Even if they sign Foles beyond 2015, I expect Mannion to eventually be better. I am still drafting a QB in the first round next year. It is just too hard to find QBs and there could be as many as 5 first round QBs next year. imo

InvaderRam wrote:

i don’t know what ag is talking about.

lol, that is what they all say. 😉

Cody Wichmann to St. Louis Rams: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown
By Steven Gerwel , Featured Columnist May 2, 2015

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2451741-cody-wichmann-to-st-louis-rams-full-draft-pick-breakdown

The St. Louis Rams are clearly revamping the entire offensive line. With the No. 215 pick in the sixth round, they added Fresno State guard Cody Wichmann.

The Rams are simply fed up with their underperforming offensive line. Since Jeff Fisher’s arrival, the team has been relying on aging veterans (Scott Wells, Jake Long, Davin Joseph) and players with known injury issues (Rodger Saffold).

St. Louis is tired of having half of its offensive line on the injury report by Week 7. In response to this issue, the Rams decided to grab numerous young and healthy linemen in the draft.

They drafted Rob Havenstein of Wisconsin in the second round, followed by Louisville’s Jamon Brown in the third. The team then selected Iowa tackle Andrew Donnal in Round 4.

Apparently, those three players were not enough to satisfy the Rams. The team opted for Wichmann, and it would be wise to assume the Rams will sign multiple rookie free-agent linemen.

The first three linemen drafted were tackles. Brown and Donnal have the potential to play guard, but all three players are better suited as tackles.

Wichmann differs from those three guys since he’s a natural interior guy.

We can’t say for sure that St. Louis has finally fixed its line. However, no one can say it didn’t try.

How Wichmann Fits in with the Rams

As mentioned, Wichmann is a pure interior guy. Guard was a huge need entering the draft, so he was a solid selection.

Havenstein is strictly a right tackle. And as a second-round pick, he’ll be expected to become the Day 1 starter. He won’t be handed the job, but it’ll be a monumental disappointment if he’s not in the starting lineup early on.

With Havenstein on the right edge, that means Brown, Donnal and Wichmann will duke it out over the left guard position.

All three players have experience at tackle, but guard is the bigger need. Greg Robinson will man the left tackle spot, and Saffold will step in at right guard. However, left guard is wide open.

Utilizing the “strength in numbers” strategy with offensive linemen not only creates competition but gives St. Louis depth.

The rookies who fail to earn starting jobs will still be useful as backups. Given the number of injuries the line has suffered in recent years, that’s an important advantage.

Wichmann isn’t as talented physically as his three rookie counterparts, so he’ll likely begin his year as a backup. He isn’t a vicious run-blocker and lacks elite athleticism, but he’s a strong guy who holds his own in pass protection. He’ll need development in the run game, but he’ll keep the quarterback upright.

Initial Reaction and Grade for Wichmann Pick

With three offensive linemen already selected, it would be foolish to state that the Wichmann pick was surprising in any way. The Rams decided to go all-out on the line, so every pick had the potential to be a new lineman.

Many assumed that free agent Joe Barksdale would have re-signed by now, or that the Rams would have inked one or two outside free agents.

When neither of those things happened, it became clear that St. Louis was in a tough position. It wasn’t hard to predict that the Rams would grab numerous linemen.

Rams fans should be thankful the team ignored the common consensus and passed on a lineman in Round 1 for Todd Gurley. Had that not happened, this would have been one boring draft.

While Wichmann isn’t expected to start immediately, he’ll push the other linemen and provide a safety net. He was a smart pickup.

Grade: B
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Andrew Donnal NFL Draft 2015: Scouting Report, Grade for Rams Rookie
By Team Stream Now , B/R Video May 2, 2015

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2415138-andrew-donnal-nfl-draft-2015-scouting-report-grade-for-rams-rookie
STRENGTHS

A grinder at right tackle, Andrew Donnal has the technique and motor you want in a prospect. Donnal is technically smart with a strong, hard burst coming out of the snap. He’s a fighter who looks for contact in the run game, and he shows good hand placement when locking on to defenders. As you’d expect from an Iowa player, Donnal is a well-coached, pro-ready player. He has the length to affect the passing game and can play guard or right tackle in both power- and zone-blocking schemes. Donnal’s instincts are developed, and he won’t get caught waiting or guessing on what to do off the ball.

WEAKNESSES

Donnal wasn’t invited to the Shrine Game or the Senior Bowl, but he was a combine invite. He’s a lean player with a narrow, skinny base and must add power in his foundation to be a better run-blocker at the next level. He’ll struggle to anchor against a bull rush and hasn’t shown the agility to reset his feet and redirect in pass pro.

PRO COMPARISON: Sam Baker, Atlanta Falcons

Donnal may be limited as an athlete, but his strength and technique are good enough for him to play in the NFL for a long time. His upside is comparable to Sam Baker’s, and they’re similar athletes too.

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Andrew Donnal, OT
School: Iowa | Conference: BIG10
College Experience: Senior | Hometown: Monclova, OH
Height/Weight: 6-6 / 313 lbs.
Projected Ranking
Overall Position Proj. Rnd.
217 19 6

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1737214/andrew-donnal

Player Lowdown
Combine Results
40 Yd 20 Yd 10 Yd 225 Bench Vertical jump Broad Shuttle 3-Cone Drill
5.31 3.14 1.92 17 32 8’5″ 4.77 7.84
Workout Results
40 Yd 20 Yd 10 Yd 225 Bench Vertical jump Broad Shuttle 3-Cone Drill
– – – 23 – – – 7.51
Strengths Weaknesses
STRENGTHS: Desired height with workable arm length and hand size. Adequate athlete and set-up quickness. Prefers to use his hands to drive block, keeping his grip inside defenders and shuffling his lower body. Fundamentally sound and well-coached. Uses his length well to initiate the action and seal the edge any way he can. Always looking for someone to block with alert, active eyes. Doesn?t make mental mistakes, staying focused from snap-to-snap. Impressive tenacity through the whistle, displaying the finishing toughness to eliminate his man. Often powers defenders to the ground like a wrestler. Buys into coaching and works hard to hone his craft. Team-first attitude and waited his turn to be the starter.

WEAKNESSES: Leaner-than-ideal and lacks ideal body girth. Narrow base and upright off the snap, making leverage an issue. Can be bullied on his heels and lacks the anchor to absorb bull rushers. Forces his momentum out of his stance, making him susceptible to inside moves, struggling to recover in time. Engages well, but needs to redirect his target and do a better job with angles. Needs to load more ammo into his punch to shock defenders, especially at the second level. Hesitant and needs to speed up his decision-making. Impatient on the edges and finds himself hunched over at the waist. Only one season of true starting experience (16 career starts). Some durability concerns, suffering an ACL injury (Oct. 2012) that ended his sophomore season and bothered him throughout his junior year.

–Dane Brugler
Player Overview
Brandon Scherff and Donnal both arrived at Iowa as part of the 2010 Hawkeyes recruiting class, which was also the last year the school produced two offensive tackle picks in the same NFL Draft (Bryan Bulaga, Kyle Calloway). Scherff and Donnal both suffered serious injuries in 2012, but Scherff rebounded quickly and became an All-American. Donnal wasn?t as lucky, but finally got his chance to be the starter in 2014 and started every game at right tackle, limiting mistakes and showing consistent improvement. He has good initial quickness, but struggles to keep that same lateral momentum in his kickslide to cut off speed, forcing him to lunge and overextend at the waist. Donnal shows very little semblance of a punch, but takes pride in his technique and has the work ethic and attitude that makes him compatible with NFL coaches and a possible late round developmental option.

A four-star offensive tackle recruit out of high school, Andrew Donnal narrowed his college choice to Michigan, Michigan State, Maryland, Virginia and Iowa, committing the Hawkeyes and redshirting in 2010. He saw limited snaps as a redshirt freshman in 2011 and filled in as a starter at right guard for three games in 2012 before suffering a season-ending injury. Donnal was a versatile back-up in 2013 as a junior as he recovered from injury, but didn?t start any games. He took over the right tackle duties as a senior and started all 13 games in 2014, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honors.

Player News
05/05/2015 – The Rams then followed up on the third day by picking Iowa tackle Andrew Donnal in the fourth round and Fresno State guard Cody Wichmann in the sixth round. Donnal is yet another Rams pick that suffered a torn ACL although his was during the 2012 season. He had played in the first four games of the season and then became a starter at right guard. Early in that third start, he tore the ACL, but was able to come back to play in the season opener the next season. He didn’t start at all in 2013, but played at both guard and tackle. Last season, he started all 13 games at right tackle, and rarely missed a snap.

Donnal also fits what the Rams were looking for in their linemen. After being asked to describe himself, he said, “I view myself as a blue-collar grinder. I’m a guy that’s going to come out and work my ass off every day to be the best that I can possibly be. I thoroughly enjoy juts playing football, being an offensive lineman and moving the guy from point A to point B against his will. Protecting the quarterback and mauling inside. There’s nothing better.” As Fisher said of the draft haul, “It’s been a long time coming, particularly because of the needs. After Todd, our focus went to the big guys. All of them finish; that’s the thing we really like. They’re downfield, they’re pushing people over piles, they’re aggressive and they’re finishing. As Les (general manager Les Snead) said about Cody, ‘If you’re somewhere in the vicinity, he’s gonna hit you.’ There’s some contact involved, and that’s the mindset that we need to carry forward. But it’s also not something that we have to teach; it’s the way they play right now.” When it was suggested that the Rams made as many choices as they did on the line hoping that some work out, Fisher took exception to that notion. “We didn’t throw darts now,” he said. “We think these guys can play.” – The Sports Xchange

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Andrew Donnal to St. Louis Rams: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown
By Steven Gerwel , Featured Columnist May 2, 2015

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http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2451371-andrew-donnal-to-st-louis-rams-full-draft-pick-breakdown

The final day of the 2015 NFL draft is underway. With the No. 119 pick in the fourth round, the St. Louis Rams selected Iowa offensive lineman Andrew Donnal.

St. Louis’ strategy for this draft was to repair the offense, particularly the offensive line and run game. Without a doubt, the Rams have delivered.

They used the No. 10 pick on elite running back Todd Gurley. That was St. Louis’ luxury pick, and Gurley finally gives Jeff Fisher a true workhorse back. What Eddie George was to Fisher’s Tennessee Titans, Gurley will be expected to be for the Rams.

However, the Gurley pick will be wasted if the run blocking does not improve. For that reason, St. Louis has used the majority of its picks on linemen.

The team grabbed Wisconsin tackle Rob Havenstein in Round 2 and Louisville lineman Jamon Brown in the third round.

Donnal is yet another guy capable of stepping in and competing for playing time in training camp.

The Rams also selected quarterback Sean Mannion in Round 3, so this draft has been entirely dedicated to the offense.

As much as that must kill a defensive coach like Fisher, it was a necessary strategy.

How Andrew Donnal Fits in With the Rams

The selections of Havenstein and Brown were all about finding immediate contributors capable of boosting the ground game.

Both players will step in and immediately create run lanes for Gurley and Tre Mason. With no elite receivers and a mediocre passing attack, the Rams will need a high-end rushing game to become competitive on offense.

Still, the Rams were in need of a guy capable of keeping new Rams quarterback Nick Foles upright. Donnal should be that guy.

He is not a mauler in the run game. He’s not incompetent in that area, but he lacks the raw strength and athleticism to push around NFL defensive linemen.

On the plus side, he possesses great size (6’6″, 313 pounds) and uses his mechanics to best defenders. He’s a capable pass-blocker and doesn’t get overrun by pass-rushing ends. He’ll keep Foles upright and clean.

Donnal will require some development before he’s totally confident at the NFL level, but that’s not a major issue.

He was a 13-game starter at right tackle for Iowa last season. He doesn’t have much starting experience prior to 2014, but he received playing time at both tackle and guard before taking over as a starter.

Havenstein will take over the right tackle position. As a second-round pick, he’ll be expected to step in and start from day one.

As for the opening at left guard, it’s likely that Donnal and Brown will duke it out. Brown has more experience than Donnal and should be the favorite, but that will be settled on the practice field.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Initial Reaction and Grade for Donnal Pick

The Rams are returning just two starters from the 2014 line (Greg Robinson, Rodger Saffold). Drafting a third offensive lineman might seem like overkill, but it really isn’t. It was a necessary blueprint for this year’s draft.

The Rams cannot simply assume that Havenstein and Brown will excel and immediately develop into starters. There’s strength in numbers, so St. Louis knew it had to add another lineman to increase competition.

Also, it’s not about the starters alone. The Rams are also in need of depth on the line. Even if Donnal doesn’t win a starting job, he’ll provide some promising depth.

The St. Louis offensive line has been held back in recent years by injured and aging veterans. The Rams needed young, healthy bodies for the offensive line, and they’ve accomplished that.

Grade: A-

Had to take a shot at this one. Ima athlete baby! One glove shawty ! @switz03 one time for u bro #RamsNation

A video posted by Stedman Bailey (@iamsbxii) on May 6, 2015 at 10:30am PDT

clip of Bailey catching ball while doing back flip

I broke out the video of Havenstein against Gregory.

By my count, we can sign 4 more players to reach the roster limit of 90. I am waiting until some of this stuff is more official before I do a depth chart/roster.

Syracuse LB Cameron Lynch (6-0, 231) joins Rams as rookie free agent. He had 97 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 7 sacks in '14. Team captain.

— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) May 4, 2015

I thought the Rams handled the draft well. Gurley is a real playmaker. If they want to gamble on his injury that is OK with me. They got continuity on the Oline. They did it with players that fit their scheme. They got a second QB. It was him or Grayson and Grayson was gone. I don’t think they could afford to bet on a spread QB. That was all boxes ticked. Then they got some help in the later rounds. The fact that this was an overall down year in the draft means the result is a B, cause it was an A effort with B players. They might not get Mannion if they don’t get the extra 3 in the trade down of pick 41. They still got 2 of the guys they had in the group at 41 after the trade down. It is just the players were a scheme fit, not a follow a popular mock pick. imo

for now, Gurley better be plenty good. And plenty good right away. Because in an already-stacked backfield, he looks like a luxury pick right now.

This draft is more about 2016, 17, and 18. imo
You have to start somewhere and even if you use rookies, these are about as NFL ready for rookies as you can get. They all started 40 or more games and have good technique. I can live that. The sooner they play, the sooner they get better. We can still add some vets if we want to. We have a bit of cap space.

I guess if we drafted Marshall Faulk, that would be luxury pick too. 😉