Jrry32 Second to Last Mock

[Elmgrovegnome]

I don't think ball security is as much of an issue at WR. It's an issue on punt returns but I've seen WRs who carry the ball the way he does not have major issues in the NFL. Alshon Jeffery was the same way. He's good about protecting it when he needs to as a WR. It's something he'll need to work on but it's not a huge concern for me.

With the pad level, it's more about consistency than anything. It doesn't trouble me because he's consistent with it. You don't want to telegraph your route. Plus, it works with his style of cutting. He's such a fluid, clean mover that he changes direction with ease even while upright. Most receivers can't run routes upright.(if they do, they typically don't sink their hips and remain balanced/under-control through their breaks) Boyd is a rare exception. Keenan Allen is the same way. Both guys are so smooth into their breaks and so clean coming out of them that they can run routes without the forward lean.

Plus, neither guy's game is their vertical speed. You have to keep that in mind. Most WRs run with the lean to try and bait the defender into fearing the deep ball. Boyd and Allen are aiming for the opposite. They know they're not a threat to run right by most defenders. They're trying to lull defenders to sleep with the underneath stuff and catch them late out of their back-pedal. With most WRs, it's the opposite. They want the defender bailing out early so they run with a heavy forward lean and come hard off the LOS. Boyd and Allen know they can get in and out of breaks faster than the defender and can use their route running to attack them and create separation underneath. They want the defender late out of his back-pedal when they do run a vertical route.

I was all about Boyd the first few years but this last year I didn't see the deep threat that he was in the beginning. He was making plays all over the field but especially was making the big splash plays for Pitt. What's the difference? QB change? Maybe Boyd had to adjust his game to the QBs arm? Or did college coaches realize that he wasn't that fast and coached against that, taking away the long ball? He seemed so complete with that part of his game rolling. So I backed off a little. His style of play now reminds me a bit of AJ Jenkins. The Rams supposedly loved Jenkins. There was a lot of talk about his amazing body control, just before the 2012 draft. That year in college he was torching defenses with his moves. Some reported that he could have been the pick over Brian Quick if San Francisco hadn't taken him in round 1 with the 30th pick.

But I guess if the Rams do take a QB in round 1 that they would have to roll with a second round receiver if that is what they are looking at. Boyd will probably be the best of what is left by pick #43

 

[jrry32]

I was all about Boyd the first few years but this last year I didn't see the deep threat that he was in the beginning. He was making plays all over the field but especially was making the big splash plays for Pitt. What's the difference? QB change? Maybe Boyd had to adjust his game to the QBs arm? Or did college coaches realize that he wasn't that fast and coached against that, taking away the long ball? He seemed so complete with that part of his game rolling. So I backed off a little. His style of play now reminds me a bit of AJ Jenkins. The Rams supposedly loved Jenkins. There was a lot of talk about his amazing body control, just before the 2012 draft. That year in college he was torching defenses with his moves. Some reported that he could have been the pick over Brian Quick if San Francisco hadn't taken him in round 1 with the 30th pick.

But I guess if the Rams do take a QB in round 1 that they would have to roll with a second round receiver if that is what they are looking at. Boyd will probably be the best of what is left by pick #43

The difference was that there was no James Conner. Boyd has never been a burner. In the past, he was lethal because teams had to key in on Conner which allowed for play-action bombs and forced the safeties to come up to play the run.

This year, Boyd was the weapon on the offense. They had some good HBs but nobody of Conner's caliber and there other targets in the passing game were nothing to write home about. Same with Peterman (the QB). It was the Boyd show. They decided to get the ball in Boyd's hands as much as possible which meant changing his role.

A.J. Jenkins? Don't really see the comparison. Jenkins was a vertical threat and a burner. Boyd is a savvy route runner with a great pair of mitts. My "fear" with Boyd is that he'll end up being like Austin Pettis. But I think he's already proven to be a much better WR in traffic than Pettis.

If there's anything Boyd has proven to me over his career at Pittsburgh, it's that he can be whatever you ask him to be. He's not going to win vertically with speed but he can still win 50-50 balls vertically. He's most dangerous using his route running to attack the intermediate level of the defense and attacking zone coverage underneath with his savvy.

I think he's a great guy to pair with Austin because teams love to throw zone coverage at Austin. Boyd is very effective against zone coverage. Type of guy that is adept at finding the soft spot in the zone, sitting down, and making tough catches in traffic.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

The difference was that there was no James Conner. Boyd has never been a burner. In the past, he was lethal because teams had to key in on Conner which allowed for play-action bombs and forced the safeties to come up to play the run.

This year, Boyd was the weapon on the offense. They had some good HBs but nobody of Conner's caliber and there other targets in the passing game were nothing to write home about. Same with Peterman (the QB). It was the Boyd show. They decided to get the ball in Boyd's hands as much as possible which meant changing his role.

A.J. Jenkins? Don't really see the comparison. Jenkins was a vertical threat and a burner. Boyd is a savvy route runner with a great pair of mitts. My "fear" with Boyd is that he'll end up being like Austin Pettis. But I think he's already proven to be a much better WR in traffic than Pettis.

If there's anything Boyd has proven to me over his career at Pittsburgh, it's that he can be whatever you ask him to be. He's not going to win vertically with speed but he can still win 50-50 balls vertically. He's most dangerous using his route running to attack the intermediate level of the defense and attacking zone coverage underneath with his savvy.

I think he's a great guy to pair with Austin because teams love to throw zone coverage at Austin. Boyd is very effective against zone coverage. Type of guy that is adept at finding the soft spot in the zone, sitting down, and making tough catches in traffic.

Makes sense. I disagree with your take on Jenkins. He was all over the field, not just deep at Illinois.

 

[dieterbrock]

Love this draft and am a huge fan of Boyd.
As a Notre Dame fan, I've had my fill of watching Boyd burn the Irish who have had some pretty good DB's covering him

 

[StealYoGurley]

Solid picks all around. I like Higbee so much I would probably still take him in the third even with the charges ( we dont have all the facts yet).

Britt will play the X. Boyd will play the Z or the S. Austin will play the other. We don't need an X. We need a WR who can get open and catch the ball consistently.

I dont think they take Tavon off the field and return him to full on gadget player status. Boras as a former TE coach and just based on last year will play primarily in 2 TE sets. Some of Tavon's effectiveness comes from playing more and keeping teams off balance because they have to be aware of the misdirection play whenever he is on the field. Tavon is also underrated as blocker especially downfield, so it doesn't hurt the run game having him out there.

I am not the biggest Boyd fan, but could be slim pickings at WR in 40 range, so he could be our best option and fill a nice chain moving role. However, I think we desperately need a true X receiver opposite Tavon, it would open up so many things for our offense. A guy who can win downfield consistently with the play action deep shots we love throwing would command safety attention opening up things for Tavon and our other receivers, while giving Gurley a little more room to run against lighter boxes. In a low volume passing game like ours I really think we need an X who can consistently pick up big chunk plays when we actually throw the ball.

 

[jrry32]

Solid picks all around. I like Higbee so much I would probably still take him in the third even with the charges ( we dont have all the facts yet).

Found out more about Higbee. He should be off the draft board.

I dont think they take Tavon off the field and return him to full on gadget player status. Boras as a former TE coach and just based on last year will play primarily in 2 TE sets. Some of Tavon's effectiveness comes from playing more and keeping teams off balance because they have to be aware of the misdirection play whenever he is on the field. Tavon is also underrated as blocker especially downfield, so it doesn't hurt the run game having him out there.

This team doesn't have the players to run primarily two TE sets.

I am not the biggest Boyd fan, but could be slim pickings at WR in 40 range, so he could be our best option and fill a nice chain moving role. However, I think we desperately need a true X receiver opposite Tavon, it would open up so many things for our offense. A guy who can win downfield consistently with the play action deep shots we love throwing would command safety attention opening up things for Tavon and our other receivers, while giving Gurley a little more room to run against lighter boxes. In a low volume passing game like ours I really think we need an X who can consistently pick up big chunk plays when we actually throw the ball.

Britt already wins vertically. That's the one thing he's really good at it. And frankly, if you're looking for a rookie WR to come in and provide that level of play, you're probably being unrealistic. Is it possible? Sure. But the odds are stacked against us.

Britt is a very adept vertical WR. Especially off of play-action. We need a guy who will catch the football and move the chains. That's what this team was missing last year. We had no reliable receivers.

 

[Corbin]

Well, at least we both picked Mike Thomas.

Yeah but it's the wrong Mike Thomas! Lol

P.s. Didn't Rd 3 higbee get arrested for assault and evading police? I don't want him I want the 4 pillars

 

[StealYoGurley]

This team doesn't have the players to run primarily two TE sets.

TE may be the position they paid some of the most attention to in the offseason. They were connected to Zach Miller and Mercedes Lewis in FA, Snead was at the Western Kentucky Pro day, our new TE coach was at Jerrell Adams pro day, and they interviewed all the top guys at the combine. I think finding a competent compliment will be a top priority on day 2. Ya they dont have the personnel yet, but with Fisher and former TE coach Boras running the show do you really think they won't? Fisher and Schotty tried spreading out a bit more with Bradford, but scraped it after 3 or 4 games. Groh who is coming in to help with passing game played more 2 TE last year with Bennett and Miller. Odds are the Rams will be primarily a 2 TE team again even if they dont have the personnel just yet.

Britt already wins vertically. That's the one thing he's really good at it. And frankly, if you're looking for a rookie WR to come in and provide that level of play, you're probably being unrealistic. Is it possible? Sure. But the odds are stacked against us.

Britt is a very adept vertical WR. Especially off of play-action. We need a guy who will catch the football and move the chains. That's what this team was missing last year. We had no reliable receivers.

Britt does win vertically, but IMO shoudln't be more than a situational deep threat, because of the other holes in his game. He and Quick will be FAs after the season so IMO we need to start developing that big X WR who can be more than a situational deep threat sooner rather than later.

 

[DaveFan'51]

I'll try to do one more mock before the draft. Since this is my second to last mock draft, I won't do any trading. In my last mock, there will be trades. As always, this is what I'd do if I were in the Rams' shoes.
NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #15 - Paxton Lynch QB Memphis

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdm3TayuSUo

Analysis: There's a possibility that the Rams might have to move up a few slots. If that's true, then they need to do it. They need to come away with a top QB. If they can move up for Goff, I'm all for it. But I'll be disappointed if they let all three of the top QBs slip away. If they let all four go, I'll be rooting for a new team until Fisher is gone (unless they trade for a QB that I like). Lynch is a big guy at 6'7" 245 with tons of upside. He possesses a strong arm, impressive athleticism for his size, and all the attributes needed to succeed in the NFL. He's raw mechanically and mentally but with time and experience, I expect him to become a franchise QB.
NFL Comparison: Joe Flacco

Round 2 Pick #12 - Tyler Boyd WR Pittsburgh

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

Analysis: Rams have paid a lot of attention to Tyler Boyd during the process which is good news imo. Boyd isn't an amazing athlete but he more than makes up for that with outstanding hands, body control, and instincts. He's coming out of a pro style offense and already has a good feel for how to exploit defenders' weaknesses. His route running will need to continue to develop but his smoothness, easy change of directional ability, and high football IQ should aid him greatly with that. Boyd appears to be a WR that should contribute early and produce for a long time. More than that, he gives the Rams a much needed target who can move the chains and catch tthe ball consistently.
NFL Comparison: Keenan Allen

Round 2 Pick #14 - Keanu Neal FS Florida

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5nzVdpia6M

Analysis: There are rumors that Neal will go first round. I guess we'll find out. Neal seems like the type of player that the Rams love at safety. He's a vicious hitter who looks to stick the runner every chance he gets. This leads to some missed tackles and bad plays because he doesn't wrap up. When he does wrap up, he consistently makes the tackle due to his strength and reckless abandon. However, he needs to improve his angles and play more under control in the NFL. He'll run himself out of plays or take bad angles to the ball. Had a lot of experience playing the single high safety role at UF. Comes downhill with a vegeneance and has the range/cover skills to play single high in the NFL. Ball-skills need to improve, though, as he has the tendency to play the man rather than the ball and look for big hits rather than INTs.
NFL Comparison: T.J. Ward

Round 3 Pick #13 - Tyler Higbee TE Western Kentucky

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

Analysis: There are more and more rumors that NFL evaluators consider Higbee to have the highest ceiling as a pure pass-catcher in this draft. At 6'6" 250, Higbee certainly has the prototypical size. He's also a WR convert with the speed to threaten the seam and outstanding hands. Higbee rarely drops passes, can make acrobatic catches, and has no issues coming down with passes in traffic. Higbee needs to continue to get bigger and stronger if he's going to become an effective in-line blocker in the NFL. That all said, Higbee does not lack the desire or physicality. He is a willing and competitive blocker who gets visibly angry at himself on the field when he fails to make a key block. Higbee's injury history is a concern but he's a talented player who appears to only be scratching his potential.
NFL Comparison: Greg Olsen

Round 4 Pick #12 - Mike Thomas WR Southern Miss

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5hq-x4_5UA

Analysis: Yep, I have us drafting another WR. We've had success in the past doubling up on positions. Thomas is a very talented guy who's been overlooked despite steller production. He only has two years of college tape because he was a JUCO transfer. Thomas was snubbed by the Combine despite putting up 1391 yards, 14 TDs, and nearly 20 yards per catch this year. I tossed out Antonio Bryant as a comparison because they have similar games and body types. Like Bryant, Thomas is a guy who can get vertical and win jump-balls and pull down tough catches in traffic. He can also create yardage after the catch. He's ultra-competitive and has great instincts for timing his jumps and adjusting to the football in the air. However, like Antonio Bryant, Thomas is prone to bouts of inconsistency with his hands and route running. He suffers from concentration drops but makes the tough catches look routine. Unlike Bryant, Thomas does not have significant off the field problems (that I know of). Thomas is an intriguing player in the mid rounds because he's an explosive player with the ability to make extremely acrobatic catches and win 50-50 balls but he still is pretty raw and inconsistent. He needs to get a bit bigger and stronger in order to better get off of press coverage in the NFL. Still, he has a lot of upside.
NFL Comparison: Antonio Bryant

Round 6 Pick #14 - Evan Boehm C Missouri

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

Analysis: Boehm is a tough as nails player who was consistently great over his career at Missouri. The Rams might as well make use of the depth and talent at Center in this draft. Boehm offers the Rams a difference-making run blocker at Center. He has rare power and drive blocking ability for a Center along with a nasty disposition. This allows him to absolutely maul defenders at the LOS and handle the power of NTs. Why will Boehm fall to Day 3 if he's such a powerful guy and great player in the SEC? He lacks the foot speed and quickness to play in a true ZBS and doesn't have the height and arm length a lot of teams look for. That all said, he fits our scheme well and has the sort of work ethic and passion for the game that makes me believe he can develop into an effective NFL pass blocker. I compared him to Incognito but he has the common sense that Incognito lacks. He plays the game with a similar mean streak but doesn't kill his team with bone-headed mistakes.
NFL Comparison: Richie Incognito

Projected Starters
QB: Paxton Lynch
HB: Todd Gurley
WR: Kenny Britt
WR: Tavon Austin
WR: Tyler Boyd
TE: Lance Kendricks
LT: Greg Robinson
LG: Jamon Brown v. Garret Reynolds
C: Tim Barnes
RG: Cody Wichmann v. Rodger Saffold
RT: Rob Havenstein

LDE: Will Hayes
NT: Michael Brockers
UT: Aaron Donald
RDE: Robert Quinn
WLB: Mark Barron
MLB: Alec Ogletree
CB: Trumaine Johnson
CB: E.J. Gaines
CB: LaMarcus Joyner
FS: Keanu Neal v. Mo Alexander v. Cody Davis
SS: T.J. McDonald

K: Greg Zuerlein v. Ross Martin (UDFA)
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide

I like your picks, except I'm not sure about your 4th rounder! I'll take your word on him!

 

[jrry32]

TE may be the position they paid some of the most attention to in the offseason. They were connected to Zach Miller and Mercedes Lewis in FA, Snead was at the Western Kentucky Pro day, our new TE coach was at Jerrell Adams pro day, and they interviewed all the top guys at the combine. I think finding a competent compliment will be a top priority on day 2. Ya they dont have the personnel yet, but with Fisher and former TE coach Boras running the show do you really think they won't? Fisher and Schotty tried spreading out a bit more with Bradford, but scraped it after 3 or 4 games. Groh who is coming in to help with passing game played more 2 TE last year with Bennett and Miller. Odds are the Rams will be primarily a 2 TE team again even if they dont have the personnel just yet.

Rookie TEs rarely make an impact. Even if they draft a TE in the 2nd or 3rd round, they may not have the capability to run that set because TEs typically take more time to transition to the NFL than other offensive skill players. I'd say Austin Hooper is their best chance at drafting a guy who can contribute early on.

Britt does win vertically, but IMO shoudln't be more than a situational deep threat, because of the other holes in his game. He and Quick will be FAs after the season so IMO we need to start developing that big X WR who can be more than a situational deep threat sooner rather than later.

My preference would be for Britt to be a situational player as well but the Rams didn't address the WR position in FA which means that isn't going to happen unless Quick breaks out. Britt is pretty much locked in as a starter.

Regardless, there may not be the WR that you want in this class. You basically were asking for a top tier WR. No guarantees there is one in this class. And if there is one, there's no guarantee he's available in the 2nd. I'm content with Boyd. Can play any WR spot, is coming out of a pro style offense, and is known for being a reliable, productive player with outstanding hands. He offers the Rams a skill-set they don't have and sorely need. And he's a pro ready, safe pick.

 

[-X-]

Yeah but it's the wrong Mike Thomas! Lol

P.s. Didn't Rd 3 higbee get arrested for assault and evading police? I don't want him I want the 4 pillars

Nah, we got the right one.
But draft 'em both. I don't care.

 

[Sportsed]

We need a guy who will catch the football and move the chains. That's what this team was missing last year. We had no reliable receivers

Bingo!!!-----there's a winner right there. The passing game has to be a successful complement to the running game; therefore, catching the ball will finally give us a complete offense. We may not throw it that much, but we cannot come up to los with on 3rd and 6 and only have Gurley as our only hope to pick up a 1st down. Moving the chains on a consistent basis is our biggest need on offense-----too many dropped passes, especially on 3rd down.

 

[LACHAMP46]

NICE!!!!

 

[TexasRam]

Highly anticipating your "last draft" since this "2nd to last draft" takes Paxton Lynch.

Yea. Not a big fan.