My Pre-Combine Draft Board

[Memento]

I do think that's an argument that has some sense to it. If you draft Bowers, you're drafting a guy who can share those roles now and take over for them in the future.

Have you watched Pitts?

Yes, I have. Apparently, he's really unhappy in Atlanta, mostly because Smith didn't utilize him, London, or Robinson at all.

I'd certainly deal the conditional third for him; we're talking about a twenty-four-year-old who was an All-Pro tight end his first year - his only year with a competent quarterback.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Yes, I have. Apparently, he's really unhappy in Atlanta, mostly because Smith didn't utilize him, London, or Robinson at all.

I'd certainly deal the conditional third for him; we're talking about a twenty-four-year-old who was an All-Pro tight end his first year - his only year with a competent quarterback.

I just think from what I've seen, Pitts is a measurement monster who has a very limited skill set.

I don't see the value in trading for him on a team where we have so many talents at our skill positions. If we were bereft of pass catching talent at all levels, I would entertain it.

One reason he did so well that first year is that they had so little talent it didn't matter that they could only run him on a few routes. They didn't really have anyone else doing anything anyways!

Pitts is classically a guy who can be good in a bad offense but bad in a good offense.

How would you envision him in our offense, what position would he play, what assignments would he have, what routes do you reasonably imagine he could run well?

 

[Memphis Ram]

Isn’t that basically what the Star position is? Quentin Lake did a good job in the Star. So if they took a safety I’d like one that can cover with closing speed.

But do we know if Shula will have the exact same scheme?

 

[Memphis Ram]

I think he duplicates too many skills we have at the skill positions that it's inefficient to take him in a trade up ... but... it's not a horrible idea to take him if he falls. I just think it's more efficient to pick one of the possibly great players we can get at X receiver, CB and on the Oline (and maybe if things really fall for us, OLB) at 19 than trading up.

Maybe there's a 3% chance he falls to us? Just don't see it.

He's a weapon yeah, but if I have a knife I prob want to have a gun next. Not another knife.... even if it's a really nice knife.

I haven't seen him be able to do anything much inline as far as blocking but open to new info.

I don't believe it's a smart move to trade up for him so I don't see the Rams doing that either.

I do like him and if I think he could help a lot of teams, just not us as much, at that price point.

That's the issue. You don't seem to see how much of a match-up problem this kid can be for the team. Not just another knife.

Bowers could possibly be the fastest target on the team behind Atwell. He can do just about everything Kyle Juszczyk AND George Kittle does for Shanahan and teams can't substitute personnel for him because he's already on the field. He can also line up outside and be a matchup problem against CBs. And again, that's the main key. A match-up problem just about anywhere you line him up. And one ideal for an offensive coordinator who doesn't switch up his personnel for various packages in running his illusion of complexity.

 

[Memento]

I just think from what I've seen, Pitts is a measurement monster who has a very limited skill set.

I don't see the value in trading for him on a team where we have so many talents at our skill positions. If we were bereft of pass catching talent at all levels, I would entertain it.

One reason he did so well that first year is that they had so little talent it didn't matter that they could only run him on a few routes. They didn't really have anyone else doing anything anyways!

Pitts is classically a guy who can be good in a bad offense but bad in a good offense.

How would you envision him in our offense, what position would he play, what assignments would he have, what routes do you reasonably imagine he could run well?

I think our coaching staff is so much better than Atlanta's that it wasn't even funny. And they went from Matt Ryan in his final (actually good) year in Atlanta to Desmond Ridder, who is a below-average NFL quarterback in every way. Remember how bad our offense looked going from Stafford to Rypien? Think that for Atlanta, only for two years more than it should've been.

As for how I envision him in the offense, that's something I've considered: he's a weapon, a true matchup problem that corners can't out-physical, that safeties and linebackers can't outrun, and he'd be your flex target in the slot or even outside. But I feel that he could definitely learn the tight end position as well, given time; and you have him for two years to decide what to do with.

Assignments? Of course, everyone blocks in this offense when it comes to the running game; Pitts would be no different, and he did that with Bijan Robinson in his rookie year. We all know how B-Rob did this year, and Pitts was a massive part of it.

Routes that I've seen him run reasonably well? Pitts has averaged over twelve yards per reception, (over fifteen in his rookie year) so I use him like Detroit used Megatron (don't laugh; Pitts is a little bigger, being a tight end, while Megatron was a bit faster, but you could use them similarly): on a lot of seam (as an inline tight end) and go routes (when he flexes out), slants, redzone sticks, bubble screens where he can use his speed and physicality; basically, simple routes until he gets the system down to a science, where you can incorporate more complicated option routes, except he'll learn more from our receivers and tight ends coaches than he ever did in Atlanta; I trust McSnead, Eric Yarber, and Nick Caley implicitly.

That's how I see it.

 

[Memento]

That's the issue. You don't seem to see how much of a match-up problem this kid can be for the team. Not just another knife.

Bowers could possibly be the fastest target on the team behind Atwell. He can do just about everything Kyle Juszczyk AND George Kittle does for Shanahan and teams can't substitute personnel for him because he's already on the field. He can also line up outside and be a matchup problem against CBs. And again, that's the main key. A match-up problem just about anywhere you line him up. And one ideal for an offensive coordinator who doesn't switch up his personnel for various packages in running his illusion of complexity.

Agreed. Bowers is the only - reasonable; I'd gladly trade up for Nabors, but he's going top ten - target I'd want the Rams to trade up for from #19. He's fast, physical, a hell of a run-blocker, a great route runner, a do-it-all type who is probably the best all-around and dynamic tight end prospect to come out in years.

He makes McVay's offense go from scary to D-coordinator-pants-shitting-terrifying with one draft - and that's not including a potential wide receiver speed threat early as well.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

But do we know if Shula will have the exact same scheme?

We don’t know for certain. However most of the league plays a quarters defense at least some of the time. Unless offenses make a drastic change, I’d suspect that Shula will run that defense.

Aside from that, for a team that expects to compete for a Super Bowl, a major scheme change wouldn’t be prudent.

 

[WestCoastRam]

That's the issue. You don't seem to see how much of a match-up problem this kid can be for the team. Not just another knife.

Bowers could possibly be the fastest target on the team behind Atwell. He can do just about everything Kyle Juszczyk AND George Kittle does for Shanahan and teams can't substitute personnel for him because he's already on the field. He can also line up outside and be a matchup problem against CBs. And again, that's the main key. A match-up problem just about anywhere you line him up. And one ideal for an offensive coordinator who doesn't switch up his personnel for various packages in running his illusion of complexity.

What makes you think I disagree with much of what you said here? My points were about how he duplicates much of the talent we have on the team already including what Kupp and Nacua offer from all those positions you just mentioned.

It's not the worst idea in the world to take him (not trading up) it's just not a terribly good idea when there's some prime talent available at WR, CB and tackle and talent on our team that does quite a bit of what he does well already who happen to be match-up problems in their own right.

 

[WestCoastRam]

I think our coaching staff is so much better than Atlanta's that it wasn't even funny. And they went from Matt Ryan in his final (actually good) year in Atlanta to Desmond Ridder, who is a below-average NFL quarterback in every way. Remember how bad our offense looked going from Stafford to Rypien? Think that for Atlanta, only for two years more than it should've been.

As for how I envision him in the offense, that's something I've considered: he's a weapon, a true matchup problem that corners can't out-physical, that safeties and linebackers can't outrun, and he'd be your flex target in the slot or even outside. But I feel that he could definitely learn the tight end position as well, given time; and you have him for two years to decide what to do with.

Assignments? Of course, everyone blocks in this offense when it comes to the running game; Pitts would be no different, and he did that with Bijan Robinson in his rookie year. We all know how B-Rob did this year, and Pitts was a massive part of it.

Routes that I've seen him run reasonably well? Pitts has averaged over twelve yards per reception, (over fifteen in his rookie year) so I use him like Detroit used Megatron (don't laugh; Pitts is a little bigger, being a tight end, while Megatron was a bit faster, but you could use them similarly): on a lot of seam (as an inline tight end) and go routes (when he flexes out), slants, redzone sticks, bubble screens where he can use his speed and physicality; basically, simple routes until he gets the system down to a science, where you can incorporate more complicated option routes, except he'll learn more from our receivers and tight ends coaches than he ever did in Atlanta; I trust McSnead, Eric Yarber, and Nick Caley implicitly.

That's how I see it.

Well they went from Ryan to Mariotta then Ridder. I watched a lot of their stuff. It's not comparable to Stafford to Rypien at all. I know you said you watched them but those comparisons leave me a little questioning.

He has no short area quickness, his acceleration is average (though his long speed is good) what makes you think he can run bubble screens well? If he's playing the slot, where does Kupp play, the X? He's not that great out there. Pitts also barely blocks. However, I do think he can do a lot of the other things you mentioned.

I'm not saying there's isn't a world where we get him and he's works out well. I just think that's a very small probability. And certainly not worth a draft pick to find out.

 

[WestCoastRam]

OFF THE BOARD FOR CERTAIN (6)

Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina
Marvin Harrison, WR, OSU
Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State

PRETTY GOOD CHANCE TO BE OFF THE BOARD (5)

Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama
Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Taliese Fugaga, OT, Oregon State

PROBABLY WON’T MAKE IT TO #19 (6-7)
Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan (just wait until he works out)
Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
JC Latham, OT, Alabama
Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama or Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo (maybe both)
Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA


Pre-Combine Draft Board for Rams at #19

Top Five Players with those 18 players off the board

1. Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
2. Jackson Powers-Johnson, C/G, Oregon
3. JerZhan Newton, DT, Illinois (still like him better than Murphy II)
4. Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
5. Troy Fautanu, OT, Oregon State

Top Five Including Players in the "Probably Won’t Make It to #19" Section

1. Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
2. Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia
3a. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
3b. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
3c. Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa

Sure sounds like Mitchell isn't gonna last long on the board after Senior Bowl seemed to confirm what a stud he is.

 

[Memento]

Well they went from Ryan to Mariotta then Ridder. I watched a lot of their stuff. It's not comparable to Stafford to Rypien at all. I know you said you watched them but those comparisons leave me a little questioning.

He has no short area quickness, his acceleration is average (though his long speed is good) what makes you think he can run bubble screens well? If he's playing the slot, where does Kupp play, the X? He's not that great out there. Pitts also barely blocks. However, I do think he can do a lot of the other things you mentioned.

I'm not saying there's isn't a world where we get him and he's works out well. I just think that's a very small probability. And certainly not worth a draft pick to find out.

And Mariota got benched for Ridder halfway through the season. Yes, I did watch them (and I regret watching them; Arthur Smith had a sickening aversion to using good players on offense), and Ridder is a below-average quarterback. This is coming from someone who thought that Ridder had a lot of potential in his draft year (which is why I watched them - and when there were rumblings of Pitts getting traded, I watched his games).

I think his acceleration is above average, but I think his physicality and long speed makes him able to run a bubble screen, a fairly simple route concept. Also mentioned that he could flex out wide (not just in the slot but as a pseudo-X. As for Kupp, honestly, I'm scared that Kupp's not going to be the same player he was in his Triple Crown year; in fact, he's had worse stats this year across the board than he did last year in a lot less games, so personally - and feel free to call me crazy like you did before - I would trade him.) as well as eventually fit inline when he got more of the offense down.

As for blocking, pass blocking isn't his forte - and there's no reason he should be pass-blocking, but he was a willing blocker for Robinson. And let's not forget that when Higbee came into the league in 2016 (at an older age than Pitts is right now, let's not forget; Pitts will not turn twenty-four until October), he was regarded as a very one-dimensional receiving tight end that couldn't block. Now he's regarded as one of the best blocking tight ends in the league.

The main problem I saw was that Robinson, Pitts, and London were not used right by an incompetent head coach and an incompetent quarterback group (no, I don't think Mariota is the least bit competent as a starter. As a backup and emergency option? Sure. But he wasn't used like that in his year in Atlanta, and got benched as a result. And Felipe Franks and Desmond Ridder? Haha, nope.), which hurt everyone in Atlanta (and why I think Raheem was the right choice for the Falcons to get to relevance, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms I'm not gonna open). He played only ten games in 2022, and was barely used in the games he played.

But on to the Pitts/Higbee comparison: Pitts' last year was a year he still had more yards than all but one of Higbee's years (2019). He had more or the same amount of touchdowns in that year than all but two of Higbee's years (2020 and 2021).

I understand where your concerns are, and I'm not saying to spend an exorbitant price on Pitts (and my preference is Bowers in the draft), but for the compensatory third we got from Morris for a very young player with sky-high potential where we'd have two years to see if he's a good fit for us...why not?

 

[Londoner]

why not?

Because I’d rather keep the third and see what Davis Allen can do.

 

[Memento]

Because I’d rather keep the third and see what Davis Allen can do.

And after Davis Allen, the tight end room on the Rams is razor thin. Higbee will likely be out for a while - if not flat out cut, Hunter Long is recovering from his own injury (and wasn't healthy all of last year), Brycen Hopkins was a wasted pick from the start, and the only other tight ends are two signed to futures contracts.

The comp pick is basically a fourth-round pick (it comes after the other 2024 third round comp picks from free agency, somewhere in the 100/105 range). There's a possibility we trade down with our first if the guy we target isn't there. Why not gamble on Pitts with that one compensatory pick, especially given that we'll have a second comp pick next year?

 

[WestCoastRam]

I'm scared that Kupp's not going to be the same player he was in his Triple Crown year; in fact, he's had worse stats this year across the board than he did last year in a lot less games, so personally - and feel free to call me crazy like you did before - I would trade him.) as well as eventually fit inline when he got more of the offense down.

This concern makes sense to me. Also, I don't remember calling you crazy, perhaps, that an idea was but if I did, apologies!

 

[WestCoastRam]

Pitts will not turn twenty-four until October), he was regarded as a very one-dimensional receiving tight end that couldn't block. Now he's regarded as one of the best blocking tight ends in the league.

I don't believe this accurate. It's my understanding he's considered a very poor blocker across the league. Most recently Nate Tice discussed it on his pod.

 

[Londoner]

And after Davis Allen, the tight end room on the Rams is razor thin.

It’s not as if we run multiple TE sets. We can grab a TE in the fifth or sixth round for depth- Holker, or similar.

 

[Memento]

I don't believe this accurate. It's my understanding he's considered a very poor blocker across the league. Most recently Nate Tice discussed it on his pod.

Said that about Higbee., sorry for any confusion Both Higbee and Pitts were poor blockers coming out, but Pitts is even younger right now than Higbee was coming out. Who's to say Pitts can't improve his blocking like Higbee did?

This concern makes sense to me. Also, I don't remember calling you crazy, perhaps, that an idea was but if I did, apologies!

You did mention I was crazy, but the good kind of crazy for wanting to deal Kupp for the Bengals #18 pick. It's definitely an idea for a future mock of mine (that I swear I will post when my computer stops restarting and the Internet stops cutting out), along with a couple of other ideas of mine. I don't mind being called crazy; I am a crazy bitch.

It’s not as if we run multiple TE sets. We can grab a TE in the fifth or sixth round for depth- Holker, or similar.

We ran quite a few 12 sets as well, particularly against the Ravens - and, I believe, if I'm not mistaken, the Saints - last year before Hunter Long went down with a season ending injury. And I doubt Holker's going to be around in the fifth or sixth round because it's not as strong a tight end class as it was last year, not when Theo Johnson is being considered as a third-round pick. Not a fan of the tight ends after Holker.

 

[muggmeister]

Who were those two games against?

Latu has two main concerns: his neck injury and the strength of the opposition he has faced.

Against USC he was absolutely unblockable, only credited with 2 1/2 sacks but could have had 8 if not for a guy bamed Caleb Williams.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Said that about Higbee., sorry for any confusion Both Higbee and Pitts were poor blockers coming out, but Pitts is even younger right now than Higbee was coming out. Who's to say Pitts can't improve his blocking like Higbee did?


You did mention I was crazy, but the good kind of crazy for wanting to deal Kupp for the Bengals #18 pick. It's definitely an idea for a future mock of mine (that I swear I will post when my computer stops restarting and the Internet stops cutting out), along with a couple of other ideas of mine. I don't mind being called crazy; I am a crazy bitch.



We ran quite a few 12 sets as well, particularly against the Ravens - and, I believe, if I'm not mistaken, the Saints - last year before Hunter Long went down with a season ending injury. And I doubt Holker's going to be around in the fifth or sixth round because it's not as strong a tight end class as it was last year, not when Theo Johnson is being considered as a third-round pick. Not a fan of the tight ends after Holker.

Apologies. I shouldn't have done that. And I'll work on reading comprehension too about Pitts/Higbee.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Against USC he was absolutely unblockable, only credited with 2 1/2 sacks but could have had 8 if not for a guy bamed Caleb Williams.

I mean, USC had a horrible oline this year.

But more worried about kids injuries.