Jourdan's mock and predictions

[WestCoastRam]

Don't know anything about Fidone, but I saw Long play and I'd guess just about every pre-draft scouting report you'll find will tell you about his receiving. Even put on a show during the Senior Bowl.


View: https://youtu.be/iKj1b9aFd9I?si=JPbZISVpMhilFyIB

I think if we just pay attention to Long's play in the NFL we'll have enough info on him as a blocker.

Puke.

 

[WestCoastRam]

No. Depends upon the source. But the kid was more of a receiving TE in college, had a strong senior season, and Senior Bowl. Thanks to injuries and circumstances things just haven't worked out for him. McVay commenting on his blocking doesn't mean he's a poor receiver.

Miami beat reporters used to report on him "not getting it, not sure if he wants to play football," I think we took a swing on an add in on the trade but it wasn't like there was a high chance it was gonna hit.

But we picked him up as a receiving TE. Kid couldn't block in Miami.

 

[Flatlyner]

So then how can people assume it’s better than this year?
Allar, Klubnik, Beck and nussmeir all have started several seasons. I don’t see any of them improving their draft status

I'd say its because this years is bad. Won't take much to be an improvement. I would expect Nussmeir, Klubnik, and Allar to improve this year, thats what college is for.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

No. Depends upon the source. But the kid was more of a receiving TE in college, had a strong senior season, and Senior Bowl. Thanks to injuries and circumstances things just haven't worked out for him. McVay commenting on his blocking doesn't mean he's a poor receiver.

He didn’t do much in 2024. He was barely better than Bryce Hopkins at catching the ball. You’d think with Higbee out most of the year that one of the tight ends would have shown up in a big way. None of them were good enough to grab the starting TE spot though. And it’s the reason we all are saying the Rams need another TE from this draft.

And my original statement was that the reason the Rams wanted him included in the Ramsey trade was because they liked his blocking.

Isn’t it possible that they liked his blocking in the pass game as a move tight end and not an in-line tight end? He was praised for his blocking in ‘the coaches show’ earlier in the season.

 

[DzRams]

No. Depends upon the source. But the kid was more of a receiving TE in college, had a strong senior season, and Senior Bowl. Thanks to injuries and circumstances things just haven't worked out for him. McVay commenting on his blocking doesn't mean he's a poor receiver.

At some point with an NFL vet, the college scouting report becomes irrelevant, no?

 

[Merlin]

I do like Fidone, but his knee worries me. Also he's not in the class of some others as a pass game weapon, needs work. Big boy with decent wheels for his size (40 time at 4.7), lot to like but I sort of look at him as a project and in this class, which means he'll be available into midrounds so good value.

 

[rdlkgliders]

We can't afford to invest and miss on another Tight End. So far the McVay era hasn't had good results at that position outside of Higbee whom they inherited.

 

[WestCoastRam]

He didn’t do much in 2024. He was barely better than Bryce Hopkins at catching the ball. You’d think with Higbee out most of the year that one of the tight ends would have shown up in a big way. None of them were good enough to grab the starting TE spot though. And it’s the reason we all are saying the Rams need another TE from this draft.

And my original statement was that the reason the Rams wanted him included in the Ramsey trade was because they liked his blocking.

Isn’t it possible that they liked his blocking in the pass game as a move tight end and not an in-line tight end? He was praised for his blocking in ‘the coaches show’ earlier in the season.

Elm! Just watch his snaps. I think the praise was them being nice.

Also, I don't think that Rams wanted him for his blocking within Ramsey trade is correct. He was not a good blocker in college, didn't improve it at Miami.

 

[WestCoastRam]

At some point with an NFL vet, the college scouting report becomes irrelevant, no?

But hear me out... what... what... what if we watch him play?

 

[DzRams]

But hear me out... what... what... what if we watch him play?

My point exactly. After about 4-5 years in the league, I don't care about who they supposedly were in college.

 

[WestCoastRam]

My point exactly. After about 4-5 years in the league, I don't care about who they supposedly were in college.

Well, let me tell you about his blocking in this league...

 

[dieterbrock]

I'd say its because this years is bad. Won't take much to be an improvement. I would expect Nussmeir, Klubnik, and Allar to improve this year, thats what college is for.

Then how did Sanders, Ewers and Beck go backwards this year? This was supposed to be a good class this year and here we are

 

[Merlin]

Then how did Sanders, Ewers and Beck go backwards this year? This was supposed to be a good class this year and here we are

Yep the "next year's draft" thing can lead you astray because the projection is usually optimized, which rarely meets reality. But that's fans of course, ready to give up years of top picks to draft Manning because of his surname when he isn't even a starter yet.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Then how did Sanders, Ewers and Beck go backwards this year? This was supposed to be a good class this year and here we are

Was it supposed to be a good class? Last year the only QB I heard being talked about at the top was Sanders………and that was Dieon doing all of the talking.

 

[DzRams]

Was it supposed to be a good class? Last year the only QB I heard being talked about at the top was Sanders………and that was Dieon doing all of the talking.

I heard a lot about Ewers last year. I feel he did regress...at least from last year's hype.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Elm! Just watch his snaps. I think the praise was them being nice.

Also, I don't think that Rams wanted him for his blocking within Ramsey trade is correct. He was not a good blocker in college, didn't improve it at Miami.

View: https://x.com/kingofphinland/status/1474396052941938710?s=46&t=7TXL1Le76GrA3JT24H6N0A



Long only caught one pass in his first two seasons with Miami. That must have been one hell of a catch for the Rams to think they got a good receiving tight end. Or maybe they liked the way he blocked, since that’s what he was used for in Miami.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I heard a lot about Ewers last year. I feel he did regress...at least from last year's hype.

I did too but never believed any of it. He wasn’t good enough in 2023 for me to think he was suddenly going to be great.

I think the most accurate overall assessments of a draft happens shortly after the college season ends. Peoples minds aren’t blurred by 40 times and short shuttles. They are thinking about what they saw on the field. It’s closer to how scouts evaluate players.

Every draft mysteriously morphs into one of great promise as guys like Kiper and Shrager fill our heads with visions of sugar plums, so they can keep us coming back for more ‘Draft Crack’ and convince us of all of the great players our teams will add to their rosters. Then suddenly a week before the draft the insiders start to say what they are hearing from team executives and it starts to sound a lot like it did in January.

 

[WestCoastRam]

View: https://x.com/kingofphinland/status/1474396052941938710?s=46&t=7TXL1Le76GrA3JT24H6N0A



Long only caught one pass in his first two seasons with Miami. That must have been one hell of a catch for the Rams to think they got a good receiving tight end. Or maybe they liked the way he blocked, since that’s what he was used for in Miami.

The first block you show there is him getting blocked into the running back if I'm not mistaken but let's give him a pass as I think the initial block could be considered a win as he was able to hold it for 2.5 seconds.

Long had a run blocking grade of 52.8 that season but a grade of 52.9 in that game, so we are seeing a better effort here.

I will say, his blocking grades got demonstrably better with the Rams but his tape looks yuk.

Do you remember where you read he was brought in to block for the Rams? Maybe I did miss that.

I think Long not catching passes in Miami had more to do with this quote than anything else:

tight ends coach Jon Embree openly questioned Long’s commitment to football:

“Well, it’s been quite a journey with Hunter Long,” Embree said. “We’ve had some interesting times. The thing I’ve learned about him, one, is football is important to him. So that’s good to know with him, because there were times I wondered about that. So football is important to him…”

 

[dieterbrock]

Was it supposed to be a good class? Last year the only QB I heard being talked about at the top was Sanders………and that was Dieon doing all of the talking.

Sanders, Ewers and Beck were all hype. Yes it was considered a good class. IIRC, the Texas A&M kid was supposed to be something too, which clearly didnt happen

 

[Memphis Ram]

At some point with an NFL vet, the college scouting report becomes irrelevant, no?

Well of course. But it was only referenced as something to review if the poster I was responding to didn't believe what I said I saw with my own eyes.

That said, how many times have we seen a guy who has proven he can catch a football well in college enter the league and forget how to catch. I've seen hands get better. But worse?