Rams WR Depth

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Yes, I do believe Tru Edwards is a “forgotten man” in these WR discussions. He has the size to play outside and had a good preseason last year. I don’t see how a 7th round pick is already ahead of him in some eyes. Edwards has a year in the system under his belt.
Daniels was a 6th rd pick
 
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I read somewhere CJ had an elite 20 yard split at his pro day. His 40 was top tier for his size and weight. I would add that he doesn’t just have elite hands but also concentration. He’s making catches in traffic that others would drop. He has innate ability tracking the ball that you just can’t teach. He runs some great routes but there is a lot the Rams can do to help him develop into a better and more efficient route runner in our scheme. I was surprised that his career average is over 15 yards a reception. I was even more surprised that he has a great feel for the screen game and does generate a lot of yards after the catch due to his football vision

I am going to put it out there. Everything I have seen tells me he should have been taken before many of the WRs drafted before him. I would be surprised if he isn’t our WR3 going into the second half of the season. He is the very definition of a steal based on his production, testing and tape

This is a great 5 min breakdown. They had a late second early third round grade on him. I hadn’t listened to these two before the draft but totally agree with their assessment of Bernard and still wish we had traded up for him. That said, I am genuinely excited by Daniels and the very real chance the Rams have drafted yet another later round gem!


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4AYwmNv11rQ&pp=ygUKY2ogZGFuaWVscw%3D%3D
 
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I wouldn’t normally show the clips from the throwing sessions at the combine but check this tape of CJ Daniels catching some terribly placed passes! Behind him, too high, if it’s within his frame (which looks massive) this kid WILL catch it and his body control at 6.2 and 200 is as fluid as it gets. Look at the last catch! That would be a highlight reel play any given Sunday

He has elite traits as I posted above. Add to those elite catch radius!


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XnQYWaVQbTA&pp=ygUKY2ogZGFuaWVscw%3D%3D
 
I read somewhere CJ had an elite 20 yard split at his pro day. His 40 was top tier for his size and weight. I would add that he doesn’t just have elite hands but also concentration. He’s making catches in traffic that others would drop. He has innate ability tracking the ball that you just can’t teach. He runs some great routes but there is a lot the Rams can do to help him develop into a better and more efficient route runner in our scheme. I was surprised that his career average is over 15 yards a reception. I was even more surprised that he has a great feel for the screen game and does generate a lot of yards after the catch due to his football vision

I am going to put it out there. Everything I have seen tells me he should have been taken before many of the WRs drafted before him. I would be surprised if he isn’t our WR3 going into the second half of the season. He is the very definition of a steal based on his production, testing and tape

This is a great 5 min breakdown. They had a late second early third round grade on him. I hadn’t listened to these two before the draft but totally agree with their assessment of Bernard and still wish we had traded up for him. That said, I am genuinely excited by Daniels and the very real chance the Rams have drafted yet another later round gem!


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4AYwmNv11rQ&pp=ygUKY2ogZGFuaWVscw%3D%3D

4.58 / 40
2.71 / 20
1.61 / 10
34 1/2" VJ
10'3" Broad
4.27 Short Shuttle
7.03 3 Cone

Tore right ACL on first day of 2022 spring practices, which required surgery and sidelined him for most of the ‘22 season; reaggravated his knee and dealt with a foot injury, which required offseason surgery, during the 2024 season; missed three games during super-senior season because of injury (Oct. 2025)

Courtesy of Brugler's The Beat draft guide
 
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We don't need CJ to be Nacua. It would be nice, but the need in this offense for that third wideout is to upgrade us from that bunch who couldn't compete with the TE room. Can he come in here and be a guy McVay wants on the field vs the TE options, or at the least be competitive with them.

I expect we're gonna see a ton of 12 and 13 but how much 11 we end up in comes down directly to CJ and the rest of the WR room after the big two. CJ we know for sure will add some size and hands outside the hash, and has the toughness you want over the middle. If we get more than that great.
 
“Here's the deal with Daniels: he fits best in an offense that values precision over explosiveness. Concepts built around timing throws, screen packages, and route combinations that create space through design rather than pure athleticism will get the most out of him. He's not going to be a number one target at the next level, but as a complementary piece who can block, move the chains, and give you professional route running from multiple alignments, there's genuine day-two value here. His six years of college experience and the fact that he produced at three different programs show a player who adapts quickly and earns trust wherever he goes. That kind of reliability goes a long way on Sundays”

Another scouting report that has him in the round 2/3 range!

 
Just a few nuggets from a much longer article

“If the Rams are going to pick,” general manager Les Snead said, “there’s always a receiver that we’re going, ‘This guy or a receiver?’”

Added director of scouting Nicole Blake, “You didn’t think they were going to leave the draft without a receiver, did you?”

And in the sixth round, Miami’s CJ Daniels became their pick.

“He fits a lot of the things that we were looking for in the offense,” Rams assistant general manager John McKay said. “He runs routes at a high level. He has a great feel for the game. He has a big catch radius and strong hands.

“For us, it was a great fit, and we felt like he was one of the last ones still available that could really impact our team this year and moving forward. … If you would’ve told me on Monday that was how it played out, I would’ve been very happy.”

 
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He may have been graded a day 2 kind of talent, but those injuries pushed him to day 3. He has a lot of obvious ability and measurables to play at the next level. The question becomes whether or not he’s over the injuries or he’s just gonna be brittle.
 
Yes, I do believe Tru Edwards is a “forgotten man” in these WR discussions. He has the size to play outside and had a good preseason last year. I don’t see how a 7th round pick is already ahead of him in some eyes. Edwards has a year in the system under his belt.
You are absolutely right about Tru. He has been omitted from some conversations.
A nd I am guilty of that very thing. At this time - Pre camp, I would have to say Mumpfield
has the upperhand as the #3 ,just because he was playing regular season games and i have read
that the Rams are very high on him. (of course reading about it doesn't make it true.)

I like Tru Edwards he has good size. What little I watched of the college highlights,
I did see him waiting on the ball to hit his hands a couple of times , but on other plays
I see him attacking the catch at the top.He also seems to have the RAC ability that you love to see.

What I watched of CJ Daniels , I saw a WR who is very skilled with His body positioning at the catch.
Absolutley attcks the catch, Like a hungry dog.

I think Xavier Smith's job will hinge on his punt return improvement
I know that's not all of the Wr's competing.

Whoever steps up and takes it, I hope theyb do it in a big way . Because we need it.
Especially if one of our top guys misses time.
Maybe we bring a veteran in if none of the young guys show they are ready.
We have a lot of young WR's who have the raw skills to be solid, Just need one or two to
step up and show it.
 
I have said above why, but we got a steal because Daniels is a much better WR than many fo the players taken above him at the position

More importantly, perhaps, he could be the very definition of a great slot WR, who can flex outside when we move from 11 to 12 personnel. He reminds me of the type of player the Patriots would look for over the course of Brady's SB runs. Able to beat the press; seperates at the top of routes, catches everything thrown their way, and perhaps most importantly, breaks off routes at the right depth to consistently move the chains

If Daniels had to make a catch to win a playoff game, I would bank on him making the catch no matter how contested

Report:

Last fall, the Rams held a scouting meeting to review various prospects. When Daniels came up, Blake said Rams national scout Anthony Robinson told the room, “This kid is a Ram.”

Coach Sean McVay has a type at the position he played at Miami (Ohio) and that he has since built his Rams offenses around. He often looks for players who can make plays after the catch, like Kupp and Nacua became famous for. He also looks for strong blockers in the run game. And this year, he was evaluating all potential draft picks through another lens.

“What you’ll see is if you’re not tough, you won’t play for us,” McVay said two days before the draft.

And so they became drawn to Daniels, who made the tough contested catches to lift Miami on a run to the national championship game. They found a marriage with a receiver who blocked more than he ran routes in one of the sport’s most physical and run-first offenses.
They liked him enough to make their only draft trade up, where they turned three picks into one to move up 10 spots from No. 207 to No. 197 to take him. For Daniels, getting picked was going to be a relief. But getting picked by this coach, with this quarterback, in this offense took the emotions to a higher level.

“It’s one of those things that I’ve always wanted in my life,” Daniels said. “It was a surreal moment. … It’s going to be great. Playing with Matthew Stafford, a guy that’s been in the league for a while. He knows the game in and out. Also playing with Ty is definitely going to be a great deal.”

The Rams took Klare in the second round to double down on the three-tight-end sets they ran at a higher rate than any team in the league last season. After Adams led the league in touchdown catches and Nacua in receptions, and with a heavy run focus with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, the role for a third receiver has a ceiling on volume.

And more than producing a big stat line, what the Rams need in a third receiver is moments of impact, because they expect to be in those moments again in the playoffs. And last season, they didn’t find many moments in three playoff games from wide receivers not named Adams or Nacua.

He does have a profile reminiscent of Nacua’s when he entered the draft, but Nacua is also an outlier who has exploded as a pro. Daniels is a 6-foot-2, 202-pound receiver who had the competitive fire to make key plays in the College Football Playoff.

It’s on Daniels and the Rams to accelerate the growth in a year with championship goals. But their new wide receiver is energized to put in that work.

“They are going to get an ultimate teammate,” Daniels said. “They are going to get a guy that wants to come in and just be the best version of myself each and every day and make my teammates better, a guy that just wants to make plays and do whatever I can to make the quarterback’s job as easy as possible.”

 
I have said above why, but we got a steal because Daniels is a much better WR than many fo the players taken above him at the position

More importantly, perhaps, he could be the very definition of a great slot WR, who can flex outside when we move from 11 to 12 personnel. He reminds me of the type of player the Patriots would look for over the course of Brady's SB runs. Able to beat the press; seperates at the top of routes, catches everything thrown their way, and perhaps most importantly, breaks off routes at the right depth to consistently move the chains

If Daniels had to make a catch to win a playoff game, I would bank on him making the catch no matter how contested

Report:

Last fall, the Rams held a scouting meeting to review various prospects. When Daniels came up, Blake said Rams national scout Anthony Robinson told the room, “This kid is a Ram.”

Coach Sean McVay has a type at the position he played at Miami (Ohio) and that he has since built his Rams offenses around. He often looks for players who can make plays after the catch, like Kupp and Nacua became famous for. He also looks for strong blockers in the run game. And this year, he was evaluating all potential draft picks through another lens.

“What you’ll see is if you’re not tough, you won’t play for us,” McVay said two days before the draft.

And so they became drawn to Daniels, who made the tough contested catches to lift Miami on a run to the national championship game. They found a marriage with a receiver who blocked more than he ran routes in one of the sport’s most physical and run-first offenses.
They liked him enough to make their only draft trade up, where they turned three picks into one to move up 10 spots from No. 207 to No. 197 to take him. For Daniels, getting picked was going to be a relief. But getting picked by this coach, with this quarterback, in this offense took the emotions to a higher level.

“It’s one of those things that I’ve always wanted in my life,” Daniels said. “It was a surreal moment. … It’s going to be great. Playing with Matthew Stafford, a guy that’s been in the league for a while. He knows the game in and out. Also playing with Ty is definitely going to be a great deal.”

The Rams took Klare in the second round to double down on the three-tight-end sets they ran at a higher rate than any team in the league last season. After Adams led the league in touchdown catches and Nacua in receptions, and with a heavy run focus with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, the role for a third receiver has a ceiling on volume.

And more than producing a big stat line, what the Rams need in a third receiver is moments of impact, because they expect to be in those moments again in the playoffs. And last season, they didn’t find many moments in three playoff games from wide receivers not named Adams or Nacua.

He does have a profile reminiscent of Nacua’s when he entered the draft, but Nacua is also an outlier who has exploded as a pro. Daniels is a 6-foot-2, 202-pound receiver who had the competitive fire to make key plays in the College Football Playoff.

It’s on Daniels and the Rams to accelerate the growth in a year with championship goals. But their new wide receiver is energized to put in that work.

“They are going to get an ultimate teammate,” Daniels said. “They are going to get a guy that wants to come in and just be the best version of myself each and every day and make my teammates better, a guy that just wants to make plays and do whatever I can to make the quarterback’s job as easy as possible.”

This was a low-key, "steal-of-the-draft" type pick. We wanted and needed Receiver Round 1, it didnt happen. This is a great consolation prize.
 
This is my biggest concern too.

Whittington isn’t a #3. Sorry. He’s just not.

Mumpfield I duuno.

Daniels is a ? for sure.

I expect the Rams to nab a June cut or in season trade for WR. 13p is exciting but if we lose Puka or Adams we are WEAK at WR.


What are your expectations for a #3 WR?

Van Jefferson's second year with the Rams he had 800 yards receiving. He was a pretty good third WR that year. Since then he's had: 369/108/101/276/350, and the last 2-3 years he's been on teams starved for WR production.

While their skillsets are obviously different, I think Whittington is already around the overall level that Van Jefferson is. Probably better if I'm being honest.

The difference is that Stafford didn't gel with Woods right away, AND we had no running game, no real TE production - so the opportunities for Jefferson were abundant.

I saw enough from Smith/Whittington/Mumpfield to be decently confident. I mean hell, look at what our offense did without Puka and Davante last year. Didn't miss a beat save for the Falcons game, but that was more about Alaric being out than Davante.

Why would we assume none of those guys will improve? Throw in Daniels and I think between the four, odds are we have a solid number three WR already on the roster.

I'd be all for trading for a WR if we can actually improve that spot, knowing Davante isn't going to be here after this season most likely. But I don't see picking a WR up off the scrapheap as improving much, and I'm not interested in Diggs given all the smoke around him.
 
Was thinking about this last night... Xavier Smith is probably the WR who will get the most targets outside of the top two.

He had the most receptions of any WR outside of those two last year... and he's the perfect compliment. I think he's turning into a Brandin Cooks lite.. and that's just fine for now. Daniels will fill in if Puka or Davante are out.. but Xavier is the true #3 if that makes sense.

He showed last year the ability to get behind defenses several times.. and I think he'll build on that this year. Sub 4-4 speed.. solid hands and his 3rd year in the offense.. I think he'll top 30 receptions this year.
 
No one has mentioned this, but as much as I like Daniels and am looking forward to seeing whether he can grab the 3rd WR spot against some solid competition, when Snead said some players came off the board ahead of them moving up he was most definitely talking about

Malik Benson​


I was eyeing him because he can blow the top off any defense, which is my one main concern with our WRs. Will defenses sit on our routes, which has been a problem in the past?

Barion Brown was the other, both taken just before we moved up. Daniels is a better receiver, but Brown could be one hell of a returner in this league

There was a run on players I liked at the top of the 6th, including JC Davis (move inside to Guard); Brian Parker II (move to Center); and Dametrious Crownover (converted TE and massive RT). That said, I think Davis is a better prospect than those three in our scheme, and with the strength of our 53

 
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Was thinking about this last night... Xavier Smith is probably the WR who will get the most targets outside of the top two.

He had the most receptions of any WR outside of those two last year... and he's the perfect compliment. I think he's turning into a Brandin Cooks lite.. and that's just fine for now. Daniels will fill in if Puka or Davante are out.. but Xavier is the true #3 if that makes sense.

He showed last year the ability to get behind defenses several times.. and I think he'll build on that this year. Sub 4-4 speed.. solid hands and his 3rd year in the offense.. I think he'll top 30 receptions this year.
Maybe but I don't know if Smith even makes the final 53.

If he is not the primary punt returner, I don't see him as a WR-only ahead of three young, drafted players in Whittington, Mumpfield and Daniels. That leaves just one more WR spot; and if the Rams keep five TEs, which is very possible, they may not carry a 6th WR on the 53; and just use PS wide-outs on game-day, if needed.
 
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