Recent Forum Topics › Forums › The Rams Huddle › Time to Mock: McShay's Mock
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December 17, 2014 at 6:18 pm #14079wvParticipant
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2015 NFL Mock Draft: McShay Has Rams Beefing Up O-LineJared Wickerham/Getty Images
Half of ESPN’s draft braintrust has started the mock draft train rolling for 2015.
Tweet (7) Share (37) ShareWell, the mock drafts are gonna come fast and heavy now.
With 11 teams already eliminated from playoff contention, there’s enough people on the back of the train to warrant turning to draft coverage to a greater degree. (Note: That doesn’t mean you should be one of those people who say, “Are we talking about the draft already?” Because yes, we are. We always should be. The Rams will have scouts at college games for week one of the college schedule. You can multi-task, I promise. We started talking about the draft before the season started…)
Feel free to bookmark my first mock from back in June, because it’s easy fodder to make fun of but it also sets a baseline for where things have really shifted.
A clear indication that it’s starting to gear up is when ESPN starts jumping in the mock game. Well, today’s the day.
Todd McShay, who along with Mel Kiper makes up the MickeyMothership’s draft duo, has dropped his first mock of the season today (insider only because God hates you).
The first thing to work through is draft position. Right now, the Rams would be picking 12th. Certainly with two games to play, they could slide up or down a few spots between now and the new year. The real craw though is the Rams’ strength of schedule, the third-highest in the NFL. It’s going to hurt as it’ll put the Rams behind every team (save those top two) with the same record at season’s end. Think of it like this. The Rams, at 6-8, slide behind Minnesota who has the same record. If the Rams had won one of those 8 losses putting them at 7-7? They’d drop all the way to 15th in front of San Francisco…unless that win was the Monday Night Football contest in which case they’d be at 16th. What I’m saying is that the Rams could well be picking in the second half of the first round…
In any case, here’s how McShay has the first 11 working out:
# Team Name POS Yr. School
1 Tampa Bay Marcus Mariota QB RS Jr. Oregon
2 Tennessee Jameis Winston QB RS Soph. Florida St.
3 Jacksonville Leonard Williams DL Jr. USC
4 Oakland Randy Gregory DE RS Jr. Nebraska
5 Washington Shane Ray DE RS Jr. Missouri
6 New York Jets Amari Cooper WR Jr. Alabama
7 Atlanta Dante Fowler, Jr. DE Jr. Florida
8 New York Giants Vic Beasley OLB RS Sr. Clemson
9 Chicago Landon Collins SS Jr. Alabama
10 Carolina Brandon Scherff OT RS Sr. Iowa
11 Minnesota Cedric Ogbuehi OT RS Sr. Texas A&MAnd now you see the problem with the strength of schedule issue. In this mock, the Rams miss out on the first two offensive tackle choices. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best overall tackle prospects or the best fit for the Rams, but certainly you’d rather have all options available. But if offensive line is going to be in the top tier of the Rams’ needs this offseason, you’ve got to like those first nine picks. Six on defense and the QB pairing filling the top two. That may be the Rams’ angle.
So with those 11 gone, here’s who McShay has for the Rams:
Ereck Flowers, OT (Jr.) – MiamiEreck Flowers, OT (Jr.) – Miami
I’ll admit a bit of surprise that McShay had Flowers off his board to the Rams over Andrus Peat (OT (Jr.) – Stanford). More surprising is that in between Flowers at 12 and Peat at 24 to the Bengals, he’s got T.J. Clemmings (OT (RS Sr.) – Pittsburgh). But that surprise is just me coming out of four months of relatively stable draft stock. Things are going to be all over the place as people go back and watch tape and re-adjust rankings.
In any case, here’s his draft card from ESPN/Scouts, Inc.:
Another aspect to consider? Versatility. Consider Greg Robinson’s guard-to-tackle-to-guard-to-tackle journey. It took him a while to adjust to the NFL (or perhaps to have Fisher adjust to him…). Would a first round play on an offensive lineman with similar experience be in the Rams’ best interests? If so, you’ve got two clear candidates: La’El Collins (OT (Sr.) – LSU) and Cameron Erving (OL (RS Sr.) – Florida St.). Collins moved from guard to tackle while Erving started his Seminole career as a DT before flipping over to OT and then sliding inside to center this season.
The rest of the first round isn’t without interest either.
If you’re looking at the rest of the offense, the remaining 20 picks include two running backs, four wide receivers, a guard and no QBs. So that would leave plenty of offense boomeranging into day two for the Rams to begin considering.
The bottom line though is that with playoffs a mathematical impossibility, the road to 2015 has begun, and it runs through the 2015 NFL Draft.
- This topic was modified 10 years ago by wv.
December 17, 2014 at 6:45 pm #14082AgamemnonParticipantDecember 17, 2014 at 8:02 pm #14088wvParticipant1. La’el Collins OT
2. Cameron Erving OThttp://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1824825/lael-collins
STRENGTHS: Collins possesses a square-ish build that makes him appear better suited to guard. His frame belies his quick feet, an attribute that when combined with his long arms, impressive strength and aggression make him a devastating run blocker. Collins is often the quickest of LSU’s offensive linemen off the snap and he routinely drives his assignment off the line of scrimmage with pure power, creating easy running lanes for LSU’s backs. He’s surprisingly quick to the second level and has good body control to adjust to moving targets.As a pass blocker, Collins shows good initial quickness in his kick-slide and uses his long reach to maintain the arc. When he gets his hands on opponents and remains square, it is generally lights out for the defender.
WEAKNESSES: He does not possess elite balance and can be challenged by speed-rushers. He’ll over-compensate occasionally and leave the inside open for counters.
Collins’ aggression is admirable but also leads to mistakes. Rather than patiently waiting for defenders to come to him, Collins will occasionally lunge, making himself top-heavy and prone to slipping down the body of his opponent. This can lead to his hands getting too low or slipping onto the side and/or back of defenders, which invites them to swim over the top of him to disengage.
–Rob Rang (8/18/14)
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STRENGTHS: Versatile athlete who has transitioned from the defensive side of the ball to start at both left tackle and center. Boasts a pretty remarkable combination of size (6-feet-5, 309 pounds) and athleticism, and blends length with surprisingly light feet and flexibility.As a run-blocker, displays the toughness and aggression that made him an impact performer on the other side of the football as he works to finish opponents with strong hands and impressive natural power in his lower half. Frequently asked to block at the second level. He pulls smoothly, showing impressive initial quickness and acceleration for a man of his size.
Possesses the light feet and fluidity to thwart some of the nation’s best edge rushers at tackle, while also showing the ability to seal off defensive tackles at center.
Shows smooth athleticism in his kick-step to handle speed off the edge as well as the strong hands to latch on and control his opponent. Perhaps most impressive, Erving plays with good knee bend, which helps him win the leverage battle and generally anchor well against bull rushes.
WEAKNESSES: Simply needs to become a more consistent technician. Footwork gets a bit sloppy in pass protection at times and he’ll bend at the waist to catch the rush rather than absorbing with his lower half. Tendency to rely too heavily on his upper body when battling, often stopping his feet when engaged.
Aggression sometimes works against Erving. He’ll drop his head on contact, providing defenders opportunities to wash through him. Fails to adjust when blocking on the move, at times. While he’s quick to the second level, Erving too often loses track of his target, winding up where he thought the play was going to go only to have his assignment run past him. Each is a correctable skill that the athletic big man should improve upon as he gains experience.
–Rob Rang & Derek Stephens (11/20/14)
Player Overview
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vDecember 17, 2014 at 11:39 pm #14103AgamemnonParticipantDecember 18, 2014 at 12:04 am #14110InvaderRamModeratordid someone say long arms?
December 18, 2014 at 12:45 am #14112ZooeyModeratorI’m thinking Leonard Williams. Get some depth on the DL.
December 18, 2014 at 1:55 am #14118MackeyserModeratorCameron Erving is my guy at first blush. Versatile OL who’s played LOT and C. Can also play DT in a pinch…hah.
Wouldn’t surprise me if we didn’t trade down at that point or if we didn’t also go for a QB at that point.
- This reply was modified 10 years ago by Mackeyser.
Sports is the crucible of human virtue. The distillate remains are human vice.
December 18, 2014 at 12:37 pm #14162JackPMillerParticipantIf it was up to me, I’d trade down into the mid 20’s, if possible, and pick up an extra couple of picks, and draft Brett Hundley. I have us resigning, Joe Barksdale.
December 18, 2014 at 6:27 pm #14183AgamemnonParticipantDecember 18, 2014 at 9:07 pm #14187wvParticipantA trade-back
post.w
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DeadpoolAgain, its far from draft day, but the way I see things today, I would try to trade back for an extra 2nd or 3rd and keep trading back until I am out of the first round or at least have 2 2nds and 2 3rd and the 4th back.
Rams Needs as of today (pre-FA and resigning its own, cutting players, etc.)
QB – regardless of Bradford there has to be a young QB to attempt and groom.
OG – with Long likely gone and Robinson now at LT, need a OG to pair with Saffold
OC – as bad as Wells has played, no one has taken his job, telling me the Rams need a OC
OLB – Tree and JL are fine, need a 2nd OLB
CB – in a passing league, you could always use CBs
FS – I think they need one, but apparently Fisher and I disagree.
WR – Britt isn’t a longterm solution, who knows when or if Quick comes back and returns to form. Austin, well Austin is what he is.After the top 2 QBs there isn’t one worth the 12th pick.
No CB, OLB, FS or OC is worth the 12th overall
OG – Schreff if he’s there would be perfect, but I think he’s gone.
WR – White will be there along with ParkerSo to me trade back, gobble up picks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds where the value is.
Make it look something like:
2nd – AJ Cann OG USC
2nd – Sammie Coates/ Rashad Greene / DGB – I don’t have a clearcut favorite in the 2nd round unless Duke Williams comes out.
3rd – Reese Dismukes – OC AU
3rd – Brandon Bridge – QB – South Ala.
4th – Jake Ryan – OLB/ILB Michigan
5th – Ladarius Gunter CB Miami
7th – I do not care…say Kyle Emanuel DE NDSU and FCS defensive player of the year.Again, as of today. All this changes if Cook comes out, Schreff drops, etc…
===========================December 19, 2014 at 7:28 am #14195PA RamParticipantI don’t see a lot of QBs in there.
That would have been nice.
Beyond that I’m all for taking a lineman.
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. " Philip K. Dick
December 19, 2014 at 10:01 am #14214znModeratorIs this a trade down year?
That is, are the positions the Rams interested in deep enough so that they can go down a few notches in round 1.
There’s 2 models for that.
1. The Donald model. As in, Donald is there…do NOT trade down. So if a player you REALLY like is there you take him.
2. The Ogletree model. As in, we can get this lower. Trade down. Pick up another 3rd round pick or something.
December 19, 2014 at 1:03 pm #14224znModeratorfrom off the net
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alyoshamucciHundley can’t do more than 2 reads,If he could, he would have learned by now. He’ll bet eaten alive as a starter in the NFL. He’s a career backup unless that magically disappears.
December 19, 2014 at 1:10 pm #14226wvParticipantHundley can’t do more than 2 reads,If he could, he would have learned by now. He’ll bet eaten alive as a starter in the NFL. He’s a career backup unless that magically disappears.
Sure seems like there is a consensus among the
draftnix that this is a bad year
to be needing a new QB.I guess maybe it was a mistake to pass
on Bridgewater and some of the QBs
Snisher passed on last year.…then again maybe they find a way
to go 16-0 next year with TJ Rubley.
Time will tell.w
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