McVay: Rams’ 2nd- and 3rd-round picks ‘exactly what we wanted’

By Alden Gonzalez

http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles-rams/post/_/id/33672/mcvay-rams-2nd-and-3rd-round-picks-exactly-what-we-wanted

The Los Angeles Rams turned two picks into three on Friday. They addressed their most glaring needs, at tight end, receiver and safety. And shortly after they were finished, new head coach Sean McVay was saying that Gerald Everett, Cooper Kupp and John Johnson represented “kind of exactly what we wanted to come out of tonight with.”

“We know we got better at three spots,” McVay told local reporters from the Rams’ facility late Friday night, moments after the second and third round came to an end. “Those are high-character guys that will get us better.”

The Rams sat out Thursday’s first round for the first time since 1987, a product of the 2016 trade that allowed them to draft Jared Goff first overall — and then they went about getting Goff more weapons.

When they were finally on the clock with the 37th overall pick, receiver Zay Jones and guard Forrest Lamp — two players heavily linked to the Rams heading in — remained on the board. Instead, the Rams traded down with the Bills for the 44th spot, netting an additional third-round pick in the process. Then they selected Everett, an explosive, 6-foot-3, 239-pound pass-catching tight end out of South Alabama who can help stretch the field.

“I have a feeling that Gerald’s one of Sean’s favorite players in the draft,” Rams general manager Les Snead said, and that shouldn’t surprise anyone who paid attention to last year’s Redskins.

With McVay as offensive coordinator, those Redskins led the NFL in yards by tight ends. He needed more help at that position for the Rams, especially after cutting ties with veteran Lance Kendricks. So Everett became the third tight end drafted by the Rams in 12 months, joining Tyler Higbee and Temarrick Hemingway. The Rams’ new coaches are seemingly high on all three of them, enough so that McVay even talked about running 13-personnel packages that involve one running back, one receiver and three tight ends.

Everett, who didn’t get serious about football until his senior year of high school, believes he brings “the complete package of a tight end.”

“Definitely a vertical threat first,” he said, “but also being a willing blocker in the run game. Just being able to create that mismatch at any point of time in the game.”

With the 69th overall pick in the third round, the Rams took Kupp, a sure-handed — though not physically overwhelming — slot receiver out of Eastern Washington who finished his collegiate career with 15 FCS records. Twenty-two slots after that came Johnson, who excelled as both a free safety and a slot corner at Boston College. Johnson will join the Rams as a safety, but can also be an asset as a special-teams gunner and will provide immediate depth for a Rams secondary that has as many as six upcoming free agents.

Johnson, 6-foot and 208 pounds, believes he fits best as a safety, “although I think I have a corner body type.”

He intercepted six passes over the last two years against stiff competition.

“I think the ACC is the best college football conference in America,” Johnson said. “We have various polls that say it’s the best competition.”

Everett and Kupp can’t say the same, and it clouds their numbers a bit. Everett, who bounced around early in college, caught 90 passes for 1,292 yards and 12 touchdowns over his last two years at South Alabama, being named All-Sun Belt Conference at the end of each season. Kupp had 6,464 receiving yards in his college career, more than any collegiate player at any level. Don’t try to tell him those numbers are diluted, either.

“If people want to question that, that’s fine,” Kupp said. “I’m just going to go and do what I do, and I believe that that opinion will change soon.”

The Rams scouted Everett and Cooper at the Senior Bowl in January and saw them up close during private workouts last week. McVay identified them as “guys that can separate and catch the football” and noted big performances against tough opponents. He mentioned Kupp’s 246-yard, three-touchdown game against Oregon in 2015. And he alluded to Everett’s impact against Ole Miss to start the 2016 season, when he caught for 95 yards and the winning touchdown.

The Rams identified Everett as a potential target two years ago.

They liked him enough to disregard whatever was available to them at 37th overall.

“If you ever have an early second-round pick, it’s a good spot to be in,” Snead said. “Usually there are a lot of teams that want to move up, and we felt like that was going to occur. And throughout the day it did. Basically, based on what we did last year, we felt like adding more picks to the stock was a smart move.

Asked about Kupp, Ebukam said "He just grinds mentally, kind of like I do… This is the only guy on the team who can work as hard as me."

— Joe Curley (@vcsjoecurley) April 29, 2017

Deadpool wrote:

Samson Ebukam Profile

He fits the size Bum likes in his rush OLBers.

I actually have seem him play, when he played against the Bison last year. What I scribbled from that game. (I was taking notes on Cooper Kupp tbh )

Played DE with hand in the dirt.
High motor
made a handful of tackles
Bison seemed to make sure they had bodies on him.
Speed to power guy that played sideline to sideline
too small to be a DE.

So thats my notes from a NDSU game a couple of years ago. Seems like a reach, but I have no idea how much he improved thru the season. (it was the season opener if I recall )

PFF SCOUTING REPORT: SAMSON EBUKAM, EDGE, EASTERN WASHINGTON

The PFF analysis team breaks down the prospects of Eastern Washington’s Samson Ebukam ahead of the 2017 NFL Draft.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-pff-scouting-report-samson-ebukam-edge-eastern-washington/?utm_content=buffer2cdb0&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=nfl

Name: Samson Ebukam

School: Eastern Washington

Position fit: 3-4 iutside linebacker, edge rusher

Stats to know: Ebukam had 11 sacks, 10 hits, and 42 hurries on 398 pass-rush snaps in 2016.

What he does best:

Productive pass-rusher from multiple positions and alignments.
Pass-rushing productivity rating of 13.2 ranks No. 13 among 3-4 OLBs in the draft class.
Can win with outside speed, long arm, club, rip, hand-swipe, bull, bull-jerk, inside counter rushes.
Engages with very good body lean which gives him leverage and power in his rush.
Best move is swiping tackles outside arm with his inside arm on his outside speed rush.
Can bend around tackles and win outside with a speed rush.
Can blitz effectively from middle linebacker position.
Sudden burst of lateral agility and acceleration make him productive on stunts.
Plays at a frenetic pace and stays after his rush and will make effort sacks.
Outstanding footing in slick field conditions.
25 run stops tie him at No. 4 among 3-4 OLBs in the draft class.

Biggest concern:

Needs to do a better job of finishing tackles.
Misses tackles in open space at times, finished 2016 with 9 missed tackles.
Gets too aggressive and will lose contain on occasion.
Very unorthodox pass-rushing footwork with false steps and short choppy stride.
Would like to see improved hand usage as he is mostly winning with bend and athleticism.

Bottom line: Ebukam is a prospect that combines dominance on tape, outstanding production grades and explosive athleticism. At Eastern Washington he rushed the passer from the edge both standing up and with his hand on the ground as well as blitzing from the middle linebacker position. Ebukam has the athleticism to zone drop, and the physicality to set the edge in the run game but is at his best rushing the passer. Ebukam is a change-of-pace pass-rusher who can provide a different style of pass-rush than the other edge-rushers on the team. Ebukam should be able to carve out a role as a reserve edge-rusher and special teams contributor.

PFF SCOUTING REPORT: JOSH REYNOLDS, WR, TEXAS A&M
The PFF analysis team breaks down the prospects of Texas A&M’s Josh Reynolds ahead of the 2017 NFL Draft.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/draft-pff-scouting-report-josh-reynolds-wr-texas-am/?utm_content=buffer1ca19&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=nfl

Name: Josh Reynolds

School: Texas A&M

Position fit: Outside WR

Stats to know: Averaged 2.35 yards per route run last season, ninth-most among SEC receivers with at least 50 targets.

What he does best:

Deep-threat receiver. Has long strides and can break away from coverage once he gets up to full speed.
Great in-air ball tracking skills. Knows how to adjust routes to make tough catches on deep routes. Great field awareness near sidelines to stay inbounds.
Strong hands, can make tough catches in contested situations with them. Knows how to high-point balls and come down with them.
Long arms, huge catch radius. Throw it anywhere near him and he’ll put himself in a good position to make the catch.
Strong red-zone option, possibly the best end-zone fade-route threat in this draft class.
Deceptively shifty after the catch. Won’t break many tackles but can find open space and make plays.
Had a great showing in the Senior Bowl, catching a couple of deep passes and a touchdown.

Biggest concern:

Long strider, so takes time to get up to full speed. Will likely never be a great underneath receiver because he lacks quickness in and out of breaking routes.
Thin frame, can get bodied at the line of scrimmage and during routes by physical corners. Has struggled separating against strong corners at times.
Limited route runner, may only be a deep threat.
Occasionally body catches, which will result in drops or double catches, may be more of an issue in NFL with tighter coverage giving defenders an extra opportunity.

Player comparison: Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles

Reynolds has a very similar build to Matthews, and a similar style of play as well. Like Matthews, Reynolds is a long stride receiver, which makes him more effective in a deep threat role than an in-and-out breaking receiver. Both players show the ability to track deep balls and make plays in the air when needed to.

Bottom line: There’s a lot to like about Reynolds game and it makes him an intriguing prospect for the draft. He can immediately contribute as a dangerous red-zone threat, he’s that good in that area. He should be a deep-threat option for whichever team drafts him, with his strong hands and tracking ability likely to translate well to the NFL game. He’ll need to improve his route-running and ability to beat press coverage if he wants to be anything more than that. But he should be an effective second or third option early on in the NFL.

Josh Reynolds WR Texas A&M

TALENT ROUND 2

http://www.thehuddlereport.com/archive/2017profiles/Josh.Reynolds.htm

STRENGTHS
Josh reminds me a lot of Cowboys Terrence Williams and for us older Draftnik’s, the name James Lofton comes to mind. Josh has this smooth as silk stride that gives him an advantage when running routes and catching the ball. He’s a long striding runner with no upper body movement that makes it easy for him to fool a defender when in the middle of his route he does fake shake or lower his shoulders, freezing his opponent and gaining separation easily. This type of body movement or lack of body movement means that Josh will run and get separation easily on the longer routes than the shorter routes. Josh is a big play receiver the type of receiver who on third and long becomes very dangerous and difficult for the defense to defend against. He shows good hands to catch the ball and does a good job catching the ball going over the middle. He is the type of receiver who complements your franchise receiver because he can force the defense on certain downs and distance to roll the coverage his way because of his “sneaky to get deep” skills allowing your Franchise Receiver to be singled up or allowing the middle of the field to be wide open if the defense decides it has to double up on both outside receivers.

CONCERNS
Josh will give you some run after the catch yardage but it’s not his strong skill and because of his long stride and lack of lower body strength I suspect it will never be. His catch radius is good and he can go and get the ball but once again this is not one of his strongest talents also. Josh also struggles if the defenders get physical with him but he does fight them and he will step up and makes plays after struggling and dealing with adversity in a game.

BOTTOM LINE
Josh at times in a game will make plays you don’t expect, the problem is… don’t “expect” him to make plays. That’s the difference between a franchise receiver and not being a franchise receiver. You throw the ball to your top receiver and there is no doubt that he is going to catch it. In fact you are shocked, disappointed and get mad when he doesn’t make the catch and you look for an excuse for him not making the play on the replay. When you throw the ball to Josh in an important part of a game and he doesn’t make the catch your more incline to accept it and emotionally move on. There is nothing wrong with Josh’s game it’s just that he is not going to be that Franchise receiver who can catch the ball in a hurricane or contort his body as he leaps up in the air to catch that 4th and goal pass to win the game. Josh is a catch 22 receiver. Count on him to catch the ball and win the game and he will disappoint you, don’t count on him and he will make an unbelievable play to win the game. Like I said he’s a complementary receiver who can be just good enough to demand double coverage on certain down and distance plays and this will open it up for the rest of his teammates and Oh yes…every once in a while he will make the play that wins the game, as long as you don’t “expect” him too. Nevertheless this kid is a good football player and I’d select him in a minute if I needed a wide receiver because he will make plays

Snead & McVay Friday Post-Draft Press Conference

GM Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay recap the rounds two and three of the NFL Draft and Rams picks TE Gerald Everett, WR Cooper Kupp and DB John Johnson.

http://www.therams.com/videos/videos/Snead–McVay-Friday-Post-Draft-Press-Conference/30ab1620-1c2f-4ff3-85cb-aed8d173afd6

Joe Curley‏ @vcsjoecurley

“We know we got better at three spots… Kind of exactly what we wanted to come out of tonight with.” — McVay

“You’re talking about adding three quality players. These are guys who Les and his staff really targeted for a long time.” — McVay’s open

“We got to pick today. That was fun,” how Les Snead opened the post-Day 2 press conference

“It didn’t work out. That’s how the draft goes sometime.” — Snead

Snead said Smith-Schuster “was definitely in the mix.” Was part of a local workout the Rams had for local talent.

Snead says Johnson will come in and play safety, but as a former corner “he does give you flexibility.”

“He is one of the most polished college receivers that I’ve evaluated in a while.” — McVay on Kupp

McVay brings up the interview with Kupp in Indy, says he was almost like a receiver coach.

McVay said that the Rams had both Everett and Kupp in for private workouts and liked what they saw.

“I have a feeling that Gerald was one of Sean’s favorite players in the draft.” — Snead

McVay says Higbee, Hemingway and Everett compliment each other.

“Anytime that you have some depth at that tight end position, it allows you to be more versatile.” — McVay

“We felt like adding more picks to the stock was a smart move.” — Snead

====

Lindsey Thiry‏ @LindseyThiry
McVay said he thouht he was talking to a receivers coach when he was interviewing Cooper Kupp at the combine. “He’s always got a plan.”

McVay references Cooper Kupp’s production against Washington’s Budda Baker. Snead adds in that these guys also stood out at the Senior Bowl.

McVay says they consider the competition level these guys play against (FCS, Sun Belt, but individual workout performances also considered.

Myles Simmons‏ @MylesASimmons
Snead says the @seniorbowl helped both Everett, Kupp in terms of seeing them compete in person and on the field.

🔥🔥RT @JaredStanger: Back to some John Johnson CB tape. This play is billiant. pic.twitter.com/D8E4f9R9Ls

— DAVIS HSU (@DavisHsuSeattle) January 27, 2017