my "it's still April" take on the draft (comment and/or add yours)

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  • #100662
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    I think it’s starting to look like one of the best Rams drafts in years. And they weren’t doing too badly from 2012 on.

    Rapp: a very gifted safety with top short area quickness and top-notch instincts and a lot of game smarts, versatile player and an instant replacement for Weddle when his time is up. Rams are in the process of making the best secondary we have seen from them for a long while, and they have been pretty good in finding DBs since 2012…but I think they are in the process of topping themselves.

    Henderson: leaving out the “why they drafted him” type issues involving Gurley speculation, this is a very unique back, and in spite of what some say, a candidate for full-time starter duties should it ever come to that. Great toughness, balance, and competitiveness and good vision to go along with great big-play instincts. Led all of college football in yards after contact.

    Evans: I see him as a guard or ROT type. Kromer has a first-rate record spotting draft picks. In this, he is far superior to what we’re used to with Hanifan and Boudreau, who were both good OL coaches and lousy scouts.

    Long: Great pick. I don’t buy the “slot corner” stuff on him. First off, Robey-Coleman is their slot corner. Long’s an outside corner in the mold of Denver’s Chris Harris, who was Wade’s guy along with Talib in Denver. Long is a first-rate pick and in line to be the next starting CB when that’s needed.

    Gaines: May be the best pick in a good draft. All the traits needed for a solid, ready to go NT. I don’t care about the pass-rush part (he’s still learning when it comes to that): Wade’s NT’s don’t pass rush. He’s a low-built bull and a smart, passionate player. Week 1 starter.

    Edwards: more developmental, but I see him as having LOT traits. The only negatives are all developmental–he moved from TE to OT so needs refining. He is a much more fluid athlete than Hav but he is also nasty and aggressive on top of it. This one also goes under “Kromer trust.”

    Scott & Allen: pure special teamers and never anything more than that, which is fine with me. Fassel said Scott was one of the best special teams players he has ever seen.

    ***

    I honestly think time will show that this was a top Rams draft. The sense you get about what the Rams did in the 3rd round in 2017 (Kupp and Johnson) to me applies to this entire set of picks (with the caveat that Scott and Allen were not and never will be anything but dedicated special teamers).

    ..

    • This topic was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Avatar photozn.
    #100671
    Avatar photoZooey
    Moderator

    I should probably have said this elsewhere, but I really like the Gaines pick. What he does well, he does well. He junks up the run, taking on double-teams, and busting the play up. If he does that, I am not concerned about his sideline-to-sideline pursuit speed, or his lack of pass rush. Looks to me from the descriptions of him, the film I saw, and the comments the Rams made, that there is reasonable hope that he will be a starter and contribute about as much as Suh did last year (at a long-term fraction of the cost).

    From a late 4th-rounder?

    Done deal.

    The Rams seem to be doing a great job finding guys without the measurables who get after it on the field, and produce. Kupp is Exhibit A on that. Looks like Rapp and Gaines are like that as well, and Long seems to perform better than his size is supposed to allow him.

    I agree with your assessments, and want to echo the Scott perspective. I saw someone complain that he is raw as a safety, and note that he has only one season playing back there. So what. That’s not what they drafted him to play. The Rams have more secondary than they can even keep. Scott’s not in that mix, although he might get so preseason time in the 4th quarters. But he looks like a ST ace, and those guys can turn ballgames around in 7 seconds.

    #100672
    Avatar photozn
    Moderator

    Well put in general and well put on Gaines and Scott.

    #100679
    Avatar photoInvaderRam
    Moderator

    henderson and long will end up being the best picks of this year’s draft…

    of all 32 teams.

    you heard it here first.

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