Reasons for WR at 19

[Londoner]

but taking that next step to a contender that has a good chance of winning it all will require some top level additions.

And not going with an empty backfield on first and goal.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Right now, it's just hard to come up with a better player that I'm almost sure will be on the board at #19.

One of the top edge guys may be there. Possible some good OLTs, a DT, or WR.

As for BPA at 19 though, you may be right about DeJean being the most complete and accomplished player. I don’t think the Rams would have any trouble trading back if he’s there too. I think there is a chance that DT Byron Murphy is still on the board at 19.

In the end it will likely come down to what the Rams see as the more glaring need. Most indications are that it is pressure on the QB.

 

[Memphis Ram]

I'd be fine with that. Prefer LT > Edge > Corner > WR in that order all things equal but what matters is hitting on the pick more than anything else. This team needs difference makers to take that next step. It's obviously not hard to get to the playoffs with a coach like McVay, but taking that next step to a contender that has a good chance of winning it all will require some top level additions.

My thinking at the moment:
I count 3 highly rated LTs in Alt, Fautanu, & Fashanu. Fautanu looked like a clear option to be available pre-combine, but not so much now given that LTs are more highly valued than RTs. The other highly rated OTs are RTs, some who may or may not be able to make the switch to LT.

From there I count 3 highly rated Edges in Turner, Verse, or Latu (Robinson isn't included due to his lack of production). Could one or two make it to #19? I'm not so sure. Latu probably has the best shot due to medical concerns, but if he has a clean bill of health I don't like his chances of being on the board.

With CBs Arnold and Mitchell probably off the board that left me with CB Cooper DeJean vs. C Jackson Powers-Johnson. If faced with that scenario methinks the Rams take DeJean.

It would be great if the Broncos stood pat and took the 5th QB off the board and pushed some more talent down.

 

[Memphis Ram]

One of the top edge guys may be there. Possible some good OLTs, a DT, or WR.

As for BPA at 19 though, you may be right about DeJean being the most complete and accomplished player. I don’t think the Rams would have any trouble trading back if he’s there too. I think there is a chance that DT Byron Murphy is still on the board at 19.

In the end it will likely come down to what the Rams see as the more glaring need. Most indications are that it is pressure on the QB.

Murphy II could be an eventual Aaron Donald replacement as would Jer'Zhan Newton. But, for some reason I just can't see the Rams going DT in round one. But hey, maybe they will.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Really hard to pass on Murphy if he was there but see him gone around within the 7 picks before us.

 

[dieterbrock]

It's not really a matter of whether or not teams nail every pick when it comes to "reaching."

It's just that no one has access to the 32 different draft board (opinions) that matter to be completely sure whether a media consensus top rated player would be available at a later selection.

Bingo!

 

[Merlin]

My thinking at the moment:
I count 3 highly rated LTs in Alt, Fautanu, & Fashanu. Fautanu looked like a clear option to be available pre-combine, but not so much now given that LTs are more highly valued than RTs. The other highly rated OTs are RTs, some who may or may not be able to make the switch to LT.

From there I count 3 highly rated Edges in Turner, Verse, or Latu (Robinson isn't included due to his lack of production). Could one or two make it to #19? I'm not so sure. Latu probably has the best shot due to medical concerns, but if he has a clean bill of health I don't like his chances of being on the board.

With CBs Arnold and Mitchell probably off the board that left me with CB Cooper DeJean vs. C Jackson Powers-Johnson. If faced with that scenario methinks the Rams take DeJean.

It would be great if the Broncos stood pat and took the 5th QB off the board and pushed some more talent down.

Yeah the two positions that teams tend to not fuck around with are LT and Edge. They are hard to find so the ones in the draft that have the right stuff tend to not slide. This is why I doubt Latu gets to us. The other two no way they get to us, they both have good length and the raw skills. But if teams want to overnuke any of them (hearing teams don't like Verse's arm length for example) then hell yes I'd take them.

LT is a bit harder to project I think. Those guys need to be able to handle power rushers as well as speed and bendy types on that blindside. So if a guy has great size and strength and doesn't look like a fish out of water in space then I'm sure technically he could do the job with coaching and reps. Alt for example is plug and play to my eye at least. I'd take him as first OT off the board and be happy about it. But teams spend a lot of effort projecting these guys and probably have all manner of metrics they use so the Rams' list of who is likely to play LT is probably different than ours. Last time I looked at the 2023 draft OTs in round 1 I don't think any of them had started at LT. So it's tough as hell to find those dancing bear types.

Fuaga played right side so I see a lot of guys calling him a RT only. I think that's gonna be proven wrong. He handled Latu very well. The guy has the feet, just needs reps and experience. So I expect him to go off the board right after Alt, or around him generally and well before 19.

Fashanu & Latham look like LT projects to me. Types who will start out maybe somewhere else but have potential to move over to that blindside. One of them potentially might be sitting there at 19. And if they are and assuming the Rams don't sign Smith in FA then I think they're hard to pass on. I mean how often do you get a shot at Tackle prospects of this caliber where the Rams tend to draft.

So to me there's 4 guys who fall into that early LT projection. Alt, Fuaga, Fashanu, and Latham. Supply and demand should push them quite high as in probably off the board in the teens.

Fautanu on the other hand is a different deal I think. Granted he played LT for Washington. He played in big games. But the height matters, and he doesn't have the arm length to counter it like some guys do, so he's going to be an interior lineman most likely in the NFL. I had the feeling he was going to fall when I kept seeing all the compliments on his interviews and shit at the combine. Felt like it was teams throwing that consolation prize to him via their media contacts. So sure he's a great dude and all that but he doesn't have the length or the arms. So I think he'll be there at 19. Where he ranks out in that group for the Rams will come down to whether he is seen as a LT. And I say that because I have no idea tbh. He might end up being iffy like Jackson, where you can survive with him in that role but it's not ideal.

Now all this aside if the Rams go get Smith in FA then LT takes a hit in importance. Then you're thinking impact playmaker for a deep playoff run. I know most are against Smith being signed. And it looks unlikely with Dotson getting done. But that's the only thing that I think could derail that LT priority, where you almost have to take one of them if they get to you. And by definition of "one of them" that is to say any of these guys the Rams think has a reasonable chance to play LT. Because once they get back to winning ways they're not gonna be sniffing guys of this caliber.

 

[WestCoastRam]

The question I wonder Noteboom and his agent are asking themselves is, are they gonna get a contract in FA before the draft? If you think you are, no brainer to leave. If you wonder if you don't... with this class... maybe it would be worth taking the Rams offer.

 

[Merlin]

I figure teams will see Boom as a swing OT. So if he hits FA that's probably the range he gets paid in. Not sure what the current wage is for that role though.

That said the Rams have treated him well. He could do worse than being in LA. So I don't think it's impossible that he agrees to something more palatable to the team.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Yeah the two positions that teams tend to not fuck around with are LT and Edge. They are hard to find so the ones in the draft that have the right stuff tend to not slide. This is why I doubt Latu gets to us. The other two no way they get to us, they both have good length and the raw skills. But if teams want to overnuke any of them (hearing teams don't like Verse's arm length for example) then hell yes I'd take them.

LT is a bit harder to project I think. Those guys need to be able to handle power rushers as well as speed and bendy types on that blindside. So if a guy has great size and strength and doesn't look like a fish out of water in space then I'm sure technically he could do the job with coaching and reps. Alt for example is plug and play to my eye at least. I'd take him as first OT off the board and be happy about it. But teams spend a lot of effort projecting these guys and probably have all manner of metrics they use so the Rams' list of who is likely to play LT is probably different than ours. Last time I looked at the 2023 draft OTs in round 1 I don't think any of them had started at LT. So it's tough as hell to find those dancing bear types.

Fuaga played right side so I see a lot of guys calling him a RT only. I think that's gonna be proven wrong. He handled Latu very well. The guy has the feet, just needs reps and experience. So I expect him to go off the board right after Alt, or around him generally and well before 19.

Fashanu & Latham look like LT projects to me. Types who will start out maybe somewhere else but have potential to move over to that blindside. One of them potentially might be sitting there at 19. And if they are and assuming the Rams don't sign Smith in FA then I think they're hard to pass on. I mean how often do you get a shot at Tackle prospects of this caliber where the Rams tend to draft.

So to me there's 4 guys who fall into that early LT projection. Alt, Fuaga, Fashanu, and Latham. Supply and demand should push them quite high as in probably off the board in the teens.

Fautanu on the other hand is a different deal I think. Granted he played LT for Washington. He played in big games. But the height matters, and he doesn't have the arm length to counter it like some guys do, so he's going to be an interior lineman most likely in the NFL. I had the feeling he was going to fall when I kept seeing all the compliments on his interviews and shit at the combine. Felt like it was teams throwing that consolation prize to him via their media contacts. So sure he's a great dude and all that but he doesn't have the length or the arms. So I think he'll be there at 19. Where he ranks out in that group for the Rams will come down to whether he is seen as a LT. And I say that because I have no idea tbh. He might end up being iffy like Jackson, where you can survive with him in that role but it's not ideal.

Now all this aside if the Rams go get Smith in FA then LT takes a hit in importance. Then you're thinking impact playmaker for a deep playoff run. I know most are against Smith being signed. And it looks unlikely with Dotson getting done. But that's the only thing that I think could derail that LT priority, where you almost have to take one of them if they get to you. And by definition of "one of them" that is to say any of these guys the Rams think has a reasonable chance to play LT. Because once they get back to winning ways they're not gonna be sniffing guys of this caliber.

Can't say that I agree with you on Fautanu, Latham, or Fuaga. I was concerned about Fautanu too, but he came in at almost 6'4" with 34 1/2" arms (longer than Alt and Fashanu) . And the athleticism he showed at the combine was outstanding. He has feet like Rashawn Slater with the Chargers who is about the same height and has 33" arms.

It's Fuaga (33 1/8" arms) and Latham who may be better off at guard, but will probably play RT, IMO. Both are strong as heck, but don't have the feet to be on an island as a QBs blindside protector. Tyron Smith? I don't know. He has had back issues and hasn't played a full season since 2015.

 

[Merlin]

. I was concerned about Fautanu too, but he came in at almost 6'4" with 34 1/2" arms (longer than Alt and Fashanu)

Well shit. Must have read the wrong line when I was looking at the weigh in data. That is actually good for the Rams then, if they like him at LT him getting to them would be good.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Well shit. Must have read the wrong line when I was looking at the weigh in data. That is actually good for the Rams then, if they like him at LT him getting to them would be good.

That's why I now questioned him making it to #19.

The wildcard is Mims. Prototype size but only 8-9 starts and all at RT.

 

[Merlin]

Not a fan of Mims. To me they gotta have the feet. I don't think Mims does but we'll see if the Rams do.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Murphy II could be an eventual Aaron Donald replacement as would Jer'Zhan Newton. But, for some reason I just can't see the Rams going DT in round one. But hey, maybe they will.

If they draft for the future they could. I’d rather see Murphy or Newton in the rotation than Jonah Williams or Larell Murchison types.

Also, they fit the concern for pass rush.

 

[PhillyRam]

Murphy II could be an eventual Aaron Donald replacement as would Jer'Zhan Newton. But, for some reason I just can't see the Rams going DT in round one. But hey, maybe they will.

Depends on how many holes they fill in FA. I mentioned this earlier in regards to Murphy. Murphy, Donald, and Turner would be something to see.

Same if they went out and got a guy like Wilkins. Maybe even Leonard Williams, who shouldn't be too expensive at this point...at least not north of $15M a yr like Wilkins will get.

It does stand to reason that between FA and the draft, they could address multiple positions. It just depends where they do it and if they can maximize the bang for their buck between the draft & FA.

 

[Stl2La]

View: https://x.com/dpbrugler/status/1766647404642648185?s=46&t=gEUcKN5ugzpn7hhJJvpNKw

 

[WestCoastRam]

View: https://x.com/dpbrugler/status/1766647404642648185?s=46&t=gEUcKN5ugzpn7hhJJvpNKw

Give me Bub Means. It's the name of every character I ever wrote a screenplay about.

 

[dang]

View: https://x.com/dpbrugler/status/1766647404642648185?s=46&t=gEUcKN5ugzpn7hhJJvpNKw

Leggette climbing the ladder. Doubt he’ll be there at R2.52. Maybe Pearsal?

 

[MachS]

Leggette climbing the ladder. Doubt he’ll be there at R2.52. Maybe Pearsal?

No chance...and at this point I doubt he makes it out of R1. Its looking like the 20-30 range for Legette.

 

[OldSchool]

View: https://x.com/dpbrugler/status/1766647404642648185?s=46&t=gEUcKN5ugzpn7hhJJvpNKw

Thomas, Leggett and Mitchell right now are my favorites.