OldSchools mock 1.0

[OldSchool]

Let me first say this isn't my preference just an option I think the Rams could go for. My first choice at 36 would be BJ Ojulari or Felix Anudike-Uzomah but I'm doing this with the thought they and Nolan Smith will be gone. Also not doing any trades many are unrealistic as is the amount that are done in some of them. I could see a 6th moved for a vet RB with only a year left on his deal like Jrry did with Gibson but not doing them. Also I'm not trading Ramsey and not cutting Floyd. The usual restructures to get us a few free agents and about $10 million in cap space along with resigning guys like Gaines and Gay.

Free agent signings:

Rock Ya-Sin
Not a lock down top notch CB but as the #2 to Ramsey I think he could give another year of development to the young guys and allow us to use Durant, Rochell and Kendrick as #3/Slot/#5

Rasheem Green:
Four years in Seattle as a spot starter and rotation guy followed by a decent year in Houston last year. Can be had for a couple years and $6-7 million. Allows for competition with a draft pick and the preseason all stars we have in reserve.

Robert Tonyan TE
Not the flashy signing or high draft pick people likely want at TE but with limited resources and high picks we go with a proven #2 vet TE behind Higs.

Round 2 pick 36:
Anton Harrison OT Oklahoma
Again not my ideal just going with something different. For the guys after the top couple he's one of the few I think has a chance to stay at LT and we don't know when Noteboom will come back and how he will be when he comes back. We also don't know the future for Jackson with his medical issues. A good pass blocker but lacks a little strength in the run game which can be improved in an NFL weight room and with coaching.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEKQt4Z7Pqc


Round 3 pick 69:
Will McDonald OLB Iowa St
Missing on the guys I want at 36 I get a guy who's largely underrated in this draft cycle IMO. At 6'4" 245 lbs he has great size for a 3-4 OLB. Uses his length well can drop the shoulder and get under a LT and is also capable of dropping back and clogging lanes. I think this guy will be one of those day 2 picks that prove to be every bit as good as some of the 1st round picks. He's a good tackler in the run game just needs a bit of work to polish up his game. Also as a positive he had a good Senior Bowl week.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6M4WR4iH-U


Round 4 pick 136:
Jakorian Bennett CB Maryland
Good size at 5'11" 193 lbs he's physical in tackling and run support. Good quickness and good at tracking the ball I like this guy a lot for a day 3 CB.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey70twR2VnI


Round 5 pick 172:
Daniel Scott S California
More of a FS type coverage guy good at reading the QB and reacting to the routes.

Round 6 pick 182:
Jake Haener QB Fresno St
We all know by now that Wolford and Perkins are not it. He's by no means a running QB but has a good ball in the medium and deep game. A good not elite arm but can make the throws. I like this guy as a day 3 development guy.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4Fc6Ru1jRc


Round 6 pick 189:
Ricky Stromberg C Arkansas
Been talked about on here before and is one of the better IOL/C players on day 3. Could step in and start right away at either LG or C but might not need to.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP8JW0GN8Oc


Round 6 pick 211:
RB Kenny McIntosh Georgia
Good combination of size speed and hands. Like most day 3 RB's needs work in pass blocking but he reads where he's needed to block just needs better execution with those blocks. Can be dangerous in the open field and looks like a good McVay type back.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dmG9ZCWU94


Round 7 pick 225:
Yasir Abdullah OLB Louisville
Nice combo of power and speed at 6'1" 234 lbs just needs to add a bit more weight but he's coming in as depth likely gameday inactive or ST contributor.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLCWK138IlU


Round 7 pick 252:
SirVocea Dennis LB Pitt
Good tackler and run defender comes in as depth and ST contributor. I think McSnead go back to not putting a lot of assets into the ILB position after releasing Wagner.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLh0_2qrlso


A few priority UDFA these are so hard to project but these are a few guys I like that are listed as potential late 7th rounders or UDFA:
Rezjohn Wright CB Oregon St
Noah Gindorff TE ND State
Earl Bostick OT Kansas

Again this is what I think we could do if my main OLB targets in the 2nd are gone and I'm not bothering with a bunch of unrealistic trades or free agent signings.

 

[AvengerRam]

I'm on the fence regarding Harrison. He seems to have the right resume, but I'm weary of taking OL from Big 12 teams. Seems that a lot of them (not all) have trouble adjusting to the NFL. I definitely think, though, that OT is in play for that pick.

Recently heard Haener on the radio being interviewed about the Senior Bowl (he was the MVP) and draft process. He sounded very smart and mature. I was intrigued.

Love the McIntosh pick. Hope he lasts that long.

 

[OldSchool]

I'm on the fence regarding Harrison. He seems to have the right resume, but I'm weary of taking OL from Big 12 teams. Seems that a lot of them (not all) have trouble adjusting to the NFL. I definitely think, though, that OT is in play for that pick.

Recently heard Haener on the radio being interviewed about the Senior Bowl (he was the MVP) and draft process. He sounded very smart and mature. I was intrigued.

Love the McIntosh pick. Hope he lasts that long.

Yeah I get all those things. B12 OT's don't have the best history but he could be the difference. I think I heard the same interview with Haener and came away with the same feeling. A lot of my round projections for picks are based on a handful of other people board/projection that have a good track record. They seem to be pretty good but things always change especially before the combine.

 

[Memphis Ram]

I like Alaric Jackson at LT and other players more, so Harrison would be a disappointing selection for me in the 2nd round.

McDonald would make a nice situational rusher initially, but methinks he might be a speed bump vs the run. He's supposed to really show out at the combine.

 

[OldSchool]

I like Alaric Jackson at LT and other players more, so Harrison would be a disappointing selection for me in the 2nd round.

McDonald would make a nice situational rusher initially, but methinks he might be a speed bump vs the run. He's supposed to really show out at the combine.

How is Jackson going to be with his medical issue?

And hard disagree with McDonald he's no speed bump at all.

 

[Flatlyner]

Love the work put into this, thank you!

I'm a bit leary of Harrison at 36. Personally, I'd rather go interior OL at that pick with a guy like Schmidtz. Will McDonald in the 3rd though is tough for me to believe. I've heard mid to late 1st or top of 2nd as most likely landing spot and actually would like him at #36 more then Harrison lol. I'm a big McIntosh guy so would love him late.

 

[OldSchool]

Love the work put into this, thank you!

I'm a bit leary of Harrison at 36. Personally, I'd rather go interior OL at that pick with a guy like Schmidtz. Will McDonald in the 3rd though is tough for me to believe. I've heard mid to late 1st or top of 2nd as most likely landing spot and actually would like him at #36 more then Harrison lol. I'm a big McIntosh guy so would love him late.

Appreciate it! Like I said above replying to Avenger I use the boards/drafts of a few guys who are pretty good at gauging these things and these picks are around where they have them going. Things always change especially a few days before the combine so we'll see how it goes.

I am all on board with 36 being an edge but this was a what if the couple of guys I really like there are gone.

 

[Memento]

I think Anudike-Uzomah makes it to our pick unless he blows up the Combine. He's probably my favorite potential late-first/early-second edge, even over Ojulari, whom I like.

Bennett is solid. Stromberg, I think goes earlier because he's an offensive lineman, but I like him as well.

I think McDonald goes way earlier than the third; maybe he's who we pick with our second, but he could conceivably go higher than that.

I'll echo the chorus about Harrison. I'm just not a fan. He's struggled with speed in college, and he doesn't have the athletic traits I'd want out of a left tackle.

 

[OldSchool]

I think Anudike-Uzomah makes it to our pick unless he blows up the Combine. He's probably my favorite potential late-first/early-second edge, even over Ojulari, whom I like.

Bennett is solid. Stromberg, I think goes earlier because he's an offensive lineman, but I like him as well.

I think McDonald goes way earlier than the third; maybe he's who we pick with our second, but he could conceivably go higher than that.

I'll echo the chorus about Harrison. I'm just not a fan. He's struggled with speed in college, and he doesn't have the athletic traits I'd want out of a left tackle.

Not gonna debate draft spots or how realistic they are (especially with the trader general you know I mess with you on that) anything is possible. Hell I've seen Uzomah and Mcdonald swapped spots from early 2nd to early 3rd in a dozen mocks so anything could happen. As I said my target is either Ojulari Uzomah or Nolan Smith (who I've seen in mocks as high as `19 and as low as 68. I've seen TE's people mock to us at 36 gone in the teens or early 20's. We don't know right now where people will go other than maybe the top 5. It's all way to early to worry about that kind of stuff when results are all over the board.

As for Harrison I've seen enough and read enough from some draftniks that he has a chance to be a good NFL tackle. And I think tackle is a bigger question mark for our OL than interior. We don't know when/if Noteboom recovers and they shut down Jackson due to medical concerns with his blood clots, it could be over for him. And after those 2 we don't have anybody to play LT.

 

[8to12]

I really like McDonald. I think he has the best Skill set of anyone Edge player going on Day 2. Although, he is usually off the Board in the top 50 picks in most Mocks I have seen. 3rd round would be a steal if he lasted.
Regarding Center Stromberg.... I was really high on him until I looked into how mobile he is and I was not impressed. I am not sure he would be able to block on the move in the Rams wide zone scheme,.

 

[OldSchool]

You can add signing JJ3 now that he's officially cut.

 

[OnceARam]

Love OL and Edge as the top two picks. The rest of the draft is solid as well as it addresses needs and provides healthy competition for roster spots.

I imagine OL/Edge are interchangeable depending on how the draft goes. It's a deep edge class so a top 25 talent could fall to us in the second. If not there could be a spot starter in the third. I still don't think we trade/cut Floyd if we don't have someone to replace his snaps.

This is definitely a draft to focus on the fundamentals and not get cute.

 

[OldSchool]

Love OL and Edge as the top two picks. The rest of the draft is solid as well as it addresses needs and provides healthy competition for roster spots.

I imagine OL/Edge are interchangeable depending on how the draft goes. It's a deep edge class so a top 25 talent could fall to us in the second. If not there could be a spot starter in the third. I still don't think we trade/cut Floyd if we don't have someone to replace his snaps.

This is definitely a draft to focus on the fundamentals and not get cute.

I said in another thread if we draft an edge this year high then Floyd will be gone next year. Just my guess so who knows but thanks for the input. The two edge I really want are Nolan Smith and BJ Ojulari to be there for us at 36, Smith would be amazing

 

[AvengerRam]

I said in another thread if we draft an edge this year high then Floyd will be gone next year. Just my guess so who knows but thanks for the input. The two edge I really want are Nolan Smith and BJ Ojulari to be there for us at 36, Smith would be amazing

Its interesting... Smith and Ojulari are two guys I've seen in mocks for the Rams, and both really look the part from a size/athleticism standpoint.

What not there with either is production. Smith had 11.5 sacks in 4 years (3 in 2022). Ojulari had 16.5 sacks in 3 years (5.5 in 2022).

I compare them, for example, to guys like Isaiah Foskey (Notre Dame), who had 11 sacks in each of the last two years, and Nick Herbig (Wisconsin), who had 20 sacks over the last two years (11 last year). Both of those guys will go after Smith and Ojulari, in all likelihood (Herbig, who is undersized, probably goes on day 3).

This is why pass rusher is such a tough position to scout. With other positions, college production is a good indicator of potential. With pass rushers, sacks just don't tell the whole story.

 

[OldSchool]

Its interesting... Smith and Ojulari are two guys I've seen in mocks for the Rams, and both really look the part from a size/athleticism standpoint.

What not there with either is production. Smith had 11.5 sacks in 4 years (3 in 2022). Ojulari had 16.5 sacks in 3 years (5.5 in 2022).

I compare them, for example, to guys like Isaiah Foskey (Notre Dame), who had 11 sacks in each of the last two years, and Nick Herbig (Wisconsin), who had 20 sacks over the last two years (11 last year). Both of those guys will go after Smith and Ojulari, in all likelihood (Herbig, who is undersized, probably goes on day 3).

This is why pass rusher is such a tough position to scout. With other positions, college production is a good indicator of potential. With pass rushers, sacks just don't tell the whole story.

Yeah the thing though with Smith is the injury time missed this year accounting for only the three but mostly with him it's the competition on those stacked defenses. There were only so many sacks to go around and how many front 7 1st round picks came from there recently? But mostly with each of them is the physical talents. Smith not only has the moves to be a very good pass rusher but he also defends the run very well. Ojulari a little less in run support not that he can't do it just that he seems to take it as a secondary job.

 

[AvengerRam]

We’ll…Smith apparently ran a 4.44 forty today, so his stock is rising!

 

[AvengerRam]

Aderomiwa Adeboware (Northwestern) ran a 4.54 at 282 lbs! Wow.

 

[OldSchool]

We’ll…Smith apparently ran a 4.44 forty today, so his stock is rising!

He's amazingly athletic I just hope he falls to us but I think it's a pipe dream. Ojulari might be more realistic. Van Ness showing he's not as physical, he still is a good pass rusher just not the physical specimen.

 

[OldSchool]

New mock soon, Harrison just had about the shorted arms and smallest hands of all the tackles in the draft time to move on from him. Looks like we'll hope for the best with Boom and Jackson being healthy.