Jrry32 Conservative Mock Off-Season

[jrry32]

I'm losing confidence in Jones very quickly. I'm okay with Barnes as a backup. If we keep the bunch we have, you have to HOPE Rhaney really steps up. If we're running an increasingly immobile Bradford out there he will need as 'Tom Brady-esque' of a pocket that we can give him. He's always needed that type of pocket and we haven't provided it.

So on top of the Rhaney/Barnes/Jones trio...we're gonna line up a rookie OG. Granted, should be a high pick/Day 1 starter and all, but a rookie none the less. Gee, I wonder what every single Defense will dial up.....and the results will be too similar to this year.

If our rookie OG isn't ready, Boling is a solid starter and can step in. Barnes and Jones have both been here for years. Both know the system and are cerebral players. I trust them to handle it.

I think the results will be much better because we won't have Davin Joseph screwing everything up.

Plus, one of A.J. Cann's strongest parts of his game is his ability to recognize stunts and blitzes and adjust accordingly.

For my money...I want Wisniewski. I would hope not to break the bank. But give me the veteran, who is still young, established, can make the calls and can...GASP!...pass block. He's faced the defenses in the AFC West twice a year for a few years...that's the Chiefs, Broncos and Chargers...those are good D's...and they give some different looks.

Robinson....Saffold....Wisniewski...Rookie 1st/2nd Rounder....Barksdale/FA/Rookie.

We can always add a TE, WR, or help out the right side of our line a number of ways. Only so much you can do when the middle is a sieve.

Stefen Wisniewski please.

Wisniewski sounds great. I've already said I'm not opposed...here's the problem. What do the Rams offer Wisniewski to get him to sign here? Oakland has far more cap room than we do. If it's not about the money, what do the Rams offer Wisniewski that other teams do not? We won't be the only team looking for a Center and odds are that there will be a team with a better chance of contending offering.

That's the issue I have. We don't have the money to outbid Oakland or the status to get him to take a contender discount.

I'm not opposed to Wisniewski. I'd love to have him here. Just don't think it'll happen. I think Boling is a good compromise. We get a solid starting OG that can offer depth if our rookies are ready to go.

 

[Rainram]

If our rookie OG isn't ready, Boling is a solid starter and can step in. Barnes and Jones have both been here for years. Both know the system and are cerebral players. I trust them to handle it.

I think the results will be much better because we won't have Davin Joseph screwing everything up.

Plus, one of A.J. Cann's strongest parts of his game is his ability to recognize stunts and blitzes and adjust accordingly.



Wisniewski sounds great. I've already said I'm not opposed...here's the problem. What do the Rams offer Wisniewski to get him to sign here? Oakland has far more cap room than we do. If it's not about the money, what do the Rams offer Wisniewski that other teams do not? We won't be the only team looking for a Center and odds are that there will be a team with a better chance of contending offering.

That's the issue I have. We don't have the money to outbid Oakland or the status to get him to take a contender discount.

I'm not opposed to Wisniewski. I'd love to have him here. Just don't think it'll happen. I think Boling is a good compromise. We get a solid starting OG that can offer depth if our rookies are ready to go.

I'm good with Cann...or a number of different OLinemen. Great draft to need one. We'll just have to agree to disagree on the Barnes/Jones issue. And yes, it would be tough to land Wisniewski...but some thought we were on the outside, looking in, with Jake Long. We might have to pay a hefty price, but my goodness, I want a dominant OLine...I'm done messing around with it.

Do tell...why do you favor Carden over Grayson?

 

[jrry32]

I'm good with Cann...or a number of different OLinemen. Great draft to need one. We'll just have to agree to disagree on the Barnes/Jones issue. And yes, it would be tough to land Wisniewski...but some thought we were on the outside, looking in, with Jake Long. We might have to pay a hefty price, but my goodness, I want a dominant OLine...I'm done messing around with it.

Do tell...why do you favor Carden over Grayson?

Stronger arm, better timing, better functional mobility, and similar intangible traits. Doesn't have Grayson's feel for pressure but I think he has better tools and he showed more ability to make NFL type plays in my mind when I watched him.

 

[Rainram]

Stronger arm, better timing, better functional mobility, and similar intangible traits. Doesn't have Grayson's feel for pressure but I think he has better tools and he showed more ability to make NFL type plays in my mind when I watched him.

I think Grayson's arm is strong enough. May not have quite the timing, but he's still good and I like his accuracy. Functional mobility...eh...Grayson can move around plenty...both are pretty athletic. I like Grayson's footwork and pocket awareness. My big knock on him is I would like to see a faster delivery, as he's got a bit of a wind up sometimes (we can fix that). He comes from a pro-style offense, throws a good deep ball, good mechanics. I'm not gonna rip Carden...I just like Grayson better and those are some of my reasons.

 

[jrry32]

I think Grayson's arm is strong enough. May not have quite the timing, but he's still good and I like his accuracy. Functional mobility...eh...Grayson can move around plenty...both are pretty athletic. I like Grayson's footwork and pocket awareness. My big knock on him is I would like to see a faster delivery, as he's got a bit of a wind up sometimes (we can fix that). He comes from a pro-style offense, throws a good deep ball, good mechanics. I'm not gonna rip Carden...I just like Grayson better and those are some of my reasons.

Grayson's arm concerns me. I saw Carden make some of the most difficult throws you have to make in the NFL and he put requisite mustard on the ball. I'm not sold Grayson can do it.

Timing is huge. And it's another thing that bothered me with Grayson. Carden gets the ball out quickly and he throws to spots before the guy has made his break. Grayson was often throwing as or after they broke.

And while Grayson has enough mobility to move around, Carden is sneaky athletic. He's no Mike Vick but he can and is willing to take off when he has a seam. Although he'll overestimate his athleticism at times.

Grayson isn't a bad prospect but I think they're similar to a degree but Carden is a bit more advanced mentally and has slightly better physical tools.

 

[DR RAM]

What do you think of Winston's throwing motion?

And, just to add without putting out the stupid things he did that week, I read that Winston spent several hours in the film room with his backup QB, the week he was suspended. I watched the game, all eyes/cameras were on Winston, but/and he spent every second of that game helping his backup, and encouraging his teammates. He appears to love football. Baseball and football are so different competitively, that I see him choosing football.

I'll pass on Grayson after watching some video on him. I'll check Carden out. Winston is gone if he checks out, off the field. I find it hard to compare him to anybody. I will watch him some more, because he might, just might slip a little. I've watched about 4 full games of his.

 

[jrry32]

What do you think of Winston's throwing motion?

And, just to add without putting out the stupid things he did that week, I read that Winston spent several hours in the film room with his backup QB, the week he was suspended. I watched the game, all eyes/cameras were on Winston, but/and he spent every second of that game helping his backup, and encouraging his teammates. He appears to love football. Baseball and football are so different competitively, that I see him choosing football.

I'll pass on Grayson after watching some video on him. I'll check Carden out. Winston is gone if he checks out, off the field. I find it hard to compare him to anybody. I will watch him some more, because he might, just might slip a little. I've watched about 4 full games of his.

Winston's motion has improved a lot. He still has some wasted movement on his draw but the motion itself is good for me. He just does this completely unnecessary dip with the ball before he pulls it back.

Carden has a slight hitch at the tail end of his wind-up that I'd love to see him coached out of as well because he doesn't always do it and actually shows the ability to change arm slots to get the ball around defenders. If he rid himself of that hitch, he'd have a really nice release. But it may not happen.

With Winston, I think it's more coachable because it's not in the motion itself. Rather, it's before he starts the motion. It's probably from baseball with him being a pitcher.

 

[SierraRam]

Love it @jrry32 !!

The FA pick-ups are spot on and upgrade our greatest strength. The only thing I might change is perhaps searching for another LB or FS in FA. If not, maybe find a hidden "Gaines like" gem in the 5th round. We need LB depth and a true Center Fielder. I also agree with @den-the-coach. I think Demetrius Rhaney could be our Center next year....

Enough nit picking - if what you propose actually happens, we're playoff bound!

 

[DR RAM]

Winston's motion has improved a lot. He still has some wasted movement on his draw but the motion itself is good for me. He just does this completely unnecessary dip with the ball before he pulls it back.

Carden has a slight hitch at the tail end of his wind-up that I'd love to see him coached out of as well because he doesn't always do it and actually shows the ability to change arm slots to get the ball around defenders. If he rid himself of that hitch, he'd have a really nice release. But it may not happen.

With Winston, I think it's more coachable because it's not in the motion itself. Rather, it's before he starts the motion. It's probably from baseball with him being a pitcher.

OK, I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing it. Sometimes it dips. which looks very susceptible to being stripped, sometimes, he hesitates at the top a little. And then, sometimes, he just lets it rip, and it is quick and perfect. Looks to me as the less he thinks about it, the better it is. Sounds weird, but that is what I see. I think he's kind of unique in that he gets his body in position to make an accurate throw, without moving his feet to do so.

He can, and does throw it with velocity from whatever slot, or wherever his feet are. He does a great job torquing his torso to make a throw, without having to step up, not that he won't step up.

I just watched a little more Carden..I don't like his feet, at all, and there will be a huge learning curve on just his snap motion, for instance. I like his decisiveness though. He gets it there quickly when he sees it, even though I didn't see a BIG arm. I'll keep checking out what/who is out there.

It sometimes, with Winston, looks like his baseball motion...agree with that. Lots of muscle memory to deal with there.

 

[jrry32]

OK, I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing it. Sometimes it dips. which looks very susceptible to being stripped, sometimes, he hesitates at the top a little. And then, sometimes, he just lets it rip, and it is quick and perfect. Looks to me as the less he thinks about it, the better it is. Sounds weird, but that is what I see. I think he's kind of unique in that he gets his body in position to make an accurate throw, without moving his feet to do so.

He can, and does throw it with velocity from whatever slot, or wherever his feet are. He does a great job torquing his torso to make a throw, without having to step up, not that he won't step up.

I just watched a little more Carden..I don't like his feet, at all, and there will be a huge learning curve on just his snap motion, for instance. I like his decisiveness though. He gets it there quickly when he sees it, even though I didn't see a BIG arm. I'll keep checking out what/who is out there.

It sometimes, with Winston, looks like his baseball motion...agree with that. Lots of muscle memory to deal with there.

Carden's feet are inconsistent. He hasn't been taking snaps under center so his drops will need a lot of work. And there are some games you'll watch where they look good and some games you watch where you wonder what the hell he's doing. Can get flat-footed at times and there are just games where he's sloppy as hell with setting his feet. Then there are other games where he's sliding in the pocket, setting his feet, and coming out of drops well with nice hitch steps and quick throws. He's going to the Senior Bowl. That should be a good start for him.

Carden doesn't have a gun but I've seen him make those 15+ yard throws from the pocket to the sidelines without it hanging or floating. He's not Winston but he can zip it in there well enough.

 

[DR RAM]

Carden's feet are inconsistent. He hasn't been taking snaps under center so his drops will need a lot of work. And there are some games you'll watch where they look good and some games you watch where you wonder what the hell he's doing. Can get flat-footed at times and there are just games where he's sloppy as hell with setting his feet. Then there are other games where he's sliding in the pocket, setting his feet, and coming out of drops well with nice hitch steps and quick throws. He's going to the Senior Bowl. That should be a good start for him.

Carden doesn't have a gun but I've seen him make those 15+ yard throws from the pocket to the sidelines without it hanging or floating. He's not Winston but he can zip it in there well enough.

I've just watched a little.of him, but the drops I saw were horrific. I put a lot of stock in these all star games. One...learning curve. Two...competition...Three...coachhable?

 

[jrry32]

Oh and I figure I should mention...ideally, we'd take Carden in the 4th round. I didn't want to do any trades in this mock so I didn't attempt to trade down to the 4th and take him.

 

[den-the-coach]

SHANE CARDEN- 6’2, 221- RS SR.

There’s hope that 2014 will finally be the year where the long-hoped-for super group of quarterbacks will finally decide to enter the NFL Draft at the same time and make things interesting. That group could potentially include guys like Florida State’s Jameis Winston, Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, and UCLA’s Brett Hundley. But beyond those immensely talented young signal-callers, there’s one guy who will definitely be entering the draft and seems to be a very steady option in East Carolina redshirt seniorShane Carden.

Carden was one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football last year, completing 387 of his 549 passes, good for a 70.5 completion percentage which ranked him third in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He threw for 4139 yards, 33 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while teaming with wide receiver Justin Hardy to form one of the most powerful connections in the nation.

While Carden’s slightly inferior level of competition in Conference USA will leave some wondering if he has what it takes to translate that production to the NFL, he’s shown the skills to indicate that he can be a successful pro. While he occasionally whiffs on some medium passes that most evaluators would consider easy, he’s been successful in making a lot of throws that are challenging for most quarterbacks to make.

Along with that, he’s got pretty good mobility and can extend plays. He’s not just solid, but actually good under pressure, and he does a great job of avoiding the pass rush. How that will translate against more challenging defenses is uncertain, but overall he seems to have the talent to be at least a solid NFL signal-caller.

Carden might be looked down upon by some NFL talent evaluators because of his relative lack of size, lack of great competition, and the fact that he doesn’t play in a pro-style offense. But he’s a guy who figures to be a steady mid-round option, if not a guy who could slide into the first round if other potential early options evaporate due to poor 2014 performance or because they decide to go back to school.

POSITIVES: Can make a very solid deep opposite sideline throw, even under pressure, which is often considered the hardest throw for a quarterback to make…Very solid making throws behind the line of scrimmage…Makes crisp, accurate throws on the run…Great at getting rid of the ball under pressure…Improvises really well; if guys are coming at him he will escape the pocket and make something out of the play…Exceptional redzone player as a passer and runner, even showed the ability to contribute in the redzone as a receiver in last year’s Beef O’Brady’s Bowl…Doesn’t exactly have elite arm strength, but he can accurately make long throws…Not a “scrambler”, per se, but moves around really well.

NEGATIVES: Has a tendency to miss on easy medium-length passes…Release is kind of funky, slightly sidearm and he winds up a little bit…Delivery not very crisp compared to most NFL QBs…Size is adequate but not ideal…Offense he’s running at ECU doesn’t necessarily translate to the NFL, so he may face a larger learning curve when he becomes a pro…Hasn’t faced spectacular competition in Conference USA…Has visible tattoos, which tends to be controversial for NFL quarterbacks and has brought unnecessary stress to players like Colin Kaepernick and A.J. McCarron.

2014 Outlook: This year ECU joins the American Athletic Conference, so the competition will step up for Carden. The Pirates have also loaded their non-conference schedule with respected opponents. Carden and East Carolina will face off against South Carolina, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina in three consecutive weeks. They’ll also match up with the 2014 Fiesta Bowl champion Central Florida Knights in their season finale on December 4.

Talent Grade: Third Round

http://archauthority.com/2014/07/24/2015-nfl-draft-scouting-report-east-carolina-qb-shane-carden/

 

[duckhunter]

Not a fan of Collins for many of the reasons you list. Havenstein would be a steal in the 5th and with a little work on his kick slide he could beat Collins out for starting RT, IMO.

 

[TheDYVKX]

I'm liking what I see from Carden. I'd be happy to land him in the draft. Given some development he could be a franchise guy.

However, Trevone Boykin really intrigues me if he comes out. I've only watched a couple games of his but he really has it to me. Nice arm, gets the ball out quick, very aware of pressure, elite mobility and escapability, always does a great job keeping his eyes downfield, and has no problem giving his receivers a chance to make plays. He has quite a few negatives but they're fixable and ideally he would sit his first year. Reminds me of a bigger Russell Wilson, just slightly more raw. I like him in that range at the moment, though I'm far from a skilled scout and I don't know enough about technique and throwing motions to break him down like you do Jrry.

I would do the offseason basically this way though.

 

[jrry32]

Not a fan of Collins for many of the reasons you list. Havenstein would be a steal in the 5th and with a little work on his kick slide he could beat Collins out for starting RT, IMO.

Eh...Havenstein labors so much with guys that threaten the corner that I just don't think his future is at OT. He can play there as a backup but I think as a starter, he's one of those few big guys that you move inside.

Collins isn't perfect in pass pro but the skills are there. I'd really rather have Clemmings which is why I'm torn on this game. I want us to whoop Seattle's ass but losing would put us in a position to get Clemmings...or possibly trade up for Winston. And you guys know how high I am on Winston.

I'm liking what I see from Carden. I'd be happy to land him in the draft. Given some development he could be a franchise guy.

However, Trevone Boykin really intrigues me if he comes out. I've only watched a couple games of his but he really has it to me. Nice arm, gets the ball out quick, very aware of pressure, elite mobility and escapability, always does a great job keeping his eyes downfield, and has no problem giving his receivers a chance to make plays. He has quite a few negatives but they're fixable and ideally he would sit his first year. Reminds me of a bigger Russell Wilson, just slightly more raw. I like him in that range at the moment, though I'm far from a skilled scout and I don't know enough about technique and throwing motions to break him down like you do Jrry.

I would do the offseason basically this way though.

I've only seen one game of Boykin. Waiting until he declares to invest more time. He reminded me of RGIII in a way...but that's not a bad thing.

 

[BonifayRam]

NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #12 - La'el Collins OT LSU

Analysis: Being realistic, I think T.J. Clemmings is gone.

OK since we last had some conversations on TJ Clemmings I have done some research& investigating seems TJ does have some serious upside. But currently the Rams have a strong look of having a 8th or 9th overall draft selection in the first round. Ok having said that....

Why would we pass on a OT prospect like Clemmings who can play both OT's meaning that we would have a legit back up OLT with him. I sure do not see any other team who might go heavy OT in the top 10. Can you help me out on this? I sure would look hard @ TJ over La'el.

 

[jrry32]

OK since we last had some conversations on TJ Clemmings I have done some research& investigating seems TJ does have some serious upside. But currently the Rams have a strong look of having a 8th or 9th overall draft selection in the first round. Ok having said that....

Why would we pass on a OT prospect like Clemmings who can play both OT's meaning that we would have a legit back up OLT with him. I sure do not see any other team who might go heavy OT in the top 10. Can you help me out on this? I sure would look hard @ TJ over La'el.

I'd take Clemmings over Collins in a second. I just don't think he gets out of the top 10. But if we're in the top 10, that helps our chances.

Then again, if we're in the top 10, maybe we can get Jameis?

 

[rafa]

I think this is your best mock so far, our team has everything to be victorious with such picks.

 

[BonifayRam]

I'd take Clemmings over Collins in a second. I just don't think he gets out of the top 10. But if we're in the top 10, that helps our chances.

Then again, if we're in the top 10, maybe we can get Jameis?

I do not have the heartburn many other members have with Jameis so any chance to catch him in the first round would make even me forget about an OL'er.

I know that's hard to imagine but I would sure be speaking to Lovie & the Bucs about what he could entertain for us to move up 6 or 7 spots. Buc's need a QB, numerous OL'ers & DE. I am still hearing from alleged Tallahassee area close informed sources that MLB not NFL is still his first love.