February general draft topic thread

JackPMiller wrote:

I’m hoping we sign Kyle Fuller or some free agent CB

What price range do you see him coming in at?

Because I doubt the Rams can sign their own guys and also afford a frontline outside free agent.

JackPMiller wrote:

Of course I’m hoping we are letting go of Austin, Quinn, Barron, and Saffold. I’m hoping some team trades us a couple of second round picks for Saffold.

I can promise you Jack, that ain’t gonna happen.

They won’t trade Saffold and no one would pay that much to trade for him. And they won’t cut Saffold either.

Austin is probably gone.

Maybe they cut either Quinn or Barron but at this point, I doubt it.

….

2018 Rams Mock Draft Roundup: Fourth Edition

Myles Simmons

http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/2018-Rams-Mock-Draft-Roundup-Fourth-Edition-/bd16670a-379d-44b8-a7aa-5e70db4f8f1e

Every team in the league is preparing to send a contingent to Indianapolis next week for the annual NFL Scouting Combine. The top prospects in the incoming rookie class will participate in medical exams, interviews, and on-field workouts as the 32 teams get to know who they may target in the 2018 NFL Draft.

And in anticipation of the festivities in Indy, analysts have continued to put out mock drafts. And as has been the case throughout the offseason so far, analysts have honed in on one position for the Rams at No. 23.

—————

We’ll start with Dan Kadar at SB Nation, who has a familiar pick at No. 23 in his latest mock: Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson.

“Until an edge-rusher slips or the Rams make a move on a starter at cornerback in free agency, the old familiar pick of Jackson is the choice,” Kadar writes. “If the Rams still had a second-round pick, it would be easier to look at a different position. But by the time Los Angeles picks again at No. 87, there won’t be such obvious starters.”

Over at The Athletic, Jeff Cavanaugh concurs with Kadar on Los Angeles selecting Jackson in the first round.

“In coverage and as a ballhawk Jackson is as good as anyone in this class,” Cavanaugh writes (subscription required). “His willingness to be physical as a tackler needs to be improved on.”

And ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is also on the Jackson-to-Los Angeles train in his second mock draft.

“Los Angeles has decisions to make on free-agent cornerbacks Trumaine Johnson and Nickell Robey-Coleman and safety/corner Lamarcus Joyner, and it isn’t likely to keep them all. Cornerback is a clear need for the Rams,” Kiper writes. “Jackson burst onto the scene with eight interceptions in 2017, including three in an upset win over Ohio State. The big question about Jackson is true speed — he needs to run well at the combine to stay in the first-round discussion. He could also help out on punt returns.”

Jackson led the nation with eight interceptions in 2017, becoming an AP first-team All-American in the process. He’s listed at 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds, which gives him length and size to compete with tall receivers.

—————

Charles Davis of NFL Media has the Rams taking Colorado cornerback Isaiah Oliver in his first mock drafts.

“Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips’ versatility gets an added dose of secondary help with this talented CB,” Davis writes.

At the same outlet, former NFL general manager Charley Casserly concurs with the Oliver pick, citing cornerback Trumaine Johnson’s pending free agency along with a positional need.

Oliver just completed his junior season at Colorado, where he recorded 13 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions. He was a first-team All-Pac 12 honoree in 2017.

—————

For another familiar pick, Will Brinson of CBS Sports has L.A. choosing Ohio State cornerback Denzel Ward at No. 23.

“When you start to look at this draft and the needs for these teams, it becomes pretty clear there could be some serious talent falling because of quarterback and offensive line availability,” Brinson writes. “The Rams add another defensive piece to an already stout unit.”

Ward played extensive snaps over the last two seasons, though he was not technically a starter until 2017. After Marshon Lattimore, Malik Hooker, and Gareon Conley all left for the pros, Ward stepped in and played well for the OSU secondary this season, recording a pair of interceptions and 15 pass breakups.

At the same outlet, Chris Trapasso has more of an unfamiliar name for the roundup — Louisville cornerback Jaire Alexander.

“Alexander likely would’ve gone in the top 15 had it not been for an injury-riddled final season at Louisville. He’s not a menacing cornerback physically but plays with outstanding quickness and tenacity when the ball is arriving,” Trapasso writes.

Alexander played in seven games in 2017, starting six, and recorded an interception, four pass breakups, and 19 tackles. He was a second-team All-ACC honoree in 2016 after tallying five picks and nine pass breakups.

Finally, for a little something different, Bleacher Report’s Mike Tainer has the Rams picking an offensive tackle for their first-round pick. In this particular mock, Tainer writes Los Angeles will select the best available athlete — Oklahoma tackle Orlando Brown Jr.

“By selecting Orlando Brown, the Rams get Andrew Whitworth’s replacement at left tackle a year early instead of waiting for the 36-year old to decline,” Tainer writes. “Brown (son of the great Browns/Ravens left tackle of the 1990s) has Jonathan Ogden-caliber measurables, ideal bloodlines and an ornery streak. He’s also the typical raw Big 12 spread-offense tackle, so it will take a year as Whitworth’s understudy before he can reliably protect Jared Goff’s blind side.”

Listed at 6-foot-8 and 360 pounds, Brown was an AP first-team All-American and All-Big 12 honoree in 2017 for his work on the Oklahoma offense. He was also Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year after his redshirt sophomore season in 2016.

With Marcus Peters on board, Rams have flexibility at combine

Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/37750/with-marcus-peters-on-board-rams-have-flexibility-at-combine

A closer look at the positions the Los Angeles Rams could target at the NFL combine next week in Indianapolis:

Positions of need: The Rams altered the complexion of their entire offseason on Friday, when they sent this year’s fourth-round pick and next year’s second-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for shutdown cornerback Marcus Peters. Before this move, the Rams seemed very likely to draft a cornerback with the No. 23 overall pick in this year’s draft. It was that big a need. Now, as they descend on Indianapolis for this week’s combine, they have the flexibility to basically go in whichever direction they choose.

They can look for edge rushers, or run stuffers for the interior, or offensive linemen to groom. Or they can keep their focus on the secondary, where plenty of holes remain. Peters enters as the Rams’ primary cornerback, but their No. 2 man, Kayvon Webster, is recovering from the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in December, and their slot guy, Nickell Robey-Coleman, is an unrestricted free agent. Behind them, there isn’t a whole lot of depth. Still, though, the Rams now have the benefit of targeting overall talent as opposed to specific positions.

Three players the Rams should focus on at the combine:

Marcus Davenport, DE, UT San Antonio: This draft isn’t necessarily strong on edge rushers, but Davenport is one of few exceptions. The question is whether he can fall to the bottom half of the first round. Davenport didn’t wow at the Senior Bowl and is still a little bit raw. But he is a quick-twitch, 6-foot-6, 255-pound athlete who is reportedly most comfortable as a stand-up rusher in a 3-4 defense. He still needs time to develop, but Wade Phillips is the perfect guy to mold him.

Billy Price, G/C, Ohio State: ESPN’s Todd McShay has Price going to the Rams in each of his first two mock drafts, which might mean they find their long-term solution at center. A four-year starter for the Buckeyes, Price would be ready to play immediately. He won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center and was a unanimous first-team All-American in 2017, before spending the previous three seasons excelling at guard. Listed at 6-4, 312 pounds, Price is strong, explosive and intelligent. But there are reported concerns about his personality, and the Rams could get some answers.

Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa: Jackson was linked to the Rams in Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest mock draft. Jackson finally got a chance to start for the Hawkeyes in 2017 and made a name for himself, leading the nation with eight interceptions and 28 disrupted dropbacks. He has everything you want in a lockdown corner — 6-1 with length, great ball skills and a strong work ethic. But he has had only one season as a full-time defensive player. Teams like the Rams need a closer look.

What do Snead, McVay Look for in Combine Interviews?

Myles Simmons

http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-1/What-do-Snead-McVay-Look-for-in-Combine-Interviews/9468e9fa-5597-403b-ae1c-c85675e85340

INDIANAPOLIS — The public-facing portions of the NFL Combine are important. The 32 teams all notice how the incoming rookies address the media, and the on-field testing can make a difference.

But what happens behind the scenes can sometimes leave the most significant impression.

That’s especially for the top 60 interviews. Each team may select up to 60 of the 300-plus players in Indianapolis for a chance to get to know them in a more intimate setting — a hotel room at the Crown Plaza, Indianapolis. All 32 franchises have a room for these meetings. It’s not the biggest room, so the individual player will meet with select team officials. And these meetings occur at night, often going from around six to 11 p.m.

However, these interviews last only 15 minutes.

“Fifteen minutes — who’s an expert in 15 minutes?” Rams general manager Les Snead joked in an interview with therams.com on Sunday morning. “We always laugh about that.”

Still, Snead, head coach Sean McVay, and the rest of Los Angeles’ staff assembled in Indianapolis do their best to get the most out of that time.

“What we try to do is — hey, let’s talk football,” Snead said. “If we’ve got any hard questions to ask, we’ll do that at another time, in another setting, another environment. But let’s talk football. And a lot of times it’s geared toward sitting down and doing what we do — put on their college film.”

“I think the first thing is, it’s all about football. And I think you want to be able to assess their ability to communicate what’s going on,” McVay said. “So we’ll have tape involved in those meetings — might be some good plays, might be some bad plays. And you want to see how they’re able to echo and articulate what their role, what their responsibility is within the framework of that individual play. And then see if they can take some accountability if there is a play where maybe they could’ve done better.”

According to McVay, the accountability aspect of the conversations can be particularly important in an evaluation because L.A. is trying to assemble a team of players with strong football character.

“I think that ownership is something that some guys naturally possess, and others might not do that,” McVay said. “But we’re looking for guys who do take that accountably, that ownership, and aren’t afraid to be coached, because we’re just trying to help guys reach their highest potential. But if you can’t be receptive to what you might be able to do better, then that’s a concerning thing. And, fortunately, that hasn’t really been the case with the guys we’ve talked to. It’s been a pleasant experience with all the guys we’ve brought in so far.”

Going back to last year, wide receiver Cooper Kupp was one player whose interview stood out to McVay. The head coach has said a number of times since L.A. drafted the former Eastern Washington standout how well he came across in those 15 minutes.

“It was pretty quick that you realize this guy’s different,” McVay said. “When you meet him, you look at the way he was able to play in the Senior Bowl, and then obviously the consistent production he had throughout the course of his career. So it was kind of a combination of all those things. But specifically in the meeting, just his command and his overall presence and ability to communicate the game and what was going on on his tape. You could see that he was a special person and that he has a special understanding of the game.”

With the Combine being such an important part of the pre-draft process, many of the incoming rookies have done a lot of preparation for these interviews. Sometimes, that can make the prospect come across a bit rehearsed. Both McVay and Snead have found that the best way to cut through that exterior and really get to know the player — as best as one can in 15 minutes — is through watching film.

“Everybody’s going to come here intentional and prepared — as they should be, it’s an important interview. But you try to take that guard down. Not necessarily for them to make a mistake, but just to get the real personality,” Snead said. “I think once you get about three or four plays in, if you’ve got a scripted answer, you’ve run out. And then you get to get those guys more comfortable.”

“Just like when we’re coaching players, our philosophy isn’t to try to create an uncomfortable atmosphere,” McVay said. “Certainly you like to stress guys, but not in a manner where you like to be negative. But it’s just about seeing how they handle their ability to look at the game of football. And then it kind of demonstrates how willing they are to be coached as well.”

And with players going through so many different interviews in such a short amount of time, the Rams do have an appreciation for the toll the process likely takes on each individual.

“I give them credit,” Snead said. “You think about it, depending on your background, where you’re from, your personality introverted or extroverted — you might have 15, 16 interviews, or maybe even more. And you go back to back, and then all of a sudden you’re sitting in a chair and there’s [Patriots head coach Bill] Belichick staring at you. Or in another room there’s [Hall of Fame quarterback and Broncos EVP of football operations] John Elway staring at you.

“And you just feel for the kids, you’re like, ‘You know what, this is pretty impressive that each one of those guys can come here and get through this,’” Snead added, “because I know that’s got to be tough.”

Just something on how it’s harder to draft linemen nowadays

***

from: https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/03/08/free-agency-players-teams-league-trend-mmqb-notebook

ALBERT BREER

I think the Rams’ success in signing Andrew Whitworth to a three-year, $36 million deal last year, at 35 years old, is helping Patriots free-agent LT Nate Solder build a market. Solder is easily the top left tackle on the market, and could provide a quick-fix answer for the Broncos or Texans in an era when there are few sure-thing offensive linemen coming out of college.