Well, it’s mercifully over...

[Rams43]

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.

What Elmgrovegnome just said. Lol.

 

[Merlin]

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.

Great points. I think the key is not taking yourself too seriously. Remembering that we don't see as deeply as the teams do and know as much as they do of a lot of things that factor in from medical to even a guy being a fucking dickhead on campus. Also being able to eat crow when you need to with a little grace instead of being a fuckwit about being wrong. Which tbh you see a lot of on boards, but definitely not as much of here.

Last year our draft was great. In large part I think that was because Staley identified exactly what he needed and Snead went and got it. Some of it was surprising too, like taking two safeties after having taken a good one the previous year. But he killed it.

This year we have some different guys driving this. The ILB Jones pick was all Shula. I think the world of Shula but he had Snead taking this guy above some other prospects that had better film. He deserves to have his choice but we're just gonna have to wait and see if he hit on the pick. Same thing with the TE later in the draft. He was all Phillips. I also think Phillips has done a great job so I'm fine with that.

Did the new OL coach just shut up and get in line? Well if so he's probably not good enough at his job which means he'll go the way of our ST hire last year. But maybe he nuked the film and practice tape and is happy. No way to know. In the end though even the staff is projecting which is an educated guess.

 

[Neil039]

Did I miss the losing season in 2021?
Good lord

I ran a 5.12 40 at 48 years old today. So 2021 is .500 right now.

 

[TheTackle]

Creed Humphrey might not have been a sexy pick but is the better player and is now set to have a great career on a very good team. I was left feeling flat from that point on. I will look forward to seeing Tutu in action and hope Anchrum emerges or Evans improves or that we sign a quality RG in the next round of cuts. Right now I’m worried but there is plenty to like none-the -less

One thing that no one has said... what about the ones that got picked right ahead of us. Damn! Personally, I would have preferred we had gone up 3 spaces at times rather than wait only to trade down because the player we wanted was taken 2 picks earlier. Did our target get taken 1 pick earlier in the 2nd?? By the hags :-( no less

 

[ProGen]

I remain optimistic...but I also get why people are not enthusiastic about this draft class. Guess we have to wait and see

 

[dang]

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

The Humphrey non-pick set the stage. It was right there and I’m willing to bet Tutu (or similar) would have been there at R3.88.

 

[bomebadeeda]

This is not 43's first rodeo. That been said, while I agree from my position in front of the computer, more times than not, I didn't know the entire equation to come up w/ the answer. It seems obvious to me something should have been done about the middle of the offensive line. But then again, no one is offering up 6 and 7 figure salaries for the knowledge I possess. Obviously, I don't know the answers. And if it comes apparent the current coaching staff has "Martzed" the roster back to mediocrity. They won't have those nice paychecks coming in either.
I love your posts 43. Keep them coming man. You are one of those who might have more answers than others.

 

[TexasRam]

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

I'm not a fan of negativity so trying to stay positive here. The realist in me says this looks like a potential D grade draft. The CB and a few other picks could salvage it. You truly never know if we find a gem or two. I'm old enough to know you have to drafts playout over a few years before you know anything. I'm hoping for the best but not feeling good about it.

 

[Loyal]

Great points. I think the key is not taking yourself too seriously. Remembering that we don't see as deeply as the teams do and know as much as they do of a lot of things that factor in from medical to even a guy being a fucking dickhead on campus. Also being able to eat crow when you need to with a little grace instead of being a fuckwit about being wrong. Which tbh you see a lot of on boards, but definitely not as much of here.

Last year our draft was great. In large part I think that was because Staley identified exactly what he needed and Snead went and got it. Some of it was surprising too, like taking two safeties after having taken a good one the previous year. But he killed it.

This year we have some different guys driving this. The ILB Jones pick was all Shula. I think the world of Shula but he had Snead taking this guy above some other prospects that had better film. He deserves to have his choice but we're just gonna have to wait and see if he hit on the pick. Same thing with the TE later in the draft. He was all Phillips. I also think Phillips has done a great job so I'm fine with that.

Did the new OL coach just shut up and get in line? Well if so he's probably not good enough at his job which means he'll go the way of our ST hire last year. But maybe he nuked the film and practice tape and is happy. No way to know. In the end though even the staff is projecting which is an educated guess.

Company man

 

[FrantikRam]

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...

We drafted a CB and ILB, so that takes care of those concerns.

Justin Hollins emerged last year as a solid EDGE and we have the high potential in Lewis, as well as an experienced player in Obo to rotate in.

This is literally the first draft that the Rams took a true MLB type on day two since Lauranaitis.

Fine to be concerned about the future at C and LT - but for 2021, we have one of the better LT situations in the NFL with Whit being above average and Noteboom providing tremendous depth.

Being concerned about C for 2021 - that's fine. We will need someone to step up.

But your other concerns make absolutely no sense. We have arguably a top 5 LT and the best CB situation in the NFL.

We had the number one defense with Reeder and Young at ILB last year - whatever your opinion of Jones, he's likely to be an upgrade there.

 

[TXRams86]

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?

your lack of emotional investment is concerning

 

[Da-Rock]

Every year I watch teams draft players and their fan base cries foul while other fans say, "Good draft". Then a season is played and you don't see many of those drafted players do anything. Then its a couple of seasons and you wonder what ever happen to all those good draft picks?

Here I have seen the fan favorites often never show up or become something else. If the professionals who spend months and year scouting and researching are at the rate of failures in drafting, then why would anyone in their right mind think they know better and think so and so is a good pick?

Its a crap shoot and the Rams have spent years with Snead and McVay not having a 1st rounder and searching for special players that others have not. Even with that they still miss on a lot of players.

 

[Classic Rams]

I'm makin' me a shirt with the words "I survived the Rams' 2021 draft."

 

[OldSchool]

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.

He certainly does and he does it all year long. It's not just draft time. He will remind you of something you forgot you even said months after saying it and hold it against you. Pretty funny.

 

[Allen2McVay]

He certainly does and he does it all year long. It's not just draft time. He will remind you of something you forgot you even said months after saying it and hold it against you. Pretty funny.

I want to rag on the idiot who posted less than a week ago that he 'did not see the Rams drafting a WR with one of their higher picks because WR was a relatively strong position and there were needs elsewhere'. What a clown.

By-the-way, that was me.

 

[nighttrain]

i really did think WRer was a big need, and convinced some on this board that Tamorrion Terry could be that guy, but he was not even drafted, did get signed by the Hags as an UDFA :explode:
train

 

[OldSchool]

I want to rag on the idiot who posted less than a week ago that he 'did not see the Rams drafting a WR with one of their higher picks because WR was a relatively strong position and there were needs elsewhere'. What a clown.

By-the-way, that was me.

Hey I just posted in the ILB Jones thread I had many talks with @Merlin where I didn't see us drafting an ILB. The Rams in my defense have shown us they don't value the position, or didn't before Morris, nearly as much as the rest of the league. CB, C and LT of the future were my 3 big areas I thought we'd address and we hit 1 of them. Only pick I really don't like is Atwell who unfortunately is our first pick but it's for the same reasons I didn't like the signing of DJax. It's all good there's nothing wrong with being wrong

 

[Merlin]

What's funny is that I have linked ILBs for I believe the past 3 offseasons before the draft lol. So it's not like I predicted it. I just annually hope they draft one and this year they finally did.

I will say that Fangio system teams tend to prioritize the position though. We installed his defense last year so what it looks like right now is that we simply didn't have the capital to do that plus replace Gurley & Cooks.

But anyway. We're all wrong a lot tbh. I was wrong the past two years about OL. I was certain that Weaver would be a higher pick than he was, we'll see if he ends up being a first year impact guy but I'm not sweating it. Personally being wrong doesn't bother me one bit, I am too busy making my next set of predictions.

 

[Rams43]

This is not 43's first rodeo. That been said, while I agree from my position in front of the computer, more times than not, I didn't know the entire equation to come up w/ the answer. It seems obvious to me something should have been done about the middle of the offensive line. But then again, no one is offering up 6 and 7 figure salaries for the knowledge I possess. Obviously, I don't know the answers. And if it comes apparent the current coaching staff has "Martzed" the roster back to mediocrity. They won't have those nice paychecks coming in either.
I love your posts 43. Keep them coming man. You are one of those who might have more answers than others.

Thanks for the kind words, bomebadeeda.

I was probably venting in my OP a little too much. I mean, the nerve of Snead/McVay pursuing a draft strategy that differed from mine, you know?

I’ve since calmed down a bit. One good thing to contemplate is the exciting O that we’re likely to see this year with Stafford and all these many weapons. Can’t wait for that and I’ll try not to worry about ‘22 until it gets here.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

He certainly does and he does it all year long. It's not just draft time. He will remind you of something you forgot you even said months after saying it and hold it against you. Pretty funny.

Well he can be number three on the ignore list. He's way to all knowing for my liking.