Well, it’s mercifully over...

[Rams43]

General impressions...

If we could somehow have a do over on Day 2 I would jump on it. I count 3 unforced errors on Day 2 at 57, at 88, and at 103. That was game, set, match. Too much to recover from in a draft lacking a 1st on Day 1. Rams needed three consecutive hits with perhaps a shrewd trade down in the process and they failed on all 4 opportunities.

Day 3 was better in terms of value and addressing future needs. But too little, too late, I’m afraid.

I come away with concerns in many areas and few apparent solutions to address them.

LOT
OC
WOLB
ILB (still)
CB

Lots of upcoming UFA’s and one probable retiree in Big Whit. Where are the replacements that are gonna be necessary as soon as next year?

Look, the Rams strategy of signing elites with future 1sts traded away only works when the team keeps bringing in quality players in rounds 2-7 to surround the elites with inexpensively. Snead/McVay have walked that tightrope rather well for several years. Until now, I’m afraid.

I really miss Brad Holmes.

I find myself concerned, frustrated, and more than a little angry all at the same time. Sigh...

 

[Dirigo]

I feel your pain 43. This was by far & away McVay’s worst draft. The Rams had the opportunity to get better value for their picks and they blew it.

 

[PhillyRam]

General impressions...

If we could somehow have a do over on Day 2 I would jump on it. I count 3 unforced errors on Day 2 at 57, at 88, and at 103. That was game, set, match. Too much to recover from in a draft lacking a 1st on Day 1. Rams needed three consecutive hits with perhaps a shrewd trade down in the process and they failed on all 4 opportunities.

Day 3 was better in terms of value and addressing future needs. But too little, too late, I’m afraid.

I come away with concerns in many areas and few apparent solutions to address them.

LOT
OC
WOLB
ILB (still)
CB

Lots of upcoming UFA’s and one probable retiree in Big Whit. Where are the replacements that are gonna be necessary as soon as next year?

Look, the Rams strategy of signing elites with future 1sts traded away only works when the team keeps bringing in quality players in rounds 2-7 to surround the elites with inexpensively. Snead/McVay have walked that tightrope rather well for several years. Until now, I’m afraid.

I really miss Brad Holmes.

I find myself concerned, frustrated, and more than a little angry all at the same time. Sigh...

Can't believe no one has hired you to run their draft yet.

 

[rdw]

I feel your pain 43. This was by far & away McVay’s worst draft. The Rams had the opportunity to get better value for their picks and they blew it.

Not to pick on you but I hear this all the time. Value according to who?

 

[Allen2McVay]

Rams43 has been around a while, and is well regarded.

I am a little concerned. Should we put together a list of volunteers to sit with him for a few days just to make sure he doesn’t do anything drastic?

I will take a shift. Monday afternoon is free. Say 2-4 PM?

 

[Malibu]

General impressions...

If we could somehow have a do over on Day 2 I would jump on it. I count 3 unforced errors on Day 2 at 57, at 88, and at 103. That was game, set, match. Too much to recover from in a draft lacking a 1st on Day 1. Rams needed three consecutive hits with perhaps a shrewd trade down in the process and they failed on all 4 opportunities.

Day 3 was better in terms of value and addressing future needs. But too little, too late, I’m afraid.

I come away with concerns in many areas and few apparent solutions to address them.

LOT
OC
WOLB
ILB (still)
CB

Lots of upcoming UFA’s and one probable retiree in Big Whit. Where are the replacements that are gonna be necessary as soon as next year?

Look, the Rams strategy of signing elites with future 1sts traded away only works when the team keeps bringing in quality players in rounds 2-7 to surround the elites with inexpensively. Snead/McVay have walked that tightrope rather well for several years. Until now, I’m afraid.

I really miss Brad Holmes.

I find myself concerned, frustrated, and more than a little angry all at the same time. Sigh...

Signing elites only works (I am a huge fan of it) when you are not in cap hell so we can pick up 3 potential FA starters and use round 2 as a starter and rest as backups. We had no money to sign a DT or 3rd CB or Center upgrade and that is why depending on the draft never works out. Historically maybe 2 players per draft emerge and odds decrease simply not having a 1st bc I would say 1st and 2nds are starters rest fill in.

 

[yrba1]

I am disappointed with this draft mainly it's because of the lack of picks on O-line. I'll reserve my judgment though until year 3.

The tinfoil hat wearing me suspects Snead getting COVID might've clouded his thought process throughout the draft.

 

[PhillyRam]

What I find funny is that in a Covid yr there are a lot of unknowns, yet the armchair Gm's think they know more than thr scouts & personal guys who have scouted, who have done background checks, and who have met & talked to these kids for the last 6 months or more.

Also I find it funny that many players that fans pounded the table for in the early rounds ended up going very late or not at all, but they know everything. Too funny.

Having said that, I wasn't thrilled with Atwell, but I also understand his role will help the run game. It helps the OL, not to mention it helps to open up the field in the passing game.

His presence will force LBs and Edge guys to stay home & play honest. He will stretch the field vertically and provides that depth that will be needed behind an aging Jackson for that role.

Everything else I am cool with. Added guys with size & length that can develop into more than just role players. And 7th round guys you get possible special teams guys or developmental role players.

 

[dieterbrock]

Did I miss the losing season in 2021?
Good lord

 

[SAK11]

Did I miss the losing season in 2021?
Good lord

You know what they say, the best time to evaluate a draft class is before the players have ever played a game!

 

[Ramstien]

Like they always say you will not know how good the draft was until three years down the road.

 

[nighttrain]

the sky is not, i repeat, not falling
train

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

What I find funny is that in a Covid yr there are a lot of unknowns, yet the armchair Gm's think they know more than thr scouts & personal guys who have scouted, who have done background checks, and who have met & talked to these kids for the last 6 months or more.

Also I find it funny that many players that fans pounded the table for in the early rounds ended up going very late or not at all, but they know everything. Too funny.

Having said that, I wasn't thrilled with Atwell, but I also understand his role will help the run game. It helps the OL, not to mention it helps to open up the field in the passing game.

His presence will force LBs and Edge guys to stay home & play honest. He will stretch the field vertically and provides that depth that will be needed behind an aging Jackson for that role.

Everything else I am cool with. Added guys with size & length that can develop into more than just role players. And 7th round guys you get possible special teams guys or developmental role players.

Don’t you do this every year?

I guess by your standards I should either be a GM or I just get lucky a lot because over the years I’ve made some pretty good picks and pointed out a lot of bad ones on draft day.

One thing that you seem to overlook is that GMs get picks wrong all of the time. What’s the success rate in round 2? Isn’t it like 50%? These scouts that so diligently examine the players they feel their team will want also get it wrong more often than not. And Snead who is regarded as a good GM has made his share of blunders.

Trying to be dismissive of draft fans opinions is lame in general but considering how many GMs and scouts don’t even last the length of their contracts and how so many picks are out of the league in three years, it’s especially lame.

 

[XXXIVwin]

When Tutu takes it to the house I'm gonna say, "Always liked our 2021 draft"

 

[12intheBox]

If Tutu is a hit, then this draft will very likely be looked back on as a huge success.

 

[RamsSince1969]

When Tutu takes it to the house I'm gonna say, "Always liked our 2021 draft"

You and me both!

 

[El Chapo Jr]

I'm still bitching. We missed on a good center for the future in Creed. We need some big piggy wigglies up front lol. At this point, can't do shit though so I just hope we drafted some studs and hidden gems. Didn't know Jordan Fuller would be that this time last year Time will tell, TBD

 

[badnews]

I liked this draft just fine but I'm not living and dying with each choice that I have no part of either, so what the hell do I know?

 

[Riverumbbq]

What I find funny is that in a Covid yr there are a lot of unknowns, yet the armchair Gm's think they know more than thr scouts & personal guys who have scouted, who have done background checks, and who have met & talked to these kids for the last 6 months or more.

Also I find it funny that many players that fans pounded the table for in the early rounds ended up going very late or not at all, but they know everything. Too funny.

Armchair GM's are basically the backbone of football fan sites, and it's an extremely rare day we hear about a fan claiming to know more than the GM. This is just whining while creating a strawman argument.
Over the years i've seen several local mockers outshine the media pundit talking heads. It's always going to be a gamble when trying to pick a small squad out of up to 2000 available players who compete across the country, so it's not necessarily so much about the player as it is the position. The other thing is that no one can confirm a bad armchair GM unless a player he likes busts immediately, as the guy might be playing exceptionally well for another team. Many mocks show a consensus among fans concerning team needs, and this re-enforces interest. When a team, for example, has 3 OL starters facing free agency AND their top LT may be looking at retirement, somewhere along the way someone is going to ask about depth, and if it isn't taken seriously, and you end up losing quality players, then people might seek answers. No-one has said it's too late and good players won't get extensions, but the specter remains until fans are satisfied it's being addressed.
You criticize some for choosing players who go later than anticipated, what about those who have gone earlier ?
Football is a game, mocks & playing at GM are just part of it, perhaps you should pull that stick out of your behind and enjoy it, or just ignore those with opinions other than your own. It's not that hard.

 

[badnews]

Armchair GM's are basically the backbone of football fan sites, and it's an extremely rare day we hear about a fan claiming to know more than the GM. This is just whining while creating a strawman argument.
Over the years i've seen several local mockers outshine the media pundit talking heads. It's always going to be a gamble when trying to pick a small squad out of up to 2000 available players who compete across the country, so it's not necessarily so much about the player as it is the position. The other thing is that no one can confirm a bad armchair GM unless a player he likes busts immediately, as the guy might be playing exceptionally well for another team. Many mocks show a consensus among fans concerning team needs, and this re-enforces interest. When a team, for example, has 3 OL starters facing free agency AND their top LT may be looking at retirement, somewhere along the way someone is going to ask about depth, and if it isn't taken seriously, and you end up losing quality players, then people might seek answers. No-one has said it's too late and good players won't get extensions, but the specter remains until fans are satisfied it's being addressed.
You criticize some for choosing players who go later than anticipated, what about those who have gone earlier ?
Football is a game, mocks & playing at GM are just part of it, perhaps you should pull that stick out of your behind and enjoy it, or just ignore those with opinions other than your own. It's not that hard.

Well, another way to look at it is that there is nothing wrong with real GMs or pretend ones... but there is something not-so-great about having your favorite teams draft discussion just completely and repetitively spoiled by negativity based on nothing more than personal expectations and projections.

This happens to some degree every year but this draft is almost weird as if the people commenting have forgotten that every draft under McVay has inspired a lot of vitriol from many of our resident draft experts.

Sometimes I think fans miss the bad years.... or at least those offseasons - because guessing the draft was easier and more fun. For one, the picks were higher and two, the Rams used to draft a lot like the fans thought they would/should.