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Billy_TParticipantAm I just colored by bias, or do the Rams give away valuable assets for pocket change?
It’s not bias, IMO. I think McSnead have a tendency to take too little for Rams in trade, and pay too much for other teams’ wares, including draft picks.
Jones is a solid starting linebacker, who played very well for the Rams. Chosen in the 3rd round, he at least played up to that slot and is still young. He’s easily worth more than a pick swap, late-rounder. I’d say at least a 3rd on its own. At least.
Billy_TParticipantI’d take Donald as well. But Faulk was amazing. Not so much in the playoffs, though. He seemed less effective in the postseason. Not sure why. Probably the D was even more focused on nullifying his game.
Another reason to take Donald: more likely to give you more years. Unless this is build-a-team for just one season, you’re likely to have Donald at his peak for longer.
Billy_TParticipantFrom the late 1960s thru the 1980s, with just a few lost years here and there . . . they were great in the trenches, on both sides of the ball.
I’ve posted this before but I enjoy repeating it. There is at least one Ram offensive lineman in the pro bowl every single season from 1967 until 1990. That’s 12 different pro-bowl lineman across 24 consecutive years. In fact the 68 line had 4 pro bowlers, as did the 78 line and the 85 line.
Thanks, ZN.
Hope they can get back to that. A bunch of Pro Bowlers in the trenches would be great. That’s the way to build a Super Bowl winner.
Billy_TParticipanti don’t think i’m going on a limb when i say avila goes into this season with the most potential of any center the rams have had in the past 30 years.
Since Doug Smith retired after 1991. And Avila is both more athletic than Smith and weighs in at 73 pounds more. 😲
Smith was a good one. Rich Saul, too. The Rams used to have excellent O-lines, consistently, with several players making the Pro Bowl each season. From the late 1960s thru the 1980s, with just a few lost years here and there . . . they were great in the trenches, on both sides of the ball.
Avila has Pro Bowl potential at guard, and he’s supposed to be better at center than guard. Yep. This should be the best line they’ve had in a long time. That means Stafford should be at his best, the receivers have time to get open, and Williams and Corum have room to run.
Billy_TParticipantThe stat on protecting the QB: pretty big factor in getting to the playoffs, right? The Super Bowl winner placed second.
The team with the best overall stats, offense and defense, isn’t always the winner, of course. No guarantees that regular season success translates post-season. But the eventual winner tends to rank highly, at least in certain areas. They likely have at least a solid defense, do well on third down conversions, and protect the QB. The latter also usually means the QB stays healthy, which is vital for wins, especially post-season.
Would be interesting to see someone review stats for the last ten years, and see if there’s any general correlation. Most important stats, etc. etc.
Of course, the game has changed. A great running attack once was a critical indicator. Not so much any more. Though I’d bet it matters even now during a playoff run.
Hope all is well —
Billy_TParticipantI like the pick, but as others have mentioned, I think they gave up too much to get him. At that point in the draft, it’s all too likely they could have found a player who helps them just as much as Fiske, if not more, holding onto their spot. But the Rams obviously wanted that particular player, and if he lives up to their eval, tough to argue with that strategy.
Other negatives for me are his age, and arm length. If the Rams make it to the playoffs in his rookie year, he’ll be 25. But that’s more and more what the Rams want in their players. At least in the McSnead era. They go for the maturity.
Also like their focus on the D overall.
Smart.
Billy_TParticipantThanks for the concern, folks. I had some health stuff to deal with, and am still in recovery mode. Not going to post a lot here or elsewhere for a bit, but may throw in my two cents about the draft down thread.
Hope all of you are well.
Billy_TParticipantSorry to hear about that. Jack was one of a kind, and he’ll be missed.
Hope all is well with the rest of you guys.
Take care, everyone!
Billy_TParticipantSad to see him go, but I understand it. The game takes an incredible toll on these players, and he left it all on the field, as they say. Ten years! He planned this well, stayed with the same franchise, and won the Super Bowl, along with pretty much every award a defender can get.
Rams can’t “replace” him, but if they scheme and coach and draft and develop well . . . they can find ways to match his production via two or more players. It’s too much to expect to do that with just one guy.
Deacon, AD, Merlin, Jack Youngblood. There’s my all-time Front Four.
Billy_TParticipantThanks for posting the new pick order.
It looks like they did slightly better with the 3rd rounder than we thought (98), a tad better with one of the sixth round comp picks (209), but one sixer looks like it slipped into the 7th (254). Or I may just be confused by the entire process!
;>)
Signing Dotson gives them some breathing room. I’d still draft a guard/center or two, but a bit later. I think corner and edge go to the top of the mountain now. If Dallas Turner is there at #19, the Rams should pounce. If for some reason there’s been a real run on corners and edges, and the best are gone, trade down a bit and grab that huge center Invader mentioned.
Would also love to see the Rams draft Jaylen Wright as RB2, but I think his strong performance at the Combine ended any chance of him being a later round sleeper. I thought he’d run in the 4.3s, and he did. Looks like he’s put on good weight, too. Up to 210. Since the Rams don’t have a 4th, he’s likely gone by the time they draft in the 5th. But if the Rams think RB2 is a big enough need for #98, it wouldn’t upset me, though that might be a good spot for Theo Johnson, the TE. Or perhaps Junior Colson, linebacker.
It’s a strong draft. They should do just fine.
Billy_TParticipantThis continues to look like the best O-line draft in ages, at least at the top, and that’s an obvious position of need for the Rams. Not so sure about “depth,” but there are all kinds of elite guys who seem to be switching places as the best of the best. It’s also among the best ever for wideouts at the top, especially size/speed freaks. As with the O-line, I don’t see the depth of previous years, but the top guys are more numerous. Stronger at the top for QBs as well, and corners. Depth falls off even moreso there. Which means if the Rams stick at 19, they’ll get a really good player. Good shot at Pro-Bowl type. They’d have to work hard not to. Edges would be a huge plus, too, relative to other years, if not for this (IMO): The top guys aren’t that big, and Latu has injury concerns. Apparently, he’s all clear from the neck injury that forced his early retirement, but that it happened it all would scare me as a GM. For his health, more than anything else.
My own view: Rams should not draft a QB in Round One. They have too many other immediate needs. Draft a backup later, re-sign Wentz, or trade for Zach Wilson. Don’t spend the first on Bo Nix. Go corner, edge, o-line, especially. Wideout, perhaps, if they trade down and add picks. But I think they need to upgrade both lines and corners first.
Billy_TParticipantI’d be happy with the Powers-Johnson choice, too. They obviously need a center. But not at #19. I think the Rams could trade down a few spots and still get him. Just moving back to #24 or #25 could give them an extra pick in the #86/88 range, plus a late 7th, perhaps.
They need to be open to move down, if the elite guys at their need-positions are off the board. Taking a center after a trade? I’d be fine with that. But, again, still hoping they can find a game-changing corner, edge, or tackle, etc.
Billy_TParticipantSaw the results online (not “live”) soon after they happened. Unlike past years, though, didn’t get to watch many of the on-field drills, which can be enlightening. Anyway, it looks like mph is integrating well with the 40 time, as they’re using it to measure the kids during their 40, the gauntlet drills, and go-routes too. That’s smart. Down-side, of course, is they don’t have full gear on.
Some surprises: I thought Brenden Rice would fly in the 40, the 10-yard split, and pretty much everything else. Something must have happened to him between the time he clocked above 23mph in pads to now. He was also in the 1.4s for his 10 when Feldman put him on his freak’s list. Someone that fast, in game gear, should run better than 4.5 in gym clothes, and his combine 1.55 split doesn’t track, either.
Combine testing still has its place, and should be used as a part of overall eval. But I’d bet no team uses it as its primary metric any longer, if they ever did.
Quinyon Mitchell* would be a great 1st rounder. Could be the Rams’ lock-down corner for years. But I’d take Dallas Turner, the edge rusher, before him, if he falls. But that’s unlikely. He’s probably Top Ten. Hoping the rumors of the Rams being infatuated with Xavier Worthy are just rumors. His 4.21 doesn’t help make up for his 165 pounds, and his frame doesn’t look like he can add much more weight. I think that would be a terrible 1st rounder. They also reportedly love Rome Odunze, but he has great size, good speed, catch-radius, etc. Wrong round for the Rams to take a receiver, given their other needs, regardless.
*Max Melton is another corner who looks like he could really help the Rams.
Billy_TParticipantIt’s weird that it worked out this way for me, but I’m a diehard SF Giants fan, since the days of Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Juan Marichal. In baseball, the Dodgers are the bad guys for me, and this year I can’t stand that they’re buying a championship. Not fair!!
I get the “buying a championship” accusation, but it’s not really true. The Dodgers currently stand at 4th in MLB for homegrown talent (i.e. from their own farm system) on their roster. And the Dodgers did not outbid other teams for Ohtani and Yamamoto. For both players, there were larger offers on the table that they declined in order to sign with LA. Just sayin’. JoeMad is also a Giants fan, btw. And maybe OzoneRanger. The 9ers may have a down year next year. We can always hope so. It takes a lot out of a team to work their butts off for one goal from July through February, only to have it crumble in seconds. For some guys, hitting the weight room and film study with the same amount of energy might be hard to do. It would be different if you weren’t expected to be there in the first place, but the 9ers had this thing in their reach all season long, and they all believed it was their year. That has to be harder to bounce back from.
Yeah, I have to admit the Dodgers have a very strong farm system, and have for a long time. The Giants can’t really compete with them there, at least not yet. And they were in the running for both Ohtani and Yamamoto too. But they keep losing out on the big names, year after year.
I can understand it for hitters. Giants stadium isn’t very friendly. But pitchers should want to come to SF. And the Giants have a good track record of getting strong, come-back years from slightly older pitchers . . . but they also tend to sign them to two-year contracts with one year being optional — and then lose them again.
Anyway, the Dodgers are arguably the best team in baseball going into this season, at least on paper. My Giants are looking like a slightly better than middling team, with a frustratingly long road to hoe, even within that division.
It is what it is. Hope you and yours are well.
Billy_TParticipantGood to hear, Zooey. That’s to be expected. Exceptions exist, of course, but the trend is for the losing team in the Super Bowl to decline the following year. And the season is just so long now. Incredibly grueling for the players. It’s actually amazing that KC returned this season.
And it seems the NFL isn’t finished yet, milking all of this to the max. A game in Brazil, and a likely extension to 18 games on the horizon. Money money money and more money. To hell with the quality of the game and the health of the players, of course.
I know it sounds like “get off my lawn” stuff, but I really think the game would be a hell of a lot better, more enjoyable, and healthier for the players if they went back to 14 games, no Thursdays, no Sunday nights or Mondays. End the exhibition season entirely, and force every team to plant real grass. No more turf.
Focus on making Sundays essential, much-watch, etc. And, finally, offer a team-only package for fans, at much, much lower prices than all out-of-market games. I’d plop down a bit to see all the Rams games. I don’t need to watch the other teams . . .
But don’t do the usual capitalist BS and create artificial scarcity. Offer up the rights to all the networks, streaming services, and so on. Not exclusively. All of them. Give fans the benefits of real competition. It’s supposed to be better than sliced bread, right?
Billy_TParticipantOh, and I watched the game via regular, old-school TV. Rabbit ears, etc. Made me feel somewhat virtuous. At least in an immediate sense, it was “free,” and the picture quality was actually better than streaming the game.
Anyone else wonder about KC’s issues on the sidelines? They seem to have a lot of outbursts between players, or players and coaches. That tends to be the case with losing teams, not contenders for the crown.
Billy_TParticipantZooey,
I think it was the right decision for the reasons you mentioned, and cuz KC’s defense was gassed, too. Both sides were.
Glad the 49ers lost, of course. I think it helps the Rams next year, cuz the losing team tends to have a down year. But I begrudgingly have to admit they have a very good team, very good coaches, staff, etc.
It’s weird that it worked out this way for me, but I’m a diehard SF Giants fan, since the days of Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Juan Marichal. In baseball, the Dodgers are the bad guys for me, and this year I can’t stand that they’re buying a championship. Not fair!!
In football and basketball, I flip the script.
A bit of schadenfreude is also in order due to the crazy-tree folks and their Taylor Swift lunacy. :>)
Billy_TParticipantAlso: If the Rams want to take a gamble on greatness at tackle, there’s Kingsley Suamataia (BYU), who may be the most athletically gifted, freakish linemen his size in a generation. Right now, he’s probably a late 1st, early 2nd rounder, so McSnead might hear some screams from the fanbase if they stick and pick him at #19. Trade down, and it makes a ton of sense. He may need a redshirt year, but you just don’t find many human beings who can beat 21mph on the GPS tracker at 6’6″, 318. He did that last year, according to Bruce Feldman’s freak list . . . and is up to 325 now. Incredibly strong, agile, etc.
if he is that i don’t think he’ll be available late first or second. but then. maybe someone will be willing to trade up to get him giving the rams the opportunity to pick up another draft pick. or they just pick him at 19.
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This is pre-Combine, of course, so it’s highly provisional. But here’s the average slotting for offensive tackles at the moment:
https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/big-boards/2024/consensus-big-board-2024?pos=OT
Joe Alt OT Notre Dame
Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT Penn State
Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon State
JC Latham OT Alabama
Amarius Mims OT Georgia
Troy Fautanu OT Washington
Tyler Guyton OT Oklahoma
Jordan Morgan OT Arizona
Kingsley Suamataia OT BYU
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Obviously, they’re not all gonna be chosen in the 1st round. Several will fall to the 2nd. Also, Latham is basically only a right tackle, unless he drops 30 pounds or so. He’s freakish, too, at 360. Suamataia and the rest should be able to play either tackle spot.
Billy_TParticipantRiffing off of Jeremiah’s comment a bit:
I definitely think the Rams should draft several O-line guys. One can debate when. But they should stock up. The depth is there, and it would also give them added flexibility to further strengthen the line in “outside the box” ways. For instance, some scouts think Avila would be better at center than guard, and a likely All Pro there. He’s very good at guard right now, and there’s the “aint broke” risk of moving him. But if the Rams draft, say, two guards with starter potential, they could move Avila to center, get much bigger and tougher up the middle, and protect Stafford more at the same time. Ideally, they’d grab a tackle or two as well. Perhaps slot two early picks for tackle and guard, and two later picks for the same combo. Or, just one scheme versatile player late, followed by seriously aggressive and swift UDFA signings. IMO, they let a lot of talent slip away after the draft last year.
Right now, no center appears to warrant a pick before the 3rd round. But there are several guards who probably do, and even more tackles. This may be the deepest draft for good to elite tackles in years, and IMO, the Rams would be foolish to pass on all of them. Then again, they’d be foolish to pass on good to elite corners, and good to elite edges, and they just don’t have the picks to upgrade all of those spots.
As much as I love the draft, and playing amateur GM, I have no doubt that it must be damn hard to actually run one in the real world. All of it is really a gamble, and no player is a sure thing. So ya gotta play the percentages, and remember Heisenberg’s Uncertainty principle, which has always applied to NFL team-building, whether people realize it or not.
;>)
Billy_TParticipantAgain, I’m not sure if teams still use this, but here’s a pretty good trade value chart, based on the Jimmy Johnson model:
https://www.drafttek.com/nfl-trade-value-chart.asp
Also just a guess: The team that calls around to make a trade is probably at a bit of a disadvantage, when it comes to making deals. The team fielding calls probably gets the better deal, especially in Round One.
Billy_TParticipantby the way billy t. espn has kingsley going on the second round so he might be there. this might be the draft for the rams to hand pick their left tackle of the future. that same mock draft shows dejean being available at 19 who i’d love to see on the rams as well.
My preference is for the Rams to trade down a bit. If Green Bay would move up from 25, the trade value chart gives the Rams #88 and #203 too. With the 1st pick, they could still grab a top tackle, or corner, probably a top edge at that slot.
Cooper DeJean is highly thought of. Big, athletic corner. But I think I’d take Quinyon Mitchell over him, at least now. Gotta hear more ab0ut medicals, interviews, and testing stuff, etc.
As mentioned, other tie-breakers for me are age, team captain, freak list, etc.
Billy_TParticipantJust a guess, but they’re not gonna all go in the 1st. Too many of them.
you know who i like on that list? tyler guyton. converted from defensive tackle. probably a bit of a project but had a fantastic senior bowl practice. don’t know about his speed but big and long.
Ageed. Guyton has a lot of fans among scouts too. He’s very athletic as well. But, yes, some are saying he’s a bit of a project, as you mention. He might do well playing initially as a right tackle, then switching over to the left side. Who knows?
I just wish this was the year the Rams had three 1st rounders, like in 2001, when they picked Lewis, Archuleta, and Pickett. They could draft a franchise tackle, edge, and corner — arguably their top needs. If one of those picks were early enough, they could probably trade down, pick up another second, and have five picks in the first two rounds. :>) With that bounty, they could double up on corners, and go with best available safety, running back, or wideout, perhaps.
Yeah, I know. Draft nerd stuff. But it’s fun to play amateur GM.
Billy_TParticipantInvader,
I tried to respond to your post yesterday, but it was blocked, probably cuz of the link. So I’ll just post the names alone. As in, right now (pre-Combine, pro days, etc.), this is an average of the slotting for the offensive tackles. Just a guess, but they’re not gonna all go in the 1st. Too many of them.
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Joe Alt OT Notre Dame
Olumuyiwa Fashanu OT Penn State
Taliese Fuaga OT Oregon State
JC Latham OT Alabama
Amarius Mims OT Georgia
Troy Fautanu OT Washington
Tyler Guyton OT Oklahoma
Jordan Morgan OT Arizona
Kingsley Suamataia OT BYU
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Latham is a bit different, in that he really can only play right tackle, unless he drops weight from 360. But, sheesh. Who’s gonna want to face him, when he’s leading the charge on a running play? The others likely can play both. Most, however, are seen as franchise left tackles.
Billy_TParticipantThanks for that though personally, I’m not up enough on this draft to be able to say much. I do have a question. I’ve heard that this is an unusually loaded draft. Have you hear that?
Yes. So far, it appears to be very strong, with a lot of talent available mid to late when the Rams usually do their best work. But this is the year to have multiple early picks, too. Cuz there seems to be a fall off in elite talent quickly at edge and tackle, especially, which is actually kinda normal. A fall off for tight ends, too. Really just two special guys: Brock Bowers and Ja’Tavion Sanders.
The Rams can find starters at corner and safety, most likely, through 4 rounds . . . Later may get dicey. Linebackers through five. I think some promising edges will still be there in the #160-170s, like Cedric Johnson and Brennan Jackson. And if the Rams want to get some Braveheart action, there’s the aptly named Braiden McGregor from Michigan.
Of course, it’s still too early to know how teams will stack their boards. They change dramatically after the Combine and Pro Days — generally speaking, more outside the Top 50 than inside it, with a few exceptions. One of the players I’m seeing making a crazy jump up boards already is Darius Robinson, from Missouri, who’s gone from a likely 4th or 5th rounder to a possible 1st, with a lot of help from the Senior Bowl. He’d be excellent for the Rams cuz he can play all across the line, including edge. A legit 6’5″, nearly 290. Probably could lose or gain weight as needed.
Also: If the Rams want to take a gamble on greatness at tackle, there’s Kingsley Suamataia (BYU), who may be the most athletically gifted, freakish linemen his size in a generation. Right now, he’s probably a late 1st, early 2nd rounder, so McSnead might hear some screams from the fanbase if they stick and pick him at #19. Trade down, and it makes a ton of sense. He may need a redshirt year, but you just don’t find many human beings who can beat 21mph on the GPS tracker at 6’6″, 318. He did that last year, according to Bruce Feldman’s freak list . . . and is up to 325 now. Incredibly strong, agile, etc.
Anyway, yeah, this is looking like a very good draft, and it would have been even deeper if several top 100 prospects had entered the draft, as expected. The Portal and NIL money have changed things a good bit for college kids.
Billy_TParticipantAlso:
The mock simulator for the Rams doesn’t include the 3rd round comp for Morris yet. Draft order overall will likely change in a month or so, here and there.
Billy_TParticipantBurton gives them a true vertical threat, with Brandin Cooks speed. A bit bigger, but still should add some good weight.
Drafted two corners in a row cuz the Rams need them, and the “value” was there. My guess is the Rams won’t do that.
Braelon Allen is a monstrous running back. Roughly 6’2″, 245. Should run under 4.5. Could really help Rams in short yardage/goal line, and punish defenses late in the game, especially. Drafted another RB, Jaylen Wright, primarily cuz he’s a 4.3 guy and just 21 for the season. Decent size at 210. Rams haven’t had that kind of back since Gurley.
James Williams is a huge safety, nearly 6’5″, and I think the Rams would love moving him around, playing DB and linebacker. Good athlete for his size, too.
Trevin Wallace is a freakish athlete, which they need at linebacker. Big enough to play some edge, too, though I drafted two of them.
I think they likely get 10 guys from this group, at least, who can contribute as rookies. The two corners should start. Williams and Wallace, too.
Billy_TParticipantMy latest mock draft. One of my best. As per usual, the normal, regular caveats apply. Not likely to have so many trade opportunities, especially. But, what the hey. It’s fantasy GM stuff, and the trades were all by the book.
I traded down a lot. Waited to see who was available, and if there were plenty of guys who could help the Rams (clustered), I dropped down but stayed within that bloc. Didn’t always work. But it usually did.
______Trade Recap
Los Angeles Receives:
2024: Round 1, Pick 25
2024: Round 3, Pick 88
2024: Round 6, Pick 203
Green Bay Receives:
2024: Round 1, Pick 19
Los Angeles Receives:
2024: Round 1, Pick 28
2024: Round 4, Pick 128
2024: Round 6, Pick 197
2024: Round 7, Pick 245
Buffalo Receives:
2024: Round 1, Pick 25
Los Angeles Receives:
2024: Round 1, Pick 30
2024: Round 4, Pick 133
2024: Round 7, Pick 247
Baltimore Receives:
2024: Round 1, Pick 28
Los Angeles Receives:
2024: Round 2, Pick 55
2024: Round 5, Pick 156
2024: Round 7, Pick 238
Miami Receives:
2024: Round 2, Pick 52
____My Selections:
30
Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
CB | Missouri LogoMissouriTRADE55
T.J. Tampa
CB | Iowa State LogoIowa StateTRADE83
Zak Zinter
IOL | Michigan LogoMichigan88
Jermaine Burton
WR | Alabama LogoAlabamaTRADE128
Braelon Allen
RB | Wisconsin LogoWisconsinTRADE133
James Williams
S | Miami (FL) LogoMiami (FL)TRADE152
Javon Solomon
EDGE | Troy LogoTroy153
Jaylen Wright
RB | Tennessee LogoTennessee156
Ben Sinnott
TE | Kansas State LogoKansas StateTRADE176
Trevin Wallace
LB | Kentucky LogoKentucky190
Gabe Hall
DL | Baylor LogoBaylor197
Cedric Johnson
EDGE | Mississippi LogoMississippiTRADE203
Kitan Oladapo
S | Oregon State LogoOregon StateTRADE211
Ethan Driskell
OT | Marshall LogoMarshall216
Layden Robinson
IOL | Texas A&M LogoTexas A&M217
Javon Baker
WR | UCF LogoUCF238
A.J. Barner
TE | Michigan LogoMichiganTRADE245
Drake Nugent
IOL | Michigan LogoMichiganTRADE247
M.J. Devonshire
CB | Pittsburgh LogoPittsburghTRADEBilly_TParticipantI liked it better when the Rams were supposed to have 60 million in cap space.
Billy_TParticipantOh, and at 19, if they stick, they may well be able to land one of the blue-chip edges. Dallas Turner would be my choice if he’s there, but he probably won’t be. Chop Robinson is more likely. Then there’s a new tier.
Second tier, I like Adisa Isaac. He’s looking like a 3rd rounder at the moment, but, again, combine, pro days, interviews, med evals, could alter that. First round is too soon for him — at least as of now.
As ZN has mentioned before, Rams tend to draft better late, perhaps because coaches (roughly speaking) have more input early, then scouts take over. How will Shula impact the process this time? Will he push for this or that position early? Rams can’t get their premier LT, edge, corners, safety, guard, center, TE, runner, all in the same draft. So they’re going to have to triage, prioritize. Who gets to make that call, and in what order? McVay, Snead, coordinators, position coaches, then scouts? And so on . . .
I’d like to see a trade down, but stay in the 1st, unless Turner is on the board. This trade works with the value chart, but Green Bay probably wouldn’t do it:
Rams give GB #19 in exchange for #25, #88, and #203. At #25, they could grab a very good corner or OT. The premier edges are likely to be off the board . . .
Billy_TParticipantOn the surface, this isn’t an “exciting” choice. But it seems like a smart one. Shula, as others have mentioned, will provide continuity, and I like the promotion from within. Aubrey Pleasant might have been the better choice along those lines, but we’ll see. Shula definitely has the DNA for coaching, and the experience. The key will be if he can innovate and adjust on the fly, and inspire the players.
This is a big switch for McVay, in that he’s known for finding/hiring wunderkind coaches outside the building, and then they get poached by other teams soon after. Shula, apparently, was being sought after as well, but there wasn’t the same kind of buzz as we’ve seen with other Rams coaches, past and present.
Main thing is that the Rams load up on defense this off-season. They desperately need upgrades at both corner spots, at least one safety, and at least one edge. I’d prefer two or three. Edge depth in this draft is solid, and they can find some high upside folks late, like Cedric Johnson, Austin Booker, Jaylen Harrell, Brennan Jackson, and Braiden McGregor, though time will tell if “sleepers” move up in the draft and lose that status. One player who is drawing a lot of interest, primarily because he’s athletic enough to play DT and Edge, is Darius Robinson. His slotting is all over the map in recent mocks. Anywhere from 3rd to 6th round grades, with one pundit saying if he tests well, he could move into 1st round territory.
Anyway . . . the Shula pick is solid, not spectacular, at least on paper. Shula, McVay, and the rest of the Rams can make it a fantastic choice come September.
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