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znModeratorHe just didn’t face any other defenses that could either match up like that or defend like that.
I dunno Mack. He didn’t face any other tough defenses in 3 years at Cal? And I’ll tell you what he won’t repeat. Facing a tough defense with one of the worst OLs in college football combined with one of the worst defenses (if not THE worst) in college football.
May 5, 2016 at 10:40 pm in reply to: Rams of this moment have 3 Air Raid qbs…can Goff transition? #43487znModeratorYou mean like Fisher’s adapted the offense to all the other QBs when Bradford went down?
Hmmmm.
I have a doubt.
He did though. It was visible. Or rather, as any good head coach would if he’s not basically running the offense because he’s the real coordinator (as with Arians), his coaches did it. It was as simple as featuring strengths and minimizing weaknesses, but it was there.
znModeratorznModeratorThey just cut one first round pick and traded away another.
May 5, 2016 at 12:18 am in reply to: from "away" – draftniks & reporters on the draft as a whole #43456znModeratorfrom: Ranking NFL teams’ offseasons 1-32 (USA Today)
Nate Davis, USA TODAY Sports
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2016/05/03/ranking-nfl-teams-offseason-grades/83833336/
4. Los Angeles Rams: It’s already been a year of big moves for this team, literally and figuratively. But it’s understandable why coach Jeff Fisher and GM Les Snead would part with so much draft capital to get Cal QB Jared Goff at No. 1 overall considering one Rams passer in the past nine seasons has managed to throw for at least 20 TDs. Despite cutting aging defensive mainstays Chris Long and James Laurinaitis and failing to re-sign CB Janoris Jenkins, this club got better this offseason.
znModeratorznModeratorGeneral Grant expelled the Jews in his war zone. I never knew that.
Yeah.
I just found that out this year, myself.
Though as b. points out he made an effort later to redeem himself.
A famous Grant story:
SHILOH: The evening of April 6 was a dispiriting end to the first day of one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. history. The desperate screams of soldiers dying on the fields between the armies could be heard in the Union and Confederate camps throughout the night. A thunderstorm passed through the area and rhythmic shelling from the Union gunboats made the night a miserable experience for all. A famous anecdote encapsulates Grant’s attitude on on his near defeat and his tendency for offensive action. Sherman encountered Grant under a tree, sheltering himself from the pouring rain, smoking one of his cigars, considering his losses and planning for the next day. Sherman remarked, “Well, Grant, we’ve had the devil’s own day, haven’t we?” Grant looked up. “Yes,” he replied, followed by a puff. “Yes. Lick ’em tomorrow, though.”
znModeratorWell, it could take a while for the Rams OLine injuries to pile up. Ya know.They have more depth and experience on the OLine this year. So, they could be good for the first month or so.
I read that as quietly understated dark irony.
“I say with dignified enthusiasm that because they are deeper now, it could be at least a month before the Rams typical massive OL injuries pile up to the point of destroying them. … So, go Rams!”
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Samuel Beckett, from Endgame:
Hamm: And the horizon? Nothing on the horizon?
Clov: (Lowering the telescope, turning towards Hamm, exasperated): What in God’s name would there be on the horizon? (Pause.)
Hamm: The waves, how are the waves?
Clov: The waves? (He turns the telescope on the waves.) Lead.
Hamm: And the sun?
Clove: (Looking) Zero.
Hamm: But it should be sinking. Look again.
Clov: (Looking) Damn the sun.
Hamm: Is it night already then?
Clov: (Looking) No.
Hamm: Then what is it?
Clov: (Looking) Gray.May 4, 2016 at 8:39 pm in reply to: Rams of this moment have 3 Air Raid qbs…can Goff transition? #43441znModeratorBut into the vestiges of Shotty’s Coryell/WCO hybrid which is now more of a quasi-WCO?
Well, to put this in “informal poll” terms, my own personal view is that a mobile pocket passer with good pocket presence will thrive in the Rams offense. I basically see traits in Goff that remind me of Montana, Brady, Warner, and Manning. I am not predicting he will be their equal but I do think that’s his general territory, and I think he has a lot of the football virtues of those who belong in that territory. In fact one of the big things in this offense is setting up big plays (sometimes play action but not always play action and sometimes not even passes) and I expect that to continue. To me the only way all this doesn’t happen is if Goff just doesn’t turn out to be what he appears he is.
znModeratoryeah foles wasn’t able to adjust at all. keenum did with relatively better success. hope goff does better.
Well when it comes to Goff adapting, I like what the articles say in this thread:
link: http://theramshuddle.com/topic/rams-of-this-moment-have-3-air-raid-qbs-can-goff-transition/
More than typical Air Raid quarterbacks, Goff was trusted with making pre-snap reads, which, to Leach’s point, should prove valuable for his transition to the NFL. Depending on the defense’s alignment, Goff said he was firmly “in control,” with the responsibility to shift protections, audible to a run or alternate pass play and call individual hot routes for his receivers.
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Vision/reads progression 9. This is an area where Goff shines. He showed a consistent ability to scan the field and find the correct receiver. As I will note more than once, the argument that many talking heads make that he did not make “pro” reads because he played in the “Bear Raid” offense is lazy, tired, and stale. Anyone who watched and understood the film would know that the offense often incorporated full field reads, and Goff showed great aptitude for making them.
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System translation (aka how easy to compare to a pro system) 7. Cal’s offense is not as “college systemy” as many of the talking heads like to say without watching. As mentioned above, Goff made plenty of full field reads. Was he under center? No, and that does lower his score. But the NFL game is increasingly being run from shotgun. Nobody criticized Tom Brady for beating the Seahawks in the Super Bowl in what was almost as “spread” as any college offense. It is true that Cal’s offense relied on screens and run option passes more than most NFL teams do, but Goff was not a single read or half field read quarterback. Goff had the ability to change protections and plays at the line and shouldered the responsibilities of a pro quarterback. There will be some adjustment to being under center more than he is used to, but there was plenty of film available of Goff “doing NFL things.”
May 4, 2016 at 7:03 pm in reply to: Rams of this moment have 3 Air Raid qbs…can Goff transition? #43427znModerator
znModeratordoes fisher adjust a little bit to goff? maybe he should.
I think that’s one of the reasons Foles got benched–he not only wasn’t taking to the (to him) new approach, he was actually asking for more hurry up, spread, shotgun stuff.
Meanwhile, Keenum adjusted.
Yes there will be some stuff for Goff, but, all signs are, they want him to learn a play action pro style offense, not to change the offense for him.
znModeratorRams draft pick Tyler Higbee to be arraigned on assault charge
A.J. Perez
Los Angeles Rams draft pick Tyler Higbee will be arraigned in a Kentucky courtroom Thursday on charges that stem from an altercation outside a club on April 10.
Higbee, who played tight end at Western Kentucky University, will plead not guilty to second-degree assault, second-degree evading police and public intoxication charges, his lawyer, Brian Lowder, told USA TODAY Sports. The Rams selected Higbee in the fourth round at last week’s draft.
“He’s in good spirits and is excited about the opportunity to play with the Rams,” Lowder said.
Messages left with Christopher Cohron, the commonwealth attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit, were not returned this week.
The man Higbee allegedly assaulted, Nawaf Alsaleh, outside a Bowling Green music club lay unconscious for at least 20 minutes, according to the police report obtained by USA TODAY Sports. Alsaleh was transported to TriStar Skyline Medical Center in Nashville in serious condition, where he was diagnosed with a concussion and brain hemorrhage. He was eventually upgraded to good condition and released days later, according to WBKO-TV.
Higbee denied using racial slurs leading up to hitting Alsaleh, which witnesses told police preceded the altercation. Higbee did tell police he said “Watch out, Haji” after he struck Alsaleh.
“Higbee stated that the victim had been getting close to his girlfriend and getting close to him and stuck his head in Higbee’s face,” one of the Bowling Breen police officers wrote in the report. “Higbee stated that he hit the victim once and knocked him out and then left the area.”
Higbee initially fled the scene when officers arrived before he was eventually caught as he tried to hide behind some small trees near a church, according to the report. It also said Higbee “was heavily intoxicated” and had “heavily slurred speech.
May 4, 2016 at 4:15 pm in reply to: Rams of this moment have 3 Air Raid qbs…can Goff transition? #43413znModeratorSo put the kid in the shotgun formation.
It’s precisely what they don’t do, and precisely what Keenum proved a spread qb doesn’t HAVE to do.
It’a play action offense. You don’t have a play action offense unless the qb is under center. He has to make calls at the line based on pre-snap reads to adjust the running game, and he has to drop back from center to execute play action.
As I said, Keenum already demonstrates that a spread qb can transition.
Still can’t see why he can’t do all that from the shotgun. Perhaps changing the offense to accommodate a number 1 overall draft pick this time is a good idea.
Because to make changes for the OL you have to be at the line. To sell play action on a 7 step drop you have to take the ball under center, drop back, fake a normal handoff, etc. It all presumes being under center.
Think of it this way. Who is more likely to best get how this situation works. Coaches who have had years of experience actually doing this and who have already transitioned the one successful Air Raid to pro style qb conversion? Or guys on the net just chewin the fat about football?
This is one of those cases, it seems to me, where it’s better to assume there’s something we don’t get about how this works, rather than assume these coaches are so stupid they would never have figured something an internet fan did figure out.
..
May 4, 2016 at 3:06 pm in reply to: Rams of this moment have 3 Air Raid qbs…can Goff transition? #43405znModeratorThis one addresses the whole “spread to pro style” issue at several points so it looked like it belongs here.
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Cal Football Golden Spotlight: Jared Goff NFL Scouting
ReportKeegan Dresow
With Jared Goff going #1 overall to the Los Angeles Rams, I have been asked to give my scouting report on him. Therefore, I have compiled ratings, on a scale of 1-10, somewhat in order of what I value most in a quarterback. These ratings are a combination of my personal feelings and the way that I believe scouts rate him. I will attempt to be clear in differentiating the two.
A “7” is the score for an average starting NFL quarterback. Keep in mind that a 7, therefore, is a very good score. Do not equate a “7” with a “C” grade.
A “10” is the score given to an all-time great. I almost never give a 10. An example of a “10” coming out of college would be Michael Vick’s speed. Most “normal” quarterback traits are too hard to prove in college to consider garnering a 10. Scouting current NFL players, 10s might be given to Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady for decision making and accuracy. A “9” is means that a particular trait is or projects to be great in the NFL.
The traits I will be ranking:
Decision making
Accuracy
Vision/reads progression
Anticipation
Consistency
Throwing under pressure
Footwork/pressure evasion
Leadership/intangibles
Touch
Arm Strength
Release
Proven perseverance?
System translation (how easy to compare to a pro system)
Intelligence
Size/sturdiness
Height issue?
Off field character/question marks?
Dynamic running ability
Speed
“Unique” trait?
Goff’s ratings, with an explanation and sometimes a comparison to other prospects, with a special focus on Carson Wentz:Decision making 8. This is one of the harder ratings to put a number on for Goff. Essentially, you have Goff’s entire career, and then you have Utah 2015. My guess is that scouts disregarded Utah as an anomaly, and see a quarterback who has a proven ability to make good decisions consistently. I agree with that assessment.
Accuracy 8. Somewhat linked to consistency (below). When Goff was in rhythm and in a groove, he placed the ball as well as anyone. There were times, however – often early in games – where he missed receivers that he shouldn’t have missed. He has shown the tools to improve this rating in the NFL, with an “accuracy upside” at the top of the game.
Vision/reads progression 9. This is an area where Goff shines. He showed a consistent ability to scan the field and find the correct receiver. As I will note more than once, the argument that many talking heads make that he did not make “pro” reads because he played in the “Bear Raid” offense is lazy, tired, and stale. Anyone who watched and understood the film would know that the offense often incorporated full field reads, and Goff showed great aptitude for making them.
Anticipation 9. Another area where Goff is an elite prospect. He showed the ability to anticipate throws and deliver the ball to receivers who he knew would be open by virtue of the route and their leverage against the defense.
Consistency 7. As noted in “accuracy,” this is an area where Goff can improve. At times he was great (especially when he found a rhythm later in games), but he missed enough receivers early in games (even near the end zone) to give some pause.
Throwing under pressure 9. Another elite rating. As us Cal fans know, Goff faced heavy pressure throughout his career. He proved adept at delivering the ball with good posture despite heavy pressure. He wasn’t perfect – but no one is against pressure. This is one of the traits that separates Goff as an elite prospect, as it is of vital importance in the NFL. Compare to Wentz, who faced pressure less often, and did not maintain the same fundamentals when facing it (at least from my limited study of his film). He might improve, but this would be my biggest worry for Wentz.
Footwork/pressure evasion 9+. This is probably where Goff is most advanced, and is about as close to a “10” as a prospect can be coming out of college. Re-watch the Arizona State game (particularly the second half) if you want to see the proof. Goff has the instincts (whether trained, inherent, or some combination of the two) to feel the angle and speed of the pressure and escape correctly – against the grain of the pressure – while keeping his eyes down the field.
Leadership/intangibles 9. There are only good things to say about a quarterback who got crushed as a true freshman on a historically bad team but emerged as the key leader in turning the team back into a winner. From the outside looking in, Goff appeared to be extremely well liked and respected by his coaches and teammates.
Touch 9. This is the “artistry” aspect of quarterbacking. Many quarterbacks can throw the fastball, but can they deliver the ball with enough air under it to get above the linebacker level and enough zip to get there before the safeties converge? Can he hit the shallow crossing route in the numbers with a soft but firm pass? Can he deliver the jump ball at the correct height to the corner of the end zone? Goff has shown the ability to be great here.
Arm Strength 7. Goff can make all of the throws that an NFL starter can and should make. But his arm strength is not elite. In my opinion, however, a quarterback only has to reach a minimum level of arm strength in order to have limitless potential. 7 is the arm strength that Brady and Montana have/had (and, of course, many failed quarterbacks – I am not arguing that this is the “perfect” level of arm strength). Wentz is probably an 8. 10s would be John Elway, Brett Favre, Matt Stafford, and Colin Kaepernick. This is probably the subject for a different article, but I am not convinced that having a “10” is even beneficial. Of course, it worked great for Elway and Favre.
But there are at least two problems: (1) extreme arm strength may have an inverse effect on touch. The harder you can throw, the harder it seems to be to throw the needed touch passes. (2) Extreme arm strength may inhibit growth/anticipation as a quarterback, and may hide deficiencies as a prospect. Essentially, if a quarterback always had a rocket arm, he may have relied on it too much to make throws that NFL caliber defenders will interfere with; thus, that quarterback may not have developed the anticipation and decision making that is necessary for NFL stardom.
Release 7. Goff has a nice, fundamentally sound release. Nothing odd to it (i.e. Philip Rivers), and not a long release. Also not an extremely quick, Rodgers/Marino-esque release. Just a nice, solid release.
Proven perseverance? Yes. Goff survived a beating on a bad team behind a porous line as an undersized freshman to lead his team to a bowl game two seasons later. Everyone faces adversity in the NFL. This isn’t a knock against a guy like Wentz, but he is unproven in this category. The NFL knows that Goff remains a positive leader and competitor when times are tough. All indications about Wentz’s character are that he would react the same, but he has not had to prove it.
System translation (aka how easy to compare to a pro system) 7. Cal’s offense is not as “college systemy” as many of the talking heads like to say without watching. As mentioned above, Goff made plenty of full field reads. Was he under center? No, and that does lower his score. But the NFL game is increasingly being run from shotgun. Nobody criticized Tom Brady for beating the Seahawks in the Super Bowl in what was almost as “spread” as any college offense. It is true that Cal’s offense relied on screens and run option passes more than most NFL teams do, but Goff was not a single read or half field read quarterback. Goff had the ability to change protections and plays at the line and shouldered the responsibilities of a pro quarterback. There will be some adjustment to being under center more than he is used to, but there was plenty of film available of Goff “doing NFL things.”
Intelligence 9. Not a perfect wonderlic score level genius, but there will be no concerns about Goff’s intelligence.
Size/sturdiness 4. This would probably be Goff’s weakest trait in the eyes of scouts. He is a naturally skinny guy with a small lower body. Some scouts will question his durability for this reason. This is a similar reason why prospects like Teddy Bridgewater and Aaron Rodgers (as well as many more with lesser careers) dropped in the draft.
Height issue? No. Hard to rate height on a 1-10 scale, but there are no concerns about Goff being too short.
Off field character/question marks? No.
Dynamic running ability 7. Goff is a good athlete, but not particularly elusive or dynamic. He is fast enough to pick up chunks of yards and occasionally make a move, but won’t be confused for Michael Vick. Just like most NFL quarterbacks. This is an area where Wentz has a big edge over Goff – Wentz is a big, aggressive runner who can be a legitimate part of a running game. Depending on the offense that you want to run, this can be a big deal. With Wentz, you may be getting a “Cam Newton light” in the run game. On the other hand, it is very hard to be both a runner and a pocket passer in the NFL. Goff is a pure pocket passer, with pretty good speed if need be.
Speed 7. Goff is faster than many people think. A good, pretty fast athlete. Probably in the middle of the pack for an NFL quarterback.
“Unique” trait? No. A unique trait for a prospect would be, for example, Cam Newton or Tim Tebow’s goal line running, Michael Vick’s electricity, or Johnny Manziel’s creativity.
What do you get when you add it all together? An elite quarterback prospect who is a worthy top draft pick. Of course, nothing is a sure thing. Goff is not one of the best prospects ever, because he is not what I will call a “five tool” prospect, to use a baseball term. He doesn’t have the howitzer arm, physical build, or elite athleticism to be considered a “generational” prospect. But he has every necessary trait to be a successful pocket quarterback, including good athleticism for that role. And being a “five tool” prospect is not essential to becoming an all-time great; look no further than fellow Bay Area products Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady.
Success is never guaranteed for a quarterback. Goff’s ability to make all of the throws on the field with accuracy and touch as well as his elite footwork and intangibles give him as good a chance as any pocket passing quarterback prospect to make it in the NFL.
May 4, 2016 at 2:26 pm in reply to: Rams of this moment have 3 Air Raid qbs…can Goff transition? #43403znModeratorSo put the kid in the shotgun formation.
It’s precisely what they don’t do, and precisely what Keenum proved a spread qb doesn’t HAVE to do.
It’a play action offense. You don’t have a play action offense unless the qb is under center. He has to make calls at the line based on pre-snap reads to adjust the running game, and he has to drop back from center to execute play action.
As I said, Keenum already demonstrates that a spread qb can transition.
May 4, 2016 at 10:30 am in reply to: Rams of this moment have 3 Air Raid qbs…can Goff transition? #43393znModeratorSo yeah, Keenum DID make the transition. The numbers show this. Keenum, percentage of snaps in the shotgun:
This may be one more reason the Rams are glad they have CK. He is not only a dedicated film junkie and student of the game, he’s an Air Raid to Play Action qb conversion.
It’s time to break out the ole “they must read the board” routine.
Which I do now:
…they must read the board!
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Rams, Jared Goff hoping to buck trend of ‘Air Raid’ misses
Nick Wagoner
LOS ANGELES — At first blush, the pairing of quarterback Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams doesn’t make much sense from a schematic standpoint.
Goff spent 99 percent of his college career at California lined up in the shotgun or pistol formation. The Rams spent less time in those formations than any NFL team in 2015. So if the simple act of lining up is going to be a big adjustment for Goff, then what about the more difficult pieces of learning a pro-style offense after playing in Cal’s wide open “Bear Raid” scheme for the past three years?
“It’ll obviously be an adjustment, but that’s going to be for any team and any player for that matter that is going to an NFL team,” Goff said. “I am excited for it, and I am excited to get to work and getting ready to play.”
Goff will have no shortage of adjustments to make in going from one of the college game’s most notorious spread offenses to one that has been as strictly pro-style under coach Jeff Fisher.
Goff’s collegiate career was spent directing coach Sonny Dykes’ spread system, a scheme that emphasizes tempo without huddles, plenty of three, four and even five-wideout formations and little in the way of the lengthy NFL verbiage that Goff will grow to learn. Goff took exactly one snap under center in his three years leading the Bears.
It was hard to argue with the results. Like most “Air Raid” offenses derived from originators like Mike Leach and Hal Mumme, the numbers were eye popping. Goff threw for 12,195 yards and 96 touchdowns in his three college seasons, setting multiple school records along the way.
Goff’s production compares favorably to many other top “Air Raid” quarterbacks, such as Tim Couch, Brandon Weeden, Johnny Manziel and Kevin Kolb. The other thing those quarterbacks have in common? Serious struggles at the NFL level.
In the growing history of uber-productive “Air Raid” college quarterbacks, the number is essentially the same as NFL signal-callers who haven’t worked out. Couch was the only previous No. 1 overall pick from an “Air Raid” offense. He posted a whopping passer rating of 75.1 in his five-year career.
Goff’s new teammate, Nick Foles, has the highest passer rating (87.3) of quarterbacks to play in the scheme in college, but that number is skewed by a huge 2013 season in Philadelphia playing in a wide-open system that had him in the shotgun on a regular basis. Foles struggled mightily in 2015 when the Rams asked him to transition to a more pro-style scheme.
Case Keenum, the quarterback the Rams have earmarked as Goff’s mentor, also came from an “Air Raid” scheme in college and had a little bit of success as the Rams starter at the end of last season. He should be able to offer Goff plenty of tips on making the transition.
Taking all of that into account, it seems risky for the Rams to bet their future so heavily on Goff. But they have their reasons.
“If you look at his college, I think there is a natural instinct to anticipate, to get the ball out quickly, to read coverages quickly, get to the second and third reads,” general manager Les Snead said. “People who can do it as fast as he can, I don’t want to say you are born with it, but mom, dad, God, somehow there is a DNA that comes natural. Whether you are an ‘Air Raid’ or however we are going to name it, I think you kind of notice that in players, whether they have that special quality or not.”
Goff took over the starting job as a freshman, and with each passing year Dykes offered him more freedom within the system. Unlike many spread schemes, Cal’s offense wasn’t just simple slants with little in the way of progressions. By Goff’s final season in 2015, he had almost absolute power to run Cal’s offense.
“I was in control of a lot as far as protections, route combos, running plays and everything in between,” Goff said. “At the line of scrimmage, I was changing a lot of stuff. I think it is something that will transition well and I can carry with me to the next level.”
Even with that experience, Goff knows he won’t be able to just flip a switch and put up the gaudy stats of his college days. After he was drafted, Goff made it clear that NFL speed is going to be a challenge, as the throwing windows will be tighter and the receivers and defensive backs will be faster.
Goff will get his first glimpse of the Rams playbook this week. In it, he’ll find plenty of quick drops asking him to get the ball out quickly and, of course, plenty of handoffs to running back Todd Gurley. New offensive coordinator Rob Boras and passing game coordinator Mike Groh will also look to add more shotgun work to help ease Goff’s adjustments.
“I think a lot of our passing concepts were similar to some of the stuff they do, from what I have seen,” Goff said. “There is a lot of stuff that translates. I haven’t seen enough of their playbooks to know exactly what it is, but from what I have seen there are a lot of passing concepts that translate, and a lot of shotgun stuff that does translate.”
As for working under center, Goff has been working on it throughout the pre-draft process.
“I think it is just muscle memory,” Goff said. “It took me a few days to get used to it, and I’ve been doing it ever since I got out of Cal. It’s not something I think there is going to be too much of an issue with.”
znModeratorRams’ Mike Thomas makes PFF’s top 10 sleeper list
Nick Wagoner
LOS ANGELES — In the run-up to the NFL draft, long before the Los Angeles Rams traded up from No. 15 to No. 1 overall, many in the mock draft universe sent wide receiver Michael Thomas to the Rams.
As it turned out, the Rams did draft Michael Thomas. Except, they didn’t do it at No. 15, they waited until the sixth round. And, well, it’s not the same Michael Thomas.
The Thomas mocked to the Rams before the team traded up went to Ohio State and landed in New Orleans in the second round. The one the Rams drafted went to Southern Mississippi. But just because the Rams’ Thomas went much later than the other one doesn’t mean he arrives in Los Angeles without potential to contribute.
Over at Pro Football Focus, their team of evaluators released its list of the top 10 sleeper picks of the 2016 NFL draft. Thomas checked in at No. 3 on the list with PFF pointing to the fact that Thomas had their 11th highest receiving grade of all the wideouts in this year’s class. According to PFF’s metrics, Thomas averaged 2.98 yards per route run, which was fifth best among receivers in the class.
Soon after the draft, one Rams personnel type also pointed to Thomas as the potential sleeper in this class. Thomas didn’t attend the scouting combine and his measurables aren’t in line with other top wideouts but Thomas’ ability to win contested catches and make plays down the field make for an intriguing package.
Thomas shouldn’t lack for opportunity to make the roster, either. As a true outside receiver, he joins only Kenny Britt and Brian Quick as players on the roster fitting that profile.
Thomas will be one to watch for the Rams as training camp approaches
znModeratorThis marriage of terminology and technique, of efficiency and elegance, is what makes the Patriots so mesmerizing.
And they got this from Chip Kelly.
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October 14, 2012
http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2012/10/oregon_coach_chip_kelly_says_h.html
After a tip from Chip, the Patriots are now using one-word play calls to speed up their offense, much like the Ducks do.
“I was interested to hear how (Kelly) did it,” Belichick told the Boston Globe. “I would say he expanded it to a different level and it was very interesting to understand what he was doing. Certainly I’ve learned a lot from talking to Chip about his experiences with it and how he does it and his procedure and all that.”
znModeratorI think it’s a mistake to assume this is a stout D when we have lost 4 starters and very little depth at LB or even DE for that matter. They will need a shit ton of points to be competitive this year.
CB: ? Johnson …Gaines Roberson Joyner + ?
FS: ? McDonald …Randolph (Joyner) Davis Bryant Alexander
Barron Ogletree Ayers … Lynch Hager + etc.
Quinn, Sims Donald/Brockers/Westrooks Hayes, Coples … Lonacre WorthingtonNo team can withstand a number of key injuries to a key unit.
But, the DL is set up to be at least as good as it was to start out last year, or better. No one really knows about LB depth. Ogletree will be better than JL in some ways, but we don’t know about his overall game at MLB. GW has made mistakes in the past (like in Washington) by overestimating what he had at MLB, so who knows.
For all we know they do have depth in the secondary. After all in 2013 no one predicted we would miss McCleod. They do have candidates though and those candidates have the same coaches who made something out of McCleod.
I would not say this defense is set to be elite…too many questions right now. But, it looks better to me than any pre-Fisher defense we have seen going back to 2003. So I think it would take massive injuries of the kind no team can withstand to really harm its chances.
…
znModeratorfrom PFF: THE 16 WORST PICKS OF THE 2016 NFL DRAFT
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2016/05/02/draft-the-16-worst-picks-of-the-2016-nfl-draft/
Now that the dust has settled following the 2016 NFL draft, it’s time to look back at which picks stood out — for the wrong reasons. A number of elements can lead to a selection being deemed the “worst” — the value of the player at the time of the selection, how he fits with his team’s scheme, and whether he fills a need. Here are the 16 worst from this past weekend:
…
3. Germain Ifedi, OT, Seattle Seahawks
Philosophically we’ll probably never be fans of Seahawks draft picks on the offensive line. They tend to take physical projects and hope to teach them how to block. Pass-blocking, however, is one of the most technical skills in the NFL, and it helps to at least come from a solid base. Ifedi doesn’t have that at the moment. His hands and feet are terribly out of synch in pass protection, and unsurprisingly Ifedi had just the 76th-best pass blocking efficiency in the country last year. He may be the answer to their offensive line woes, but it will take a few years of coaching to get him to that level.…
13. Nick Vannett, TE, Seattle Seahawks
Vannett isn’t a bad receiver by any means, but he’s a completely un-dynamic receiving threat who wasn’t very productive in college taken in the third round. Over the past two seasons he’s broken a grand total of two tackles after the catch. He has great size for the position and some potential as a run blocker, but he has limited experience as an in-line blocker and athletically he’ll have a difficult time separating from linebackers.znModeratorThis one had a lot of “relive the move” moments. Still it’s interesting that JT will be in California a little bit this summer. Until LA gets up to speed, he still knows the Rams better than any journalist not named Nick Wagoner.
The plan is for me to come out to Irvine for the first weekend of training camp and then cover the first home game of the regular season.
znModeratorLes Snead: Jared Goff must earn the right to be the face of the Rams.
May 3, 2016 at 9:45 am in reply to: from "away" – draftniks & reporters on the draft as a whole #43334znModeratorRams go for offense on Day 3
Jim Thomas
Paper thin on the depth chart at wide receiver and tight end, the Rams went in an obvious direction on Day 3 of the NFL draft.
They used four of their five picks on offense, selecting two wide receivers and two tight ends. Even the outlier in the group, Kentucky linebacker Josh Forrest, began his college career at wide receiver before switching to defense.
“Well, it’s all in an effort to expand our offense,” coach Jeff Fisher said. “We started with the quarterback trade (for Jared Goff). Statistically, we weren’t anywhere close to where we should have been the last couple years.
“Last year, we built it from inside-out and we drafted six offensive linemen, so these guys are going to be together for a long time. We just need to get some additional players outside. . .that in the unlikely event that we are not running the football, we can get the ball outside.”
The day began with some controversy when the Rams used their first pick of the fourth round, No. 110 overall, on Western Kentucky tight end Tyler Higbee.
Higbee was arrested April 10 and charged with assault, alcohol intoxication in a public place, and fleeing/evading police according to the Bowling Green Daily News. The alleged victim suffered a concussion and brain hemorrhage.
Higbee apparently was responding to aggressive action by the alleged victim against Higbee and Higbee’s girlfriend according to the Daily News.
Fisher said the team did extensive research on the situation.
“It’s an on-going issue, but we’re convinced that it’s going to be resolved,” Fisher said. “As far as going into specifics, we really can’t because it’s a legal issue. But he wouldn’t be a Ram had we had some concerns that it was going to be a problem down the line.”
General manager Les Snead added: “I’d say that when you go from college to become a professional there is behavior to clean up, and we expect that to happen. But in this case, the research that we did, we did feel like he was a guy worth investing in for the long term. It’s a mistake _ wish he had a do-over again.”
Higbee, 6-6, 249, was considered among the top tight ends in the draft prior to the incident, but wasn’t considered a first_ or second-round prospect. So if he dropped in the draft, it wasn’t by much.
During a conference call Saturday with Rams reporters in Los Angeles, Higbee declined to speak on the incident because it was an ongoing legal matter, saying only: “You know it’s an incident that I can’t let define me. I’ve been trying to keep my mind focused and stay working.”
Despite missing five full games because of a knee injury, Higbee finished the 2015 season with 38 catches for 563 yards and eight touchdowns.
Following the Higbee pick, the Rams were scheduled to make another pick just three spots later at No. 113 overall. But they traded down to No. 117 with Chicago, picking up an extra sixth-rounder in the process.
They used the No. 117 overall pick to select versatile wide receiver Pharoh Cooper of South Carolina.
With no picks in the fifth or seventh rounds, the Rams concluded the day and their draft by selecting South Carolina State tight end Temarrick Hemingway, Forrest, and Southern Mississippi wide receiver Mike Thomas in Round 6.
They used to pick obtained from the Bears, No. 206 overall, to select Thomas.
Cooper, 5-11, 203, is from a family of Marines, including his brother, father, and grandfather. He caught 66 passes for 973 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and carried 24 times for 111 yards and one TD.
Over the course of his college career, he also returned punts and kickoffs. A former high school quarterback, Cooper even threw four touchdown passes during his time at South Carolina. He projects as a slot receiver in the NFL, with return and gadget play possibilities.
“My biggest asset would probably be making plays after the catch,” Cooper said. “Once I catch the ball, I can easily get another five to 10 yards.”
Thomas was highly productive last season at Southern Miss, so it was surprising to see him still available two-thirds of the way through Round 6. A junior-college transfer prior to the 2014 season, Thomas caught 71 passes for 1,391 yards, and 14 TDs last season.
On the thin side at 6-1, 197, Thomas runs the 40 in 4.53 seconds.
“Michael (is) an outside guy who caught a lot of contested balls in his career,” Snead said.
Hemingway, meanwhile, said he was so happy to get the call from the Rams that he cried immediately after getting the news.
Considered more of a developmental player, Hemingway caught 38 passes for 418 yards and a touchdown last season. He has added nearly 20 pounds since the start of last season, and at 6-5 weighs 248 with an 81-inch wingspan and 4.71 speed in the 40.
UNDRAFTED ROOKIES
The Rams have agreed to terms with the following rookie free agents:
_ K TaylorBertolet, Texas A&M
_ LB Brandon Chubb, WakeForest
_ DE Morgan Fox, Colorado State-Pueblo
_ RB Aaron Green, Texas Christian
_ LB Nicholas Grigsby Pittsburgh
_ DB Michael Jordan, Missouri Western/Hazelwood Central High
_ S Jordan Lomax, Iowa
_ WR Paul McRoberts, Southeast Missouri/Soldan High
_ OT Pace Murphy, Northwestern (La.) State
_ WR Marquez North, Tennessee
_ WR Kache Palacio, WashingtonState
_ DB Brian Randolph, Tennessee
_ S Winston Rose, New Mexico State
_ LB/DE Ian Seau, Nevada
_ WR Nelson Spruce, Colorado
_ OT Jordan Swindle, Kentucky
znModeratori agree. i liked wentz more because of his ability to create more outside the pocket.
goff can do some of that but is not nearly as good as wentz.
It’s just the classic distinction.
I’ve done the numbers on this before, but, as a rule a pocket passer who makes quick throws has a lower sack percentage than a mobile qb who runs out of the pocket.
There’s a sports science vid here somewhere that shows Goff’s release (time from cocking/throwing to ball gone) is quicker than Brady’s.
That’s one of the things they like about him, if you listen to Snead and Fisher on Goff.
I like Wentz too but they put their money on the quick release qb with the superior pocket presence, and that’s just not a bad bet.
znModeratorfrom off the net
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TexasRam
Goff has shown top notch pocket awareness. He senses the pressure almost always shifts away from it. He shows a lot of the elusiveness of Aaron Rogers but is probably in my opinion most comparable to Tony Romo. He can sometimes be caught and brought down but more times than not he’s going to get away and make a throw down field that resembles how Rodgers and Romo extend drives. He will do this all game long and drive defenses crazy. Often times he will just get rid of the ball to avoid the sack. Cal’s Oline was so bad that Gruden said imagine how good Goff would be if he had protection.
Goff also took a lot of hits and it never phased him. He knows how to go down. He stands tall in the pocket and will get rid of the ball at the last second knowing hes going to get hit and he takes it like a champ. Looking downfield at the play rather than closing his eyes and wincing and worrying about his landing. Maybe Goff has been sacked so many times that hes used to it and doesn’t fear.
Goff throws touch passes. His placements of the ball is so impressive and his ability to thow it downfield on the back shoulder or drop it in or lead a WR is so advanced. He reminds me of Brees the way he puts the ball in certain spots.
Then there is the footwork of Goff that is reminiscent of Peyton Manning.
Jeff Fisher said Jared “sees”. And this may be his best but most hard to quantify attribute. He sees the field, understands the defense, gets through progressions and to the open WR quickly. Reminds me of Montana or in that regard. Under pressure Goff will kill you. He hits the short medium and long slant as good as any to burn the defense constantly, with guys in his face a tick from sacking him.
znModeratorAnybody see a mistake. Any player on a list counts against the 90 man roster, I think.
The roster post. That might be its own thread? I think it’s getting a little lost in this thread but up to you.
BTW, has Watts been reinstated?
May 2, 2016 at 8:53 pm in reply to: As of right now the Rams have 13 WRs on the roster (not counting Tavon) #43307znModeratorHow far has former Auburn receiver D’haquille Williams fallen on Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft board?
January 14, 2016
At this time last year D’haquille Williams was Mel Kiper Jr.’s top-rated receiver in the 2016 NFL Draft.
After a year filled will off-the-field drama ended with Williams being dismissed from Auburn following an altercation in which he reportedly punched teammate Xavier Dampeer, the Tigers’ backup center, in the early morning hours of Oct. 4, Williams is now looking at the prospect of being a late-round pick in April’s draft.
“Williams went from being a guy you thought could maybe a second-rounder, maybe higher than that, to I wouldn’t say fallen off the map entirely but being a guy that maybe Day Three,” said Kiper Jr., ESPN’s long-time draft analyst. “You get into the fourth, fifth-round area, depending upon how things go between now and late April.”
NFLDraftScout.com ranks Williams as the No. 28 wide receiver and No. 204 player overall as a projected sixth-round pick in this year’s draft.
Williams, who recently resurfaced in Florida, had only 12 catches for 147 yards and one touchdown in five games this season.
The former top-ranked junior college player in the country, Williams caught 45 passes for 730 yards and five touchdowns despite missing three games in 2014, including the Outback Bowl, which he was suspended for due to an undisclosed violation of team rules.
Williams’ off-season was filled with drama.
In May he posted a series of tweets insinuating he was not happy and looking to leave Auburn, which prompted wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig to meet with Williams the next day and tweet a picture, which has since been deleted, with the phrase “Everything Gucci!”
Williams was suspended for six days of fall camp in early August due to a “discipline issue” involving an interaction with Craig.
“It’s a shame but he wasn’t able to live up to the the kind of potential he showed week to week and do the kind of job you need to maximize all that talent that he had,” Kiper Jr. said. “There’ no reason why if he had played all year at a high level he couldn’t have been a first-round pick, but now you’re thinking, like I say, maybe Day Three.”
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Matt Waldman:
D’haquille Williams overextends his base when he’s delivering a punch and gets shed much easier than his size would indicate. He also routinely misdiagnoses angles of his assignments. He didn’t play in an offense that challenged him to run better routes and his production was based on quick-hitting patterns. Williams is big and rather slow. He carries the ball wide from his frame in the middle of the field, disaster waiting to happen. Overextends his base when he’s delivering a punch and gets shed much easier than his size would indicate. He also routinely misdiagnoses angles of his assignments.
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Flipper336
His head is exorcist twisted.
On the field he had Laquon Treadwell-ish UPSIDE. Great body control and ability to win 50/50 passes. Very good physical run after the catch. Lazy on many plays. No consistency in blocking effort. Routes needed polish. Did nothing in games before getting booted.
May 2, 2016 at 8:36 pm in reply to: As of right now the Rams have 13 WRs on the roster (not counting Tavon) #43303znModeratorPA Ram wrote:
I wonder if the Pharoh Cooper pick is Tavon’s future replacement. They seem to have similar games and Tavon is going to get costly. I wonder if they looked ahead at that with this pick.That was the first thing that went through my mind when I read Pharoh described as a Swiss Army Knife. I like Tavon, but there is a salary cap. And, well….
Well they just picked up Tavon’s 5th year bonus so he’s with them through 2017.
It is possible though, I think, that Cooper learns enough of the Tavon role to fill in for those times when TA misses a couple of games.
But at the same time Cooper is something TA is not nearly as good at–being the traditional slot receiver in the Amendola or Hakim role (not that he is identical to those 2 players in terms of skills). Or in the Baldwin role in Seattle. TA never really worked out to be that.
znModeratorKiper: Cooper a ‘steal’ in fourth round
Willie T. Smith III
COLUMBIA – Many were surprised South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh Cooper lasted until the fourth round before getting selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL draft.
Count ESPN draft analysts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay among that group.
“I’m surprised he lasted until the fourth round,” said Kiper during a Monday afternoon conference call. “Measurables were never going to work in his favor. He is not a workout warrior. He’s a football player.
“He’s just a tough kid. He blocks, he catches in traffic. He does all the things – he’ll go get the football down the field. He’ll do everything you want. He’ll battle into double coverage for the football.”
It appears the biggest reason Cooper, a two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection, is his lack of blazing speed. He ran 40-yard dash times of 4.61 and 4.69 at USC’s Pro Day.
“I like the quickness,” said McShay. “He’s not a top-end speed guy. He didn’t run very well at his pro day. I know he was disappointed with that.
“I didn’t see great speed on tape, but that doesn’t mean he is not a good player. He shows a lot of toughness, does a really good job for his size going up and getting the football in the air, competing for the ball in the air.”
Cooper is probably slated to play in the slot, a position he consistently lined up in for USC. That will also test his toughness.
“I think he’s got a chance to contribute,” said McShay. “I like him as a slot receiver, a guy who will do the dirty work across the middle of the field.”
Kiper believes Cooper has the ability to do whatever is necessary to make a positive contribution.
“I don’t know what he’s lacking,” said Kiper. “I understand the measurable aren’t that favorable. But, to get him in the fourth round for (Rams first round pick, quarterback) Jared Goff and also get (tight end) Tyler Higbee and (wide receiver) Michael Thomas. They did a nice job bringing in some pass catching options.
“But I think Cooper will be a steal in the fourth round. There were some player I didn’t even think were even close to him, in terms of grade and ability that went higher.”
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