Per Tony Pauline the Rams number one draft target was Byron Murphy

[fanotodd]

So true.

The fact is, if you get who you want, no matter what round, you didn't overpay. Funny how some will say, "the Rams overpaid for Fiske" without seeing him play 1 down in the NFL. Just like grading a draft, valueing a player can't happen until he's played.

The NFL in general, the Rams roster in particular is littered with players who were "undervalued" by the experts (and NFL teams). Puka, Kyren, Kobie Turner, Alaric to name some.

So we're supposed to trust guys who say "they paid too much for that guy" after they've undervalued so many other players?

Excellent point!
Like the rest of the football world really understands the way the Rams have been doing things since McVay arrived and teamed up with Snead.

The Rams have won a SB, won two NFC titles, and made the playoffs last season after starting their THIRD rebuild—all since 2017.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Ridiculous.
I like and respect MJD, but he's insane to think anyone could compare to AD. We once had two first rounders in 2001 and we picked two Dlinemen: Damione Lewis and Ryan "Grease" Picket. Lewis was described by fan draftnicks as the next Warren Sapp, who was the standard for disruptive Dlinemen before AD. Lewis had the same sort of build as Sapp, but was an absolute bust for us. Pickett was decent, but not a 1st round phenom.

I had such high hope for Lewis, wasn't his sack dance the "earthquake shake"? I know he didn't do it much oh maybe that was Sean Gilbert? and not Lewis

 

[rdlkgliders]

@Loyal in 92' we went Gilbert & Marc Boutte both Pitt (AD) back-to-back then LSU back-to-back with top 4 picks and like you stated in 01' Lewis & Pickett in the first with AA sandwiched between them. now Verse & Fiske with top 2 from FSU

Kinda peculiar

 

[20hrswk]

That's the 6th player I've heard some expert say we wanted. Next thing you know @Loyal is going to tell us it was actually @Merlin who was our target to trade up for.

I think if the Rams were trying to trade up for a player it would have been:

1. Latu (best player at area of need)

2. Murphy (best player at another area of need)

It doesn't make sense they would trade up to get a TE, QB, WR, other as some rumors state - not with the glaring needs at ED and DT.

 

[OldSchool]

I think if the Rams were trying to trade up for a player it would have been:

1. Latu (best player at area of need)

2. Murphy (best player at another area of need)

It doesn't make sense they would trade up to get a TE, QB, WR, other as some rumors state - not with the glaring needs at ED and DT.

Your speculation is as valid as all the media members telling us that we were trading up for somebody. Personally I doubt both of your targets since we know post draft how much they liked the Edge and DT they drafted. But anything is possible we all are and will be wrong many times.

 

[WestCoastRam]

View: https://twitter.com/bykevinclark/status/1790062259210727934

 

[20hrswk]

Your speculation is as valid as all the media members telling us that we were trading up for somebody. Personally I doubt both of your targets since we know post draft how much they liked the Edge and DT they drafted. But anything is possible we all are and will be wrong many times.

No one knows how they had players ranked or who they may have wanted to trade up for, but we know this . . .

Every team is always going to say they are happy with who they picked and were targeting them all along.
No team is ever going to come out and say, "we missed on so and so and ended up with our 2nd/3rd choice"

 

[PARAM]

No one knows how they had players ranked or who they may have wanted to trade up for, but we know this . . .

Every team is always going to say they are happy with who they picked and were targeting them all along.
No team is ever going to come out and say, "we missed on so and so and ended up with our 2nd/3rd choice"

But that's the thing.......we don't know what their board looked like. Caleb, Bowers, Danials, etc were probably higher on their board than Verse but the thing is Verse was their guy when #19 came around. So he's the guy they wanted. Would they have taken Caleb or Danials or Bowers were they available at #19? I bet yes.. Would they have taken Murphy? Not so sure. But certainly, they're happy with Verse, so why would they say they weren't?

 

[majrleaged]

View: https://twitter.com/bykevinclark/status/1790062259210727934

Again everyone else is doing and thinking, this is how the draft works. This is how it is done. Along comes the Rams thinking outside the box. Changing the known Paradyme to sort of super charge their picks. The chances of this actually happening are astronomically against it, but here they are thinking it up and making it a possibility. Then it falls in their lap and they are ready for it. They are so ahead of the curve, everyone on the outside looking in thinks, yeah, a good pick, but way over pay. I guess you can't blame them for that, but after all the shit talking the rams have taken since taking Goff and all the told you sos the Rams could have been saying, you would think maybe the football world might just start asking one simple question. I wonder what those fucking Rams are up to this time.

 

[20hrswk]

Again everyone else is doing and thinking, this is how the draft works. This is how it is done. Along comes the Rams thinking outside the box. Changing the known Paradyme to sort of super charge their picks. The chances of this actually happening are astronomically against it, but here they are thinking it up and making it a possibility. Then it falls in their lap and they are ready for it. They are so ahead of the curve, everyone on the outside looking in thinks, yeah, a good pick, but way over pay. I guess you can't blame them for that, but after all the shit talking the rams have taken since taking Goff and all the told you sos the Rams could have been saying, you would think maybe the football world might just start asking one simple question. I wonder what those fucking Rams are up to this time.

The Rams are probably "smarter" with their draft than at least half of the NFL, but they make their share of "mistakes"
because the draft is in the end, a crapshoot - nobody can predict player's futures with certainty.

Regarding this draft, the talk of "we drafted teammates because of chemistry" (I don't even know if the Rams said this or someone just
started writing it somewhere and it got legs) doesn't make sense to me.

I'm sure Fiske will play well with Verse and I'm sure he would play well with Latu, Turner or Kneeland.

These guys are professionals, they play no matter who is next to them and they can "figure out" the best way to integrate themselves
with any teammate's strengths rather quickly.

When Brockers left did AD stop being AD?

 

[majrleaged]

The Rams are probably "smarter" with their draft than at least half of the NFL, but they make their share of "mistakes"
because the draft is in the end, a crapshoot - nobody can predict player's futures with certainty.

Regarding this draft, the talk of "we drafted teammates because of chemistry" (I don't even know if the Rams said this or someone just
started writing it somewhere and it got legs) doesn't make sense to me.

I'm sure Fiske will play well with Verse and I'm sure he would play well with Latu, Turner or Kneeland.

These guys are professionals, they play no matter who is next to them and they can "figure out" the best way to integrate themselves
with any teammate's strengths rather quickly.

When Brockers left did AD stop being AD?

The first this was talked about was Jordan's article about being imbedded with the scouts and her hearing many conversations about this idea. I don't think Jordan is schilling for the RAMs to make them look better.
It is true the draft is a crap shoot. 1 or both picks could bust. I think things like synergy though are real. Rookies have a tendency to struggle transitioning to the NFL. Grabbing at anything that might make it easier for your top picks isn't nothing. AD isn't there to take the pressure off like it was for Turner. So I think this is a valid experiment. Hell if you read her 2 part article you might be surprised by the level of detail and hrs they spend on this process.

 

[OldSchool]

No one knows how they had players ranked or who they may have wanted to trade up for, but we know this . . .

Every team is always going to say they are happy with who they picked and were targeting them all along.
No team is ever going to come out and say, "we missed on so and so and ended up with our 2nd/3rd choice"

And you're making potentially false assumptions by saying that they didn't trade up like was speculated they were trying to do, something not proven and unprovable TBH, that these weren't the guys they wanted.

So you assume that they wanted somebody else because they allegedly were trying to trade up. Trading up likely also would have cost them either their 1st next year or at least the 2nd this year meaning they would have only got one guy.

Personally I prefer to go with what they're saying because they got 2 good guys who boost the defense more than just one guy that they were allegedly trying to trade up. We're a much better defense on paper with Verse and Fiske than just Latu or Murphy. Just my 2 peso's as usual.

 

[rdlkgliders]

I said it during the draft, sometimes 1 + 1 = more than 2 and the fact we were able to pair Verse with Fiske in theory trumps the "potential" target of Murphy as stated in the OP's draft strategy. The rest will be played out real time and is beyond anyone's ability to predict with certainty.

 

[20hrswk]

I said it during the draft, sometimes 1 + 1 = more than 2 and the fact we were able to pair Verse with Fiske in theory trumps the "potential" target of Murphy as stated in the OP's draft strategy. The rest will be played out real time and is beyond anyone's ability to predict with certainty.

All good points.

For what it's worth, I was for a trade down ending up with 3 extra picks in the top 140 or so. . . if we couldn't get Latu, Verse or Murphy at 19.

For instance, Chargers at 34 would yield 69, 105 and 137.
We could have used
213 to trade up from 99 to 96? as Payton Wilson fell.

At 34 we go Newton or Fiske - DT
52 is Bullard - S (#4 S in coverage per PFF, Kinchens was #106)
69 is Elliss - ED (same pass rush grade as Verse per PFF)
83 is Corum - RB
98 is Payton Wilson - LB (#3 LB as per PFF, #2 in coverage, 4.43 speed, no ACL?)
105 is Eboigbe - DT (#2 in run def as per PFF)
137 is Abrams-Draine - CB (#4 CB in coverage as per PFF - just behind Quinyon Mitchell)
154 is Jackson - ED
155 is Malik Wash./Whittington - WR
196 is Davis - DT
209 is Karty - K
217 is Limmer - OL
254 is Levenson - OL

I like the idea of more picks/chances to get a player who might turn out to be an all-pro.
Also, we would have filled more needed spots like LB and CB.

In my opinion, this would be a better draft than what we got.
You improve your pass coverage tremendously with Bullard, Wilson and A-D.

 

[20hrswk]

I forgot to add we would still have our 2nd round pick next year.

"All good points.

For what it's worth, I was for a trade down ending up with 3 extra picks in the top 140 or so. . . if we couldn't get Latu, Verse or Murphy at 19.

For instance, Chargers at 34 would yield 69, 105 and 137.
We could have used
213 to trade up from 99 to 96? as Payton Wilson fell.

At 34 we go Newton or Fiske - DT
52 is Bullard - S (#4 S in coverage per PFF, Kinchens was #106)
69 is Elliss - ED (same pass rush grade as Verse per PFF)
83 is Corum - RB
98 is Payton Wilson - LB (#3 LB as per PFF, #2 in coverage, 4.43 speed, no ACL?)
105 is Eboigbe - DT (#2 in run def as per PFF)
137 is Abrams-Draine - CB (#4 CB in coverage as per PFF - just behind Quinyon Mitchell)
154 is Jackson - ED
155 is Malik Wash./Whittington - WR
196 is Davis - DT
209 is Karty - K
217 is Limmer - OL
254 is Levenson - OL

I like the idea of more picks/chances to get a player who might turn out to be an all-pro.
Also, we would have filled more needed spots like LB and CB.

In my opinion, this would be a better draft than what we got.
You improve your pass coverage tremendously with Bullard, Wilson and A-D."

 

[AvengerRam]

(True of all the fake “insiders” and their revelations.)

 

[PARAM]

And you're making potentially false assumptions by saying that they didn't trade up like was speculated they were trying to do, something not proven and unprovable TBH, that these weren't the guys they wanted.

So you assume that they wanted somebody else because they allegedly were trying to trade up. Trading up likely also would have cost them either their 1st next year or at least the 2nd this year meaning they would have only got one guy.

Personally I prefer to go with what they're saying because they got 2 good guys who boost the defense more than just one guy that they were allegedly trying to trade up. We're a much better defense on paper with Verse and Fiske than just Latu or Murphy. Just my 2 peso's as usual.

The alleged trade up was for Bowers wasn't it? So seemingly Murphy didn't enter the equation anyway. As far as deconstructing the draft, manufacturing an imaginary one and calling it "better"....well let's just say, that's fantasy.

The Rams picked at #19. So there's a chance they had 15-16 guys ranked above Verse. The reality is, even if they only had 9 ranked higher on their board that makes him their 10th choice. They don't have to say that though. Realistically, they do what the 'mockers' do and target guys they believe will be available when they pick. When #19 came around they jumped on Verse, a guy many thought we wouldn't get. When the DTs started coming off the board at the top of the 2nd, they moved up to get Fiske.

What amazed me is they did EXACTLY what many Ram fans wanted them to do but couldn't figure a way it would happen. Get Edge help AND a quality DT. Yet this draft is being picked apart and alternatives are given with the comment, "this would have been better"? Go figure.

 

[Allen2McVay]

The alleged trade up was for Bowers wasn't it?

This is where you lost me. How do you know?

An "Insider" reported it? OK. So What?

So seemingly Murphy didn't enter the equation anyway.

How do you know that? Another "Insider" said it was Murphy.


Still ANOTHER "Insider" reported the targeted trade-up was for an O-Lineman. One of ROD's good posters was ... for some reason ... sure THAT particular "Insider" knew and was correct.

Still other "Insiders" claimed the trade-up was for a QB but those "Insiders" disagreed over which QB.

I can't figure-out Why any poster Thinks or Believes any of these "Insiders" really has "Inside" information.

Hell man, if one is correct, that means 90% were wrong.

 

[PARAM]

This is where you lost me. How do you know?

An "Insider" reported it? OK. So What?



How do you know that? Another "Insider" said it was Murphy.


Still ANOTHER "Insider" reported the targeted trade-up was for an O-Lineman. One of ROD's good posters was ... for some reason ... sure THAT particular "Insider" knew and was correct.

Still other "Insiders" claimed the trade-up was for a QB but those "Insiders" disagreed over which QB.

I can't figure-out Why any poster Thinks or Believes any of these "Insiders" really has "Inside" information.

Hell man, if one is correct, that means 90% were wrong.

I don't know, hence the word "allegedly". You don't know either. Neither does any other Ram fan. Which is exactly the point right? Or are we to just accept, Murphy was their target because so many Ram fans wanted him (and somebody wrote an article to that end)? Not Verse, the guy they actually picked (filling the biggest need for the Rams the last few years) and were said to be thrilled he lasted to #19. Or does the fact they traded up for Fiske get the Hercule Poirot juices going? That might suggest Murphy was their guy and they had to recover in the 2nd? I don't know. You don't know. Nobody but the Rams know. But the second best part of the year has passed, creating a huge void for many fans and it's a long wait for camp to start so let the rumors, conspiracy theories, innuendos, criticisms and suppositions fly! We may not know a damn thing but don't let that stop us!!!

 

[Allen2McVay]

I don't know, hence the word "allegedly". You don't know either. Neither does any other Ram fan. Which is exactly the point right? Or are we to just accept, Murphy was their target because so many Ram fans wanted him (and somebody wrote an article to that end)? Not Verse, the guy they actually picked (filling the biggest need for the Rams the last few years) and were said to be thrilled he lasted to #19. Or does the fact they traded up for Fiske get the Hercule Poirot juices going? That might suggest Murphy was their guy and they had to recover in the 2nd? I don't know. You don't know. Nobody but the Rams know. But the second best part of the year has passed, creating a huge void for many fans and it's a long wait for camp to start so let the rumors, conspiracy theories, innuendos, criticisms and suppositions fly! We may not know a damn thing but don't let that stop us!!!

That's a lot of words and thoughts bunched tight together.