OldSchool mock 1.0

[OldSchool]

Release:

Brian Allen just makes sense at this point to move on from Allen.

Trade:

Joe Noteboom to Buffalo for a 6th round pick (our pick back from them)
Buffalo lacks a swing tackle and trade a day 3 pick for somebody to backup at both RT and LT. Boom negotiates a 2 year extension and lowers his cap hit for them.

Free agency:
Resign:
Carson Wentz (thinking a 2 year deal to backup #9)
Demarcus Robinson
John Johnson III
Duke Shelly
Kevin Dotson (personally hope he doesn't try to break the bank)
Alaric Jackson (same as Dotson)
Jonah Williams
Ronnie Rivers

Za'Darius Smith (2 years $25 million) We sign a vet to bring some experience to the pass rush.

Kristian Fulton (3 years $20 million) At one time he was a good CB for the Titans. Talk is after a surgery he rushed back and wasn't fully healthy having some issues in the recovery period. He never regained his form and was put on IR for the Titans last season. Rams roll the dice with some experience at CB. In the end roughly $7 million a year isn't a huge risk that this guy can return to form.

Noah Fant TE (3 years $25 million) Unlike the Rams Seattle doesn't have any cap space. And with a regime change there we could se roster turnover. Fant is a good and athletic TE and with Higbee being out for a while with only Allen backing up McVay brings in somebody he can pair with Allen to help the offense.

Antonio Gibson RB (2 years $7.5 million) McVay brings in a vet to team up with Williams, Evans and Rivers and/or a draft pick? Gibson is a McVay type of back IMO. Running less and less the last couple years but a receiving threat out of the backfield.

Chase McLaughlin K (4 years $9 million) McVay gives Blackburn a kicker finally.

Draft:

Round 1 pick 19:

Quinyon Mitchell CB Toledo: He's got a lot of attention in the pre combine build up after a stellar Senior Bowl week. For those that don't know about him he has good size at 6'0" 195 lbs. Very good speed especially the short area burst which we know the Rams prioritize over 40 time. Not the best tackler in the run game but we'll trust the Rams coaches to again improve a DB in this area. He is very good in both man and zone coverages. He steps in day one as CB1 on the roster with the vet Fulton at #2 and Durant, Shelley, Thomlinson and Witherspoon as depth.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtHDV3W7QGE&ab_channel=hyperhighlights


Trade: Rams send 2-52 and 5-177 (Bakers comp pick) to Houston for 2-59 and 4-128. For those that follow it the trade value chart is the Rams giving up 117 points and Houston giving up 120. This puts us back in the 4th round for only moving down 7 spots and gives up one of our 3 5th round picks.

Round 2-59: Calen Bullock S USC: Historically the Rams haven't put a lot of resources into Safety. Bullock is a playmaker at S I envision him and Yeast teaming up on the back end with JJ3 3rd safety.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8KFZmqvnFE&ab_channel=SickEditzHD


Round 3-83 Sedrick Van Pran C Georgia The #2 center in the draft and a massive upgrade over a decent player in Shelton (Who I think comes back by not triggering free agency. They battle it out in camp for the starting job and I think Van Pran wins it and Shelton becomes IOL #1 off the bench with his experience at Center and Guard in the Rams offense. (Highlight reels are always iffy on OL)


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb-3wiEh9zU&ab_channel=DoABarrowRoll


Round 3-101 Tyler Davis DT Clemson: Big man at 6'1" 300 lbs but an immensely strong man. His weight lifting numbers are quit disgusting :o A very good run stuffer and sure tackler when he gets a paw on somebody. Not the best in pass rush but in 55 games for Clemson he has 16 sacks so he will be opportunistic. He upgrades the run defense on day 1 likely rotating to start starting out rotating with Bobbie Brown but taking over more snaps as the year progresses. Him with Turner and the GOAT is a formidable front 3.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxUdieqZC0c&ab_channel=hyperhighlights


Round 4 pick 128 Cedric Gray LB North Carolina Back to back picks to upgrade the run defense. Good run defender and tackler who is also capable in pass coverage. Not the best as a blitzer at ILB but had 6 sacks in 3 season for NC.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnzjOjVdyRg&ab_channel=ACCDigitalNetwork


Round 5 pick 153: Ainias Smith Texas A&M Not the biggest (but he's no Tutu) at 5'10" 191 lbs but with 4.4 speed backed up by excellent short area quickness and ability to come out of breaks quick he's got the game to be an X deep threat for the Rams. Add to that he's a punt returner the Rams upgrade special teams again in a big way with this off season so far. I like this kid a lot especially with his return game.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x2RAAaGHR4&ab_channel=GooseBumps


Round 5 pick 154: Grayson Murphy Edge UCLA Even with the vet signing of Smith adding another young body to the OLB room. Murray is a good motor guy with a good spin move. We add him in the 5th to work on his game as a situational pass rusher and contribute on ST coverage teams.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5GHTDWxr5o&ab_channel=Prospects


Round 6 pick 190 Cam Hart CB Notre Dame: Adding another body to the CB room to push Durant, Shelley, Thomlinson and Witherspoon and at worst again contribute on ST. We need better athletes on the coverage teams.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s1m2ZZDCuk&ab_channel=hyperhighlights


Round 6 pick 211 Nathan Thomas OT Louisiana Ragin Cajuns Big man at 6'4" 330 lbs. Left tackle starter for the last 2 and a half years. Battles Anchrum for the 4th tackle on the roster after Havenstein, Jackson and McClendon, could end up on PS.

Round 6 pick 216 Malik Mustafa S Wake Forest I said months ago this guy will be in my mocks this year. Center fielder type safety that could use a year or two on teams behind Yeast, Bullock Johnson and Taylor.

Round 6 pick 217 Aaron Casey ILB Indiana Good run defender who's brought in as depth and a contributor on special teams.

Recap:

Added a CB1, FS, a Center upgrade, a guy to play next to Jones at ILB, a return guy and at least 4 contributors to our special teams coverage units that desperately need help. Also kept our OL mostly intact with just an upgrade to Center. I didn't address the QB position long term which may bight us in the ass eventually but in this scenario I think McVay will want to ride Stafford for 2 more years with Wentz backing him up and address QB when Stafford retires.

 

[Lunchbox]

I'm not a draftnik. Only going by what I've read on here mostly.
Like what you did to shore up several positions of weakness with free agent signings, and especially in the draft.
We've drafted safety in the 2nd before, much prefer a free safety/center fielder type in this draft. Would be surprised if they went to the well twice for that position plus resign JJ3, though (no mention of Q Lake?).
Not sure I've seen another mock offseason that literally addresses every position group on the team as well as this.

 

[Londoner]

I like the effort, but how much are we spending in free agency? Looks a bit too expensive to me.

No problems at all with the draft- would be delighted with that.

 

[ArkyRamsFan]

Excellent job, OldSchool. Seems to be a very balanced draft overall.
Btw what happened to Hunter Long? Do you have him competing for playing time at TE?
Also is it Gabriel or Grayson Murphy?

~ArkyRamsFan~

 

[Memphis Ram]

Interesting.

I like the idea of bringing in a veteran pass rusher. But Smith will be 32 at the start of the season and I wonder if he's beginning to slow down. I figured he'd have far more production last year with all the attention Myles Garret received.

Coming off a down year, I don't believe Fulton should be getting a raise. He should be probably looking at what Ahkello Witherspoon got last year, IMO.

I've been rooting for Antonio Gibson ever since he came out of college, but his rushing vision still needs work. With the influx of veteran RBs on the market and a new crop of rookies coming in, I wonder if he gets better than the vet minimum.

Noah Fant could be a sneaky good get for the Rams and yes, yes, yes to the veteran kicker.

Draftwise, Quinyon Mitchell looks to be a stud and the Rams should have another scout jumping into a pool if they could get Cedric Gray and Cam Hart so late in the draft. And I hope this team can find a punt returner somewhere whether is Smith or someone else.

Calen Bullock? Not a fan of anyone I believe the 49ers would welcome in our secondary. Great in coverage, but another potential speed bump on the way to the end zone. Murphy's arms are so short I think he could be had closer to the end of day three.

Hope McClendon improves greatly if he's going to be counted on as a potential swing tackle.

 

[Ram Ts]

Instead of Smith, I could see a return to Floyd as a lower cost vet edge to bring in to compliment the young edges we have - including any brought in via the draft. Assuming of course they opt that route instead of spending big on hunter or trade.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Instead of Smith, I could see a return to Floyd as a lower cost vet edge to bring in to compliment the young edges we have - including any brought in via the draft. Assuming of course they opt that route instead of spending big on hunter or trade.

I always like Leonard Floyd. Still do but I don't know that he is the right guy for the young 2024 Rams.

Here is a quote from about three weeks ago:
“For me, I’m always going where the money goes. I’d rather be here, but it is what it is. It’s a business. I’m gonna go wherever my agent feels like we get the most money from,” Floyd said while cleaning out his locker at the team’s facility earlier this week.

 

[Flatlyner]

Really nice write up OldSchool. I share the concern about Z.Smith. Very unproductive in a defense he should have thrived in and dude will be 32 at the start of next season. Really not sure I want to rely on him to fill Hoechts role, especially at that cost. I'm sure his production was due to being a pass rushing sub only, but, not sure. Didn't see much of Browns last year. I'm pretty meh on Fulton too. Think there is better options then either of them for a similar cost. Prob rather just resign Witherspoon for that cost or reach a bit higher with Fuller or someone.

Love the signing of Fant, Gibson, and McLaughlin. Love the drafting of Mitchell and Van Pran along with most of the later picks. Bullock I'm so so on. Great playmaker and ball hawk, but tackling is an issue. Maybe it can be working on and improved in the NFL. If so, he could be a steal.

 

[OldSchool]

I like the effort, but how much are we spending in free agency? Looks a bit too expensive to me.

No problems at all with the draft- would be delighted with that.

I don't think any of the guys are particularly expensive and we can open up some more cap fairly easily. Dotson is likely the most expensive player signed.

 

[OldSchool]

Excellent job, OldSchool. Seems to be a very balanced draft overall.
Btw what happened to Hunter Long? Do you have him competing for playing time at TE?
Also is it Gabriel or Grayson Murphy?

~ArkyRamsFan~

There are actually 2 of them Kidding actually if you look at the UCLA page they call him Grayson if you look at draft sites and ESPN for example they call him Gabriel though one site literally has 2 pages for him one is a 3rd round pick the other is a 6th round pick. haha

Hunter Long will still be around but imo as TE3 with Higbee out.

 

[OldSchool]

Instead of Smith, I could see a return to Floyd as a lower cost vet edge to bring in to compliment the young edges we have - including any brought in via the draft. Assuming of course they opt that route instead of spending big on hunter or trade.

I've never been a fan of Floyd and couldn't bring myself to mock him to us but he absolutely could be an option. My biggest contention about him was people here felt he would get a big pay raise which I didn't see and ended up not happening. Plus it's not likely to happen next year either he'll be a value signing.

 

[OldSchool]

Interesting.

I like the idea of bringing in a veteran pass rusher. But Smith will be 32 at the start of the season and I wonder if he's beginning to slow down. I figured he'd have far more production last year with all the attention Myles Garret received.

Coming off a down year, I don't believe Fulton should be getting a raise. He should be probably looking at what Ahkello Witherspoon got last year, IMO.

I've been rooting for Antonio Gibson ever since he came out of college, but his rushing vision still needs work. With the influx of veteran RBs on the market and a new crop of rookies coming in, I wonder if he gets better than the vet minimum.

Noah Fant could be a sneaky good get for the Rams and yes, yes, yes to the veteran kicker.

Draftwise, Quinyon Mitchell looks to be a stud and the Rams should have another scout jumping into a pool if they could get Cedric Gray and Cam Hart so late in the draft. And I hope this team can find a punt returner somewhere whether is Smith or someone else.

Calen Bullock? Not a fan of anyone I believe the 49ers would welcome in our secondary. Great in coverage, but another potential speed bump on the way to the end zone. Murphy's arms are so short I think he could be had closer to the end of day three.

Hope McClendon improves greatly if he's going to be counted on as a potential swing tackle.

Very possibly with Fulton I'm just going off the range some other sites and suggestions I saw on him. Less is never bad but I do like the gamble on him especially with the 1st pick and with the growth we saw from some of the young CB. There are certainly other tier 2 type CB free agents that can be signed in his spot or at that salary range.

 

[OldSchool]

Really nice write up OldSchool. I share the concern about Z.Smith. Very unproductive in a defense he should have thrived in and dude will be 32 at the start of next season. Really not sure I want to rely on him to fill Hoechts role, especially at that cost. I'm sure his production was due to being a pass rushing sub only, but, not sure. Didn't see much of Browns last year. I'm pretty meh on Fulton too. Think there is better options then either of them for a similar cost. Prob rather just resign Witherspoon for that cost or reach a bit higher with Fuller or someone.

Love the signing of Fant, Gibson, and McLaughlin. Love the drafting of Mitchell and Van Pran along with most of the later picks. Bullock I'm so so on. Great playmaker and ball hawk, but tackling is an issue. Maybe it can be working on and improved in the NFL. If so, he could be a steal.

Yeah if we're not going to get Hunter, Allen or Burns there are questions and concerns with every Edge free agent option. We also have Thomas, Hampton and Mathis as rotational guys there so not sure he's out there for as many snaps as Young.

 

[Allen2McVay]

There are actually 2 of them Kidding actually if you look at the UCLA page they call him Grayson if you look at draft sites and ESPN for example they call him Gabriel though one site literally has 2 pages for him one is a 3rd round pick the other is a 6th round pick. haha

Hunter Long will still be around but imo as TE3 with Higbee out.

Identical twins Grayson and Gabriel Murphy were a package deal UCLA was happy to make​

An untrained eye can hardly differentiate UCLA edge rushers and identical twins Gabriel, and Grayson Murphy

 

[OldSchool]

Identical twins Grayson and Gabriel Murphy were a package deal UCLA was happy to make​

View attachment 64551

An untrained eye can hardly differentiate UCLA edge rushers and identical twins Gabriel, and Grayson Murphy

Well there you go!

 

[methomas50]

Would prefer either of the first two picks spent in trenches. Either side BPA.

 

[OldSchool]

Would prefer either of the first two picks spent in trenches. Either side BPA.

I 100% get that. But a lot of people think Mitchell is the best CB in the draft and a definite position of need.

 

[Ram Ts]

I’d love to get either Mitchell or Wiggins - finally get a true #1 CB

Then Get the trenches in day 2.

 

[OldSchool]

I’d love to get either Mitchell or Wiggins - finally get a true #1 CB

Then Get the trenches in day 2.

Yeah I didn't make this one a "sexy" mock on purpose. This is improving a lot of area's that we need improved but aren't flashy. I have a feeling my next mock is if McVay adds a weapon in the 1st round and does things differently.

 

[JonRam99]

I'm curious what affect being on the same Dline as the GOAT has on Z.Smith, but like others have said maybe he's lost a step. But then again, like we've done in the past, sometimes we pigeon hole one DE/EDGE into being the "set the edge" guy while the others rush in, but that's a wild guess.
So At EDGE, our most critical need, I'm not a fan of this mock, (though I love a lot of the F/A & draft moves) but I will say... that Grayson kid intrigues me a LOT. Not many college edge kids can split double teams & make plays, and this kid can, on a line that includes Latu no less.
Getting an upgrade at C is a great compensation, something I've been pounding the table for for a while. Keeps Avila & Dotson, two of the best IOL combos we've had in a very long time. With any kind of upgrade at C, Kyren & Gibson have all sorts of room to blow DL's up.
And ya also need to find a QB3 behind Matt & Wentz. But overall it's a solid mock, nice work!