surprised and disappointed if the Rams did not draft a QB in this draft who could be viewed as a potential heir to Stafford.

 

[Curt760]

I’m not one for evaluation of college players. With that said I’ll just talk about position. Rams should get the best LT they can unless a can’t miss ER is still on the board. A RB or WR with speed in the 6th or 7th. The rest of the draft all on defensive side.

 

[FrantikRam]

I'm guessing that we are all looking forward to actually drafting someone in the first round after all these years (I know I am)...BUT....

What would you be willing to trade that first round pick for? Specific player or position.

The reason I ask is because after the 2017 season, we traded our first and second round picks for Cooks and Peters - I think the odds of us doing that (trading our first two picks for two veterans) is very low. But if we were going to trade our first, what would it take for you to think it was a good move?

 

[Merlin]

I agree with you 100% - I just don't see the Rams doubling down on it when Ernest has progressed as well as he has

Well using Carter as an example I figure he will go in that late round 2 range to round 3 and be a guy who doesn't have to come off the field. So we wouldn't give up on Ernest if we were to add him. We could pair him with Ernest and both could stay on the field for more than just a base look.

But the same would apply with a stud SS type who is good enough vs the run but stays in the box as a nickel. The way our defense is run I think that WLB/Nickel combo ability that some players will carry is of value to the Rams.

 

[JonRam99]

Gotta use that #14 (higher now? lol) pick on LT, QB or OLB/Edge. Arguably our top 3 needs. Hitting on any 1 of those will make us serious contenders. An LT pick would help keep Strafford upright, too, lessening need to hit on QB picks in round 1. An Edge pick would make the secondary look much better as well.
rounds 2 - 3, somewhere in there we need to pick a legit CENTER. For once. But if Shelton pans out, maybe we can look at the LB corps.
But not until then. We really need a good K as well.

 

[Merlin]

I'm really intrigued by the first round wideouts. I think it's a priority for the Rams to add speed outside the hash on both sides of the ball, so it is likely in play as an option in this draft (as is corner). But since it feels like we'll be picking moreso close to 20ish than lower teens that means we won't be looking at Harrison, Nabers, or Odunze. I think there's massive dropoff after Nabers (to Odunze) but he's so physical and talented that you can bet McVay would snap him up if he's there when we're up. But those qualities mean he's probably off the board.

It also means, though, that the Rams have their pick of a big group of options thereafter who range through that late first round into early second round. Question is who are the fits among them. There some really interesting options and my favorite is a big rangy bastid with all the tools you want outside, plus he's physical.

Here's his highlights vs Miss St this year:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rsJT2j80Y4

 

[Rams8821]

I'm really intrigued by the first round wideouts. I think it's a priority for the Rams to add speed outside the hash on both sides of the ball, so it is likely in play as an option in this draft (as is corner). But since it feels like we'll be picking moreso close to 20ish than lower teens that means we won't be looking at Harrison, Nabers, or Odunze. I think there's massive dropoff after Nabers (to Odunze) but he's so physical and talented that you can bet McVay would snap him up if he's there when we're up. But those qualities mean he's probably off the board.

It also means, though, that the Rams have their pick of a big group of options thereafter who range through that late first round into early second round. Question is who are the fits among them. There some really interesting options and my favorite is a big rangy bastid with all the tools you want outside, plus he's physical.

Here's his highlights vs Miss St this year:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rsJT2j80Y4

SHow his highlights vs Wiggins and Clemson the last game of the year....hint....there was no highlights for him.

Ill pass.

 

[OldSchool]

A WR? Gimme Nabers or Coleman sure the rest aside from Harrison maybe. But those 2 for sure though I doubt we have a shot at any of them.

 

[Dodgersrf]

I’m not one for evaluation of college players. With that said I’ll just talk about position. Rams should get the best LT they can unless a can’t miss ER is still on the board. A RB or WR with speed in the 6th or 7th. The rest of the draft all on defensive side.

I would love to see a stud return specialist with that 6 or 7th.

We haven’t had a stud there since Horn.

 

[Merlin]

SHow his highlights vs Wiggins and Clemson the last game of the year....hint....there was no highlights for him.

Ill pass.

True Wiggins shut him down. But there are a lot of variables in these things. It's rarely black and white and the other factors have to be considered like quality of the QB throwing the ball when you're talking receivers.

There's a ton of quality wideouts in this draft. We need speed on the outside. Rams have missed on those shots previously. I would much rather have a lineman, in fact either line really, but recognizing there's a good chance WR is on the board even early for us.

 

[oldnotdead]

I've watched Maye play and I've seen a QB who is good if he's in an RPO offense. His strength is his ability to make the mandatory reads quickly and follow it up with a sound decision. It's why IMO AZ is showcasing Murray as trade bait and is looking at Maye and Daniels. They want to eventually play an Eagles style offense which has a lot of RPO elements. Maye has the ability to run and the arm talent to make the throws they would want.

The problem with Murray is that he is all he's ever going to be. He's at his peak and will actually begin a downward trajectory in his career because of his poor work ethic and attitude. His trade value will be as high as it will be next year. Some team will be foolish enough to give up picks for him. I think Daniels is more likely their target now that there is some question whether Maye will enter the draft this year or wait another year which would do him good in terms of his development.

What hurts Maye is he's only a sophomore and his limited experience will hurt him overall. Daniels as a senior will enter the draft and he is a very good prospect, who can fit what Gannon wants to create in AZ. Daniels will be a work in progress but IMO has a higher ceiling than Williams if in the right system.

What has hurt Williams in the draft is his inability to carry a team when he has to. I don't think he will be the first pick but will go in the top 10. That said I question his NFL career because of maturity issues. There is no question he has talent, but like Murray, physical talent isn't enough. What guys like Purdy have that Murray and Williams lack is between the ears and that makes all the difference. IMO Williams falls into the category of Sam Darnold, and Josh Rosen. Both came into the draft highly regarded and both busted simply because they mentally weren't ready to make it happen.

Purdy isn't the most physically talented QB in the NFL. But where he shines is in his head. He knows how to use what he can do. He's got an exceptional work ethic and has an exceptional mind that processes what he sees and understands it. That's what separates Penix from most of the other QBs in this draft. He knows what he's seeing and processes it quickly with the physical talents to make it happen. Nix has equal physical talents as Penix but he needs a year to develop that same ability to process what he sees and translate it into his play. Why do I think he can do it? Because of his development since arriving in Oregon. He was good at Auburn but he's great now. Just like Penix took a huge leap in his development when he transferred to Washington.

I see another Stafford in Nix if he's under McVay and with Stafford mentoring him for a year. Penix is plug n play and is already playing exceptionally well in an offense very similar to what McVay expects from his QBs. He reads the entire field and understands quickly what he's seeing with exceptional arm talent to execute it. If the Rams can get either one they will be set for years.

McCarthy should stay in school for one more year. IMO he's at least a one year developmental QB in the NFL if he enters the draft. He should enter the portal and transfer to somewhere like WA or OR where he can be in an offensive system which will teach him how to read a full field and understand more complex concepts. In his current run heavy offense at Ohio State it's what is missing from his resume. He has the physical talents to give him a very high ceiling. In many ways he could be every bit as good as Goff which coming from me is high praise! But he's hampered by the offense he plays in. In the NFL he would need at least a year to be coached up in playing in a more complex environment.