NFL.com ranks Los Angeles Rams’ 2018 NFL Draft class dead last in league

[BonifayRam]

NFL.com ranks Los Angeles Rams’ 2018 NFL Draft class dead last in league

The Rams’ 2018 rookies just didn’t get a chance to see the field much this year. Does that deserve a failing grade on the draft report card?
Feb 14, 2019
https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2019/...r-rankings-joseph-noteboom-ogbonnia-okoronkwo

The Los Angeles Rams were in an unusual position heading into the 2018 NFL Draft.

Having made headlines repeatedly in free agency bringing in top-level talents through trades before adding DL Ndamukong Suh on a one-year flier, the Rams were in the unique position of both being without a single pick in the top 88 of the draft while also not needing one.

With so much talent amassed on both sides of the ball, there were not going to be very many openings for the rookie class. Perhaps at linebacker there might have been an opportunity with an early pick, but it wasn’t likely given that the Rams didn’t have a pick until #89 and that was the Rams’ sole pick in the first 110 selections of the draft.

But despite the limitations of availability placed on the class, NFL Media’s Jeremy Bergman ranked the Rams’ 2018 rookie class the worst in the NFL last year as the only rookie class to receive less than a “C” grade.

32.) Los Angeles Rams

Round 3: (No. 89 overall) Joseph Noteboom, T, 16 games/0 starts.

Round 4: (111) Brian Allen, C, 12 games/0 starts; (135) John Franklin-Myers, DE, 16 games/0 starts.

Round 5: (147) Micah Kiser, LB, 16 games/0 starts; (160) Obo Okoronkwo, DE, 0 games/0 starts.

Round 6: (176) John Kelly, RB, 4 games/0 starts; (192) Jamil Demby, T, 0 games/0 starts (waived in September, spent most of season on Lions’ practice squad, then was re-signed by Rams in December); (195) Sebastian Joseph-Day, DT, 0 games/0 starts; (205) Trevon Young, DE, 2 games/0 starts.

Round 7: (231) Travin Howard, LB, 0 games/0 starts; (244) Justin Lawler, DE, 16 games/0 starts.

Notable rookie FA signings: KhaDarel Hodge, WR, 14 games/0 starts.

The NFC champions did their team-building through trades and free agency last offseason, opting to part with their first-round selection for Brandin Cooks and mid-round picks for the likes of Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib. Considering all that, Los Angeles’ utilization of its draft capital should grade high; Cooks led the team in receiving, and Peters and Talib shored up the secondary (when healthy and/or hungry for gumbo). But when looking at what the Rams reaped from their 11 picks, it’s easy to label this draft a total bust. Los Angeles got zero starts from their draft picks. None. Zilch. Nada. Noteboom and Allen were smart plays in case there were significant injuries on the depth-less O-line (there weren’t), and Franklin-Myers can grow into a greater role next year. But this haul is easily one of the most forgettable from any team with at least 10 selections in recent memory.

I guess the part I’d push back against is the lack of context of why there were zero starts from the rookies. I don’t put much of that on the quality of the rookies. I put most of it instead on the quality of the roster the rookies were joining.

I’d also quibble a bit with the idea that Noteboom and Allen were added just for significant injuries on the O-line. As our own Joey the Jerk pointed out this week, the offensive line is nearing a point of transition with LT Andrew Whitworth, LG Rodger Saffold III and C John Sullivan all potentially exiting as early as this offseason. Noteboom and Allen weren’t drafted solely for the 2018 season. They were drafted on contracts through the 2021 season.

Myopia aside, I get it. The Rams just got very, very little out of their rookie class. Aside from JFM’s rotational duties and the special teams snaps, it just wasn’t an impact class. Yet.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if next year and beyond as some of these guys get more opportunities in offensive and defensive setups we see this grade start to improve and reflect the quality of the picks themselves and not just the roster bind they were in.

 

[ArkyRamsFan]

Bonifay, I read the entire article on NFL.com and thought it was a poorly written piece of tripe. The fact that the Rams went 13 -3 and none of our rookies started a game should have been a clue to the writer. We just didn't have a need for our first year players to be given significant playing time or to start because we were more focused on, well you know, trying to secure home field advantage in the playoffs and other endeavors such as that.

Apparently this was all lost on the writer who assumed that our youngins' didn't play because they stink and were lousy picks or something. To judge a draft one year after is ludicrous on its face but to assume a lack of starts as meaning anything (especially with a team fighting for best record in the conference) is asinine on every level.

Heck I hope we have this "problem" each and every year.

Go Rams!

~ArkyRamsFan~

 

[CanadaRam]

Not a surprise at all.
Rams got nothing in 2018 from the draft class (although this was somewhat expected).
No one was able to impress to the point where you could not have kept them off the field as a rookie.

The class still has the chance to be really good (a true evaluation can only be done after year 3).
IMO it will depend on if Noteboom becomes the LT of the future, Allen takes up another OL spot and one of the LBs-Edge becomes a legit starter.

 

[Sleepy1711]

Didnt we learn not to judge draft classes until year 3? This is kinda dumb.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

In three years when Noteboom is a top OLT, and John Franklin-Myers is a key to the starting DLine. The rating will go up. But you can’t expect much else from 100 6th round picks.


Maybe Kiser, Allen and Obo can contribute down the line, but other than Noteboom I don’t think it’s likely to wind up with any stars.

With big contracts being paid out to Gurley, Cooks and Donald and some big salary guys like Suh, Talib, Peters, and Fowler, not having any picks in rounds 1 and 2 worked to help the salary cap a little.

If you factor in Talib, Cooks, and Peters, I’d say it was a great draft overall.

 

[Ram65]

Impossible to judge/grade the Rams 2018 draft glass after one season. If your looking at it from a production view it was very low unless you count Cooks as your 1st round pick. I get that these ratings fill the web space with something fans can engage in.

This could easily be a very good draft class when all is said and done. Noteboom and Allen should become quality starters. JFM can become a starter or very solid rotational player. Some of the others will likely contribute. I like what I saw from Hodge.

 

[thirteen28]

I guess the part I’d push back against is the lack of context of why there were zero starts from the rookies. I don’t put much of that on the quality of the rookies. I put most of it instead on the quality of the roster the rookies were joining.

This ^.

And given the lack of context you referenced, it makes the whole piece both moot and stupid. If we would have gotten significant playing time out of any of these guys, it would have been indicative of a bigger problem on our roster, either injuries or a lack of talent.

 

[Sleepy1711]

They also know that we went to the superbowl right?? We just needed rookies to do their thing. U know learn and spell the starters?

 

[Akrasian]

Noteboom didn't get a start because of the line's health, but clearly was a good pick.
JFM was very good value, and will be key going forward.

However, the linebacker corp and edge rushing was weak, and even though they were late picks, none of the quarter million or so picks at those positions really contributed. The Rams would probably have been better off using fewer higher picks - not really high, those were traded for useful players - but not trading down repeatedly to get more late picks.

The edge picks were not ready to contribute for various reasons, so that the Rams needed to trade a future 3rd for Fowler. That has to count as a failure of the idea that a bunch of late picks would fill in the holes, at least in the short run. Hopefully some of those late picks will contribute going forward.

 

[nighttrain]

Didnt we learn not to judge draft classes until year 3? .

this^, and how can the contributions of Talib, Cooks, and Peters not be counted? These guys came from the trade of draft choices

train

 

[OldSchool]

Meh, get back to us in a couple years on the grade.

 

[Ellard80]

Yeah too early.. plus we had no high draft picks so the chances of those dudes playing is slim.

 

[pmil66]

20% of the teams roster were rookies.The Rams went 13-3, and went to the Superbowl. 10 of 11 draft picks made the team, and UDFA was added after an injury. Thats pretty good. This writer needs to find a new career.

 

[BonifayRam]

I thought Snead did very good with what he had in that 2018 draft myself :bow:. I believe that Snead got us 3 future starters with his first 3 selections. The steal of the entire 2018 draft may very well end up being Joe Noteboom!

I would not change not one selection.:yess:

 

[Dodgersrf]

Thankfully, we're no longer in a position, where we have to throw our rookies out there out of desperation.

 

[Hram]

So we redshirted the entire freshman class of the picks we didn’t trade for players who did play all year while winning the division and making it to the super bowl.

I’ll take that type of draft every year!!!

 

[snackdaddy]

Didnt we learn not to judge draft classes until year 3? This is kinda dumb.

Bullseye. None of these guys played much in 2018. When a team needs the current draft class to make an impact, well, you end up with the Cleveland Browns or the 2005-2016 Rams. The Rams were a Superbowl team. The draft class is for the future. Plus, its not like they had a first or second round pick.

 

[Akrasian]

Bullseye. None of these guys played much in 2018. When a team needs the current draft class to make an impact, well, you end up with the Cleveland Browns or the 2005-2016 Rams. The Rams were a Superbowl team. The draft class is for the future. Plus, its not like they had a first or second round pick.

I would be more inclined to agree - except the Rams LB corps was Barron - coming off an injured season, having surgeries and in fact wasn't ready for half the season; Littleton, a UDFA who did play well; Ebukam, a 4th round pick with two starts, who was not expected to be a star; and - well, not much of anybody in the other outside linebacker spot. A bunch of question marks, which they tried to fill or back up with marginal vets and late round picks. Meanwhile, to get more bodies for the linebackers mainly, they kept trading down for more picks. Their first 3 picks in 2018 either contributed immediately or at least looked promising for future action (I'm being generous with Allen). They should have tried to move up with some of those 6ths, rather than go for the cattle call approach - maybe they would have been able to find a useful linebacker for a season where they had gone substantially in to contend. Instead, they ended up having to trade a third at midseason to fill a gaping hole with a rent a player. Maybe they can resign Fowler - but he is still a free agent. Fortunately, if he goes elsewhere they should get a comp pick in the 5th or so, maybe even a 4th, next year.

I don't expect everyone to contribute - but if you know you have significant holes all across a unit, and need for things to work out very well on multiple question marks to not have it be something that drags down the team, I would have liked to see the Rams try to find a way to get a higher draft pick rather than have 7 picks in the 5th round or later, and end up having to trade a future 3rd anyway.

I do expect Snead, McVay, and Phillips to hit on more late picks than most other teams - but if you're going all in to be a Super Bowl contender, don't expect 7 late round picks to contribute - try to get some higher picks to fill known holes for the immediate as well as future seasons.

 

[Flint]

That seems kinda flawed, none of the Rams rookies had any significant starts so they are a bust. I think they all made the team which is unusual especially for a playoff team.
There’s been a lot made of the lack of depth on the o line but the starters started every game, again. They drafted the o line and the guys they drafted have gotten playing time, so how is that not depth? No team has 5 new guys sitting on the bench, I think they’ve done a decent job, of course you never know until somebody gets hurt, which they haven’t. But this should be interesting, Havenstein and Blythe are the only 2 you say for sure are coming back and there’s questions about Blythe after he got worked in the SB, so o-line may be a significant need.