Kneejerk Central: Grade the Draft

[RamFan503]

You know how objective I am. A+++

View: https://i.imgur.com/wPdtlkO.jpg

 

[Badfinger]

I can't remember this much positive unanimity around a Rams draft class, EVER. No picks that make you go "Who??" Our defense got a high octane infusion of talent, toughness and character. Add a talented compliment to an already potent running game, you gotta give it an A. Daresay it might even be better than last year...

 

[Flatlyner]

All around, I think the Rams did a great job marrying need with BPA. I seriously love what they did for the DL/pass rush. IMO, we could have a superior pass rush then what we had last year, when we had the all time greatest defender in history. The combo of the 2 best players from perhaps the best defense in the nation last year, along with a ball hawking safety (been literally forever since we had one), and good depth up front is putting in position to advance in the playoffs.

I also was not in love with the Corum pick that early, but, in retrospect, he is as similar to Kyren as you could get. Hell, he may even be superior. I was a big Lloyd guy, but now I'm a Corum backer. Going to be odd to actually have excitement when Kyren is rested for a series.

While I was very much hoping to add Malik Washington or one of the USC guys, I always thought Whittington was a gamer when I watched Texas last year. He popped as much as either of the other high draft picks in the games I watched. Good value.

I can't claim to know much about the last 2 OL depth guys they added, but, we certainly needed depth and got it.

All around, excellent draft and it has me even more excited about the year. Now I just need to decide which rookie to get a jersey of.

 

[Tano]

I give this draft an A-

Drops a bit for the second round trade and I would have traded back in the 3rd round for a 4th round pick.

Maybe we could have gotten an ILB in the 4th. Not sure if anyone was there though.

I hope Omar is good because heaven forbid Jones gets hurt and Omar is no good.

The run defense game where Jones was hurt was almost laughably bad with Rozeboom and Reeder as the ILBs.

 

[André]

Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Blake Corum, Kamren Kinchens, and Joshua Karty…

That looks like 5 players nearly certain to play a lot of snaps for us.

5 players… That’s an “A” grade in my book.

I think you may be able to add Brennan Jackson to that list.

 

[den-the-coach]

IMO, the Rams attacked every need overall, with the minor exception at CB & ILB, but adding LB Omar Speights as an UDRFA might even make it better.

1. Jared Verse...Needed an OLB and Verse plays with reckless abandon. He was a leader on and off the field and it was fortunate the draft fell as it did and Verse is now in horns.

2. Braden Fiske...Hopefully everyone will not get into the fact they traded a 2025 2nd round pick to move up. Glad they traded a pick next year and not this year. Fiske is a perfect fit in so many ways and the chemistry with he and Verse will be instrumental in catapulted this defense accordingly.

3. Blake Corum...I am a Buckeye Fan and even I could not help but like this guy. BTW 4.O GPA average at Michigan. He is a leader and tough to tackle, plus he is great and has a ... for the end zone. I share @Memento concern with the tread on the tires and injury history, but using him in combination with Williams, should aid them both in that capacity.

4. Kamren Kinchens...The one game I watched him against North Carolina, he single handedly made Drake May look like a cupcake. Fantastic range and Kinchens can also catch the ball very well, Rams needed a free safety and Kinchens plays much faster then his 40 time. Just watch the kid play.

5. Brennan Jackson...Another Jackson added to this team, but I knew the Rams liked him quite a bit because every mock draft you looked at, included Jackson to the Rams. He plays the game the right way and will add to the room and be able to spell Bryon Young as I look for Jackson to be the first OLB off the bench.

6. Tyler Davis...Davis I know the least about, but the Rams needed a backup to Bobby Brown and Davis fits the bill. A fire hydrant run stuffer that should only improve under the tutelage of new DL Coach Giff Smith.

7. Joshua Karty...Thank the lord for this engineer from Stanford. Let's be honest here, this is the kicker all of us wanted and he is pleased to be staying on the west coast. 91% accuracy with a long of 61 yards. IMO Karty will transform the special teams overnight as they young core with LS Alex Ward, Punter Ethan Evans, who he knows well because they are both from North Carolina & now kicker Joshua Karty the Los Angeles Rams will have one of the strongest core of specialist in the NF.

8. Beaux Limmer...Another player I liked for the Rams as he is country strong plus offers the ability to play both Center & Guard. Needed a backup for Steve Avila and the Rams found it in Limmer.

9. Jordan Whittington...Well, our own @Memento provided us so much information on the Longhorn and I am anxious to see if he can return punts & kickoffs because at Texas he only returned 1 punt and 3 kickoffs, but seems to have the ability to do so plus Whittington is an amazing blocker, which you have to be able to do in McVay's offense.

10. KT Leveston...Big guy that has played LT and should be able to kick inside to guard. Again more depth along the offensive line & Leveston can run block that is for sure as he has the ability to maul and strain at the point of attack.

FWIW I grade this draft an A, but again I am biased. Plus I actually really enjoyed the 6th round. Was very busy this week and I actually was able to sit down and watch the 6th round with 4 picks and enjoyed each pick especially drafting the kicker Karty.

Love the Fiske pick and really looking forward to seeing Blake Corum go right up the gut against the 49ers and putting their cheap ass linebackers on their backs.

 

[Kupped]

This draft was so cohesive and felt like an organization doing exactly what the fuck it wanted and knew it had to do.

We know there will be disappointments and surprises.. but I have zero doubt the Rams are a better football team today than they were at the end of the season.

For a second... I'm going to imagine they hit on their firsts four picks just as well as their first three last year... and add in a "suprise" expectation for someone lower.
Odds are probably low that could happen.. but if it did? If Verse and Fiske produce like Young and Turner or even a little better? If Corum and Kitchens are just solid pros right away? And if someone like Brennan Jackson or Whittington turn out to be a total steal as a rookie?

This team will be cooking.

 

[RamsFan4Life]

Also, I'm fired up if he Rams sign Omar Speights. As a Beaver, he was dominant and ILB is certainly a need here.

then you must be stoked

Good call Swami

 

[snackdaddy]

I've never bought into the grades the so called experts give them right after a draft. But I'm always curious what other unbiased people think. I haven't seen a grade lower than a B. Even a few A's. And the main reason for the B's is what they gave up to move up to 39 for Fiske.

They don't have a problem with Fiske. They just question whether or not it was worth giving up next years 2nd. I say it is. Fiske is a legit day one starter. He has a good rapport playing with Verse. They work well in tandem together.

They both feed off each other. Hold each other accountable off the field. Their competitive nature they don't want to be working less hard than the other guy. They even watch film together. These are two dedicated players who love the game. What every coach loves in a player.

 

[ottoman89]

A+

From the top to the bottom, they absolutely nailed it.

The team continues to be transformed from the finesse style to the absolute physical, menacing, bullying style of play and I absolutely fucking love it.

NO LONGER will we get pushed around by the 9ers and teams like that. We do the pushing, hitting, bullying.

Also give that Kinchens and Curl will be a violent starting S duo.

also, love that Corum and Kyren can spell each other and won't have to change the offense. And Evans will be able to come in and hit HRs.

I can go on and on about how much I loved each and every bit of our picks.

still wanted DeJean tho haha!

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I've never bought into the grades the so called experts give them right after a draft. But I'm always curious what other unbiased people think. I haven't seen a grade lower than a B. Even a few A's. And the main reason for the B's is what they gave up to move up to 39 for Fiske.

They don't have a problem with Fiske. They just question whether or not it was worth giving up next years 2nd. I say it is. Fiske is a legit day one starter. He has a good rapport playing with Verse. They work well in tandem together.

They both feed off each other. Hold each other accountable off the field. Their competitive nature they don't want to be working less hard than the other guy. They even watch film together. These are two dedicated players who love the game. What every coach loves in a player.

I have heard a few of the draft pros say they like that the Rams drafted hard working football players, that will go all out 100% of the time. They got that all of the way through the draft. This draft and the 2023 draft reminded me a lot of the ravens drafts- good football players that work hard.

One thing people miss on the criticism of the trade up to get Fiske, is that if the Rams didn’t have another DT option on their board that was close to being graded as high as Fiske, then it makes it a huge loss if they don’t trade up. They 100% needed a good DT. Not getting one that could make an impact would have been a crushing blow.

It’s also likely that they wanted to trade up to get ahead of a team or teams that were hoping to draft Fiske. So, I’m sure the Panthers GM knew how important it was for Snead.

Snead better remember that if the Panthers ever want to trade up with the Rams in the future.

 

[snackdaddy]

One thing people miss on the criticism of the trade up to get Fiske, is that if the Rams didn’t have another DT option on their board that was close to being graded as high as Fiske, then it makes it a huge loss if they don’t trade up. They 100% needed a good DT. Not getting one that could make an impact would have been a crushing blow.

This is exactly what I've been saying. If they stood pat at 52 the talent level of the available players was dwindling fast. They would not have someone the caliber of Fiske. In fact, if they stayed at 52 they woulda been better off trading down with what woulda been available. I don't know if we'll see it in his rookie year but I'll bet we have at least a borderline pro bowl caliber DT within two years. Kobie Turner is already there.

 

[ReekofRams]

I think the Rams Oline and Dline are now in line to kick the snot out of people. So I give it an A!

 

[muggmeister]

I'm great with every pick and the compensation for Fiske. After the Senior Bowl and combine he had round 1 grade in a lot of peoples opinions. The Corum pick will pay huge dividends starting immediately, we now have 2, 1a RBs. Also love the Kinchens pick, he will give us a true centerfielder in the secondary allowing Curl and Lake to play to their strengths. We have a solid foundation to make some real noise, we were a play or 2 away from advancing in last years playoffs and we will be a much improved team this year. It just may appear I'm overly optimistic but fuck it, I am. Give Stafford a little more guaranteed money, ask him not to retire in the middle of it and go win a couple of Super Bowls. Great draft, great off-season, and just for the helluva it, fuck the FortyWhiners.

 

[Memphis Ram]

View: https://twitter.com/RNBWCV/status/1784675268193305036

 

[Memento]

View: https://twitter.com/RNBWCV/status/1784675268193305036

Who is Thomas Psaier, and why the fuck did he give us the same grade as the Falcons?

 

[PARAM]

Now they are operating off the same playsheet for the most part.

And their values are similar. QBs are the premier value. WRs, Edge and secondary, DTs and OL follow closely. Because RBs and LBs are not valued for many second contracts, they are actually value picks after the 1st round. Who needs a RB or LB for 5 years?

 

[Memphis Ram]

Who is Thomas Psaier, and why the fuck did he give us the same grade as the Falcons?

No idea. But, given the grades I'd guess he's a fan of the Bengals.

 

[thirteen28]

Who is Thomas Psaier, and why the fuck did he give us the same grade as the Falcons?

He's a 49ers fan and sucks donkey dicks.*

* - It's possible I made up the part about him being a 49ers fan.

 

[Corbin]

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/9eq0S8HjPoI?si=K1vUEiUVrMkiDnuq


Didn’t know Whittington had long hair like that