nittany ram wrote:

I’m not sure the words, ‘Keenum’ and ‘really successful’ belong in the same sentence. He has a career passer rating of 79.8 and has had a hard time sticking with teams.

Well, see, there’s a reason I don’t do career averages. They’re deceptive. They don’t show changes.

In his last 4 starts Keenum had 64% completions, 7 YPA, only 3 TDs but 0 INTs, and a qb rating of 95 (bolstered by one big qb rating game).

That is, he played better than he did in previous years. And that could be because he’s suited to a play action offense. Either way, those last 4 games—arguably the end product of development–make him the only Air Raid qb to play at that level.

He learned the conversion, well enough to be a good #2, especially for another Air Raid conversion rookie.

…

Rams draw mostly positive reviews for draft performance

Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/28964/rams-draw-mostly-positive-reviews-for-draft-performance

General manager Les Snead, right, and the Rams only participated in two of the NFL draft’s three days after the trade to land Jared Goff, left.
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Rams only participated in two of the NFL draft’s three days after they bold trade from No. 15 to No. 1 to land quarterback Jared Goff.

But with only six picks to make and none in the valuable rounds two and three, the Rams, for the most part, appeared to do pretty well in the eyes of the pundits.

Here’s a roundup of some of their immediate grades after the draft:

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. saw the Rams draft similar to yours truly, giving the Rams a ‘B-‘ while noting that Goff’s performance will dictate where it goes.

Pro Football Focus gave the Rams an ‘A-‘ for their efforts.

USA Today gave the Rams a ‘B’.

CBSSports.com gave the Rams a ‘B+.’

SI.com gave the Rams a ‘B-.’

from Playmaker Score 2016

Nathan Forster

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2016/playmaker-score-2016

,,,

Playmaker Score is based on a statistical analysis of all Division I wide receivers drafted in the years 1996-2013. Playmaker Score consists of the following elements, which are the factors that historically correlate to NFL success:

Playmaker Score has two outputs: “Playmaker Rating” and “Playmaker Projection.” Playmaker Rating is the “purest” output for Playmaker Score: it is expressed as a percentage that measures how highly the player ranks historically based on the factors evaluated by Playmaker Score. For example, a player with a 75 percent Playmaker Rating scores more highly than 75 percent of wide receiver prospects drafted since 1996. Playmaker Projection is a more realistic measurement. Playmaker Projection acknowledges that a player with a first-round grade and a mediocre Playmaker Score is more likely to succeed than a seventh-rounder that Playmaker Score loves. Thus, in addition to the Playmaker Score factors, Playmaker Projection also incorporates a transformed variable based on the player’s projected draft position from NFLDraftScout.com.

…

3. Pharoh Cooper, South Carolina
Playmaker Projection: 493 Yards
Playmaker Rating: 89.5%

Historically, wide receivers with a high number of rushing attempts in college tend to also have low yards per reception numbers, because these receivers are likely to be involved in the short passing game as well. Although high numbers of rushing attempts and high yards per reception numbers correlate to NFL success, few wide receivers have both. Pharoh Cooper bucks this trend. Cooper posted an impressive 15.7 yards per catch, even while rushing the football more than 60 times for the Gamecocks in his final season.

…

2016 Playmaker Score Results
Name College Proj. Round Playmaker Projection Playmaker Rating
Corey Coleman Baylor 1 820 99.8%
Will Fuller Notre Dame 1–2 514 94.7%
Pharoh Cooper South Carolina 2 493 89.5%
Tyler Boyd Pittsburgh 2 486 89.9%
Laquon Treadwell Mississippi 1 479 69.5%
Rashard Higgins Colorado State 2–3 476 89.5%
Michael Thomas Ohio State 2 463 80.4%
Josh Doctson TCU 1–2 409 70.8%
Leonte Carroo Rutgers 3 333 74.7%
Sterling Shepard Oklahoma 2–3 328 71.0%
Roger Lewis Bowling Green 4 323 84.0%
Bralon Addison Oregon 3–4 315 78.2%
De’Runnya Wilson Mississippi State 6 266 51.2%
Demarcus Ayers Houston 7–UDFA 263 79.6%
Name College Proj. Round Playmaker Projection Playmaker Rating
Kenny Lawler California 3 252 49.2%
Keyarris Garrett Tulsa 3–4 226 47.5%
Aaron Burbridge Michigan State 3–4 195 24.4%
Cayleb Jones Arizona 7–UDFA 194 56.7%
Malcolm Mitchell Georgia 4 157 26.2%
Michael Thomas Southern Miss. 6 137 58.7%
Ricardo Louis Auburn 7 115 56.0%
Jalin Marshall Ohio State 7–UDFA 115 60.4%
Demarcus Robinson Florida 5–6 112 62.4%
Tajae Sharpe Massachusetts 4–5 109 14.3%
Kolby Listenbee TCU 3–4 106 18.7%
Hunter Sharp Utah State UDFA 84 32.3%
Jordan Payton UCLA 3 81 13.6%
Chris Moore Cincinnati UDFA 67 37.8%
Name College Proj. Round Playmaker Projection Playmaker Rating
Devon Cajuste Stanford 7–UDFA 46 25.7%
Byron Marshall Oregon UDFA 29 23.7%
Charone Peake Clemson 4–5 24 3.3%
Marquez North Tennessee UDFA 21 25.3%
Chris Brown Notre Dame 7 21 7.7%
Nelson Spruce Colorado 7–UDFA 14 13.4%
Alonzo Russell Toledo 7–UDFA 12 10.5%
Geronimo Allison Illinois 6 6 3.7%
Mekale McKay Cincinnati UDFA 0 15.2%
D’haquille Williams Auburn UDFA 0 5.7%
Trevor Davis California UDFA 0 9.2%
Johnny Holton Cincinnati UDFA 0 5.1%
Cody Core Mississippi 5 0 4.6%
Rashawn Scott Miami (FL) UDFA 0 3.7%

==

Do-it-all Pharoh Cooper looking for more defined role

Marcas Grant

http://www.nfl.com/fantasyfootball/story/0ap3000000643622/article/doitall-pharoh-cooper-looking-for-more-defined-role

Leading up to the 2016 NFL Draft, each day NFL Fantasy will profile a prospect (or two) who could make a splash in fantasy next season. Today’s subject is former South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh Cooper.

It might be a cliché, but the more you can do on a football field can usually increase your chances to be a contributor on an NFL roster. That should bode well for the prospects of Pharoh Cooper. South Carolina’s top offensive weapon in 2015 was a Swiss Army Knife option on a Gamecocks team that suffered plenty of upheaval — not the least of which was its coach resigning midseason. But will Cooper’s jack-of-all-trades skillset make him a fantasy master in 2016? I looked into the tape the find out.

Strengths

» Versatile; played a number of roles in the offense
» Releases quickly from line of scrimmage; gets to top speed quickly
» Reliable hands

Cooper did a little bit of everything during his time at South Carolina. He was the team’s leading receiver (posting a statline of 135-2,109-17 over his final two seasons); he also lined up as the wildcat quarterback, rushing 71 times for 513 yards and four scores in his three seasons in Columbia. If that wasn’t enough, Cooper completed 9-of-16 passes for 118 yards and four touchdowns and even returned punts. Not bad for a guy who was a cornerback when he first stepped foot on campus.

That level of versatility held him in good stead in the Gamecock program and he finished the 2015 campaign as the team’s leader in scrimmage yards (1,084) and total touchdowns (nine). But he truly made his name as a receiver. Cooper lined up all over the field and was the primary target for the litany of signal-callers who took the field last season. Part of it was Cooper’s ability to explode off the line of scrimmage and force defenders to commit early. The other part was Cooper’s consistent ability to catch most anything in his atmosphere.

Weaknesses

» Needs more work as a route-runner
» Struggles to make contested catches
» Lacks agility to make tacklers miss after the catch

Sometimes the problem with doing a little bit of everything is that you never really get good at one thing. For all of Cooper’s positive attributes, he still lacks some polish as a wide receiver. He has a tendency to round off his underneath routes and often struggles to find space to get open in the middle of the field. These are issues that can be improved, but they are likely to limit his wide receiver snaps early in his career.

The other issue that might hurt is that Cooper struggles to make catches in traffic. Anytime Cooper was forced to battle with a defender to come up with a football, there was a better than even chance that he wasn’t going to win the battle. That will be crucial at the next level where it will be harder to gain separation from defenders. Something that might be harder to overcome is Cooper’s general lack of wiggle. Once the ball is in his hands, he doesn’t often make tacklers miss in the open field. Instead he relies on his (not inconsiderable) straight line speed to try and outrun them.

Ideal fantasy fits

» Buffalo Bills
» New England Patriots
» Los Angeles Rams

With Chris Hogan apparently on his way to New England, the Bills could use another crafty receiver to work in the slot when they go with three or more receivers. Cooper could also be an intriguing piece if the Bills want to run wildcat sets with Tyrod Taylor and LeSean McCoy. Even though the Patriots are adding a receiver in free agency, we’ve seen what Bill Belichick can do with players that have myriad skills. You might not be able to project Cooper’s role in New England, but it’s certain that the Patriots would make it work. Going to the Rams would give all of us the sadz, but this just feels like the kind of player that Jeff Fisher stockpiles only to have him waste away on the roster for four seasons.

Early fantasy draft projection

Make no mistake, Cooper’s football IQ and willingness to do whatever is asked of him will endear him to plenty of NFL personnel types. His lack of standout ability in any one area means he’ll probably wait to hear his name called during the NFL Draft. It also means that he’ll have a cloudy fantasy future as well. In redraft leagues, it’s hard to envision Cooper getting a lot of attention from fantasy managers. In the right offensive system, he could have some late dynasty appeal, but it could take a few seasons before you see any real dividends.

ANALYSIS: After the draft, the Rams’ roster looks fuller, more talented and primed to grow stronger

RICH HAMMOND

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rams-714410-draft-signed.html#

The starters have yet to be determined, but the returning Rams, the ones who will emerge on Sept. 12 in the season opener against San Francisco, have been assembled.

With a couple notable exceptions – hello, franchise quarterback – it’s largely the same, young group that finished last season with a 7-9 record but with three wins in its final four games.

There’s some hope. The Rams have a talented defense and a young offense that should improve. Coach Jeff Fisher and General Manager Les Snead added six players through this weekend’s draft, then had signed 14 undrafted free agents as of Sunday.

The rookies will participate in a mini-camp this weekend, and the full team will be together over the next several weeks for offseason workouts. Here’s a position-by-position look at how the Rams look after the draft weekend.

QUARTERBACK

Well, it’s done. The Rams have Jared Goff, and while they will do their best to tamp down expectations, they’re certainly hoping Goff will show enough in training camp to win the starting job.

The Rams’ next move likely will be to trade Nick Foles for a draft pick or two. That move didn’t work out, and everyone knows it. Case Keenum will be Goff’s safety net, and then there’s Sean Mannion, whose selection with a third-round pick in 2015 now seems questionable at best.

RUNNING BACK

What else do the Rams need beyond Todd Gurley, last year’s NFL offensive rookie of the year? Maybe nothing, but that depends on backup Tre Mason, who faces misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and marijuana possession in Florida.

Should Mason face any discipline, the Rams would have to turn to Benny Cunningham, who had only 140 rushing yards last season. They signed undrafted free agent Aaron Green from TCU, but Green is an edge runner who almost certainly doesn’t have the ability to be an every-down NFL back.

RECEIVER

Give the Rams credit for identifying a weakness and working to strengthen it. When Goff looks at his group of receivers in training camp, there will be sufficient quantity, but will there be quality?

Tavon Austin is the clear No. 1 threat, but the options behind him – led by Kenny Britt and Brian Quick – are uninspiring. The Rams made two intriguing additions in the draft: a tough, catch-and-run guy in Pharoh Cooper (South Carolina) and a potential possession receiver in Mike Thomas (Southern Miss).

Don’t sleep on the Rams undrafted free agents, either. Marquez North is talented despite a disappointing, injury-plagued career at Tennessee. Paul McRoberts (Southeast Missouri State) is raw but athletic. Nelson Spruce (Colorado, Westlake High) is the Pac-12 Conference’s all-time leader in receptions.

TIGHT END

Other than quarterback, this could be the most intriguing position to watch. The Rams cut starter Jared Cook in February, then sought complements to Lance Kendricks and Cory Harkey.

That’s complements, plural, because the Rams not only took Tyler Higbee (Western Kentucky) in the fourth round but also Temarrick Hemingway (South Carolina State) in the sixth round.

Higbee faces second-degree assault charges and his status remains unknown. Higbee has great potential, which is why the Rams were willing to take a chance on him, but they also hedged their bets by using two of their six draft picks on tight ends. Hemingway, at 6-foot-5, 244 pounds, is a talented receiver.

OFFENSIVE LINE

A year after they loaded up on linemen at the draft, the Rams unsurprisingly were quiet this time. They feel they have the depth and talent they need, and now they’ll sit and hope it develops.

Some pundits believed the Rams would add a center, but they’re apparently content with incumbent starter Tim Barnes, who signed a new two-year contract in March, and backup Demetrius Rhaney.

The Rams signed just two undrafted linemen: Pace Murphy (Northwestern State) and Jordan Swindle (Kentucky), but there’s good depth behind tackles Greg Robinson and Rob Havenstein and guards Rodger Saffold and Jamon Brown.

Isaiah Battle, Andrew Donnal and Cody Wichmann, all added during the 2015 draft, will be part of the rotation.

DEFENSIVE LINE

The Rams did good work here during the early part of the free-agent signing period, when they re-signed William Hayes and Eugene Sims and signed Quinton Coples.

The Rams’ two-deep chart looks good here, with Hayes and Robert Quinn at end and Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers at tackle, and a couple quality backups. Not surprisingly, the Rams were quiet here on draft weekend. They made one undrafted signing: end Morgan Fox of Colorado State.

LINEBACKER

This is a position where the draft weekend could be impactful for the Rams.

They released veteran James Laurinaitis in February, then decided to move Alec Ogletree from outside linebacker to the middle, where he presumably will be flanked by Akeem Ayers and Mark Barron.

The depth beyond that trio is limited, which is why the Rams used a sixth-round pick on athletic linebacker Josh Forrest from Kentucky. Forrest, listed at 6-foot-3, 249 pounds, didn’t test well at the scouting combine, but that’s in the past, and if he performs well, he has a chance to crack the rotation.

The Rams also will hope to hit on one of their three undrafted free agents. Washington State’s Kache Palacio, from Serra High in Gardena, also worked out at fullback for some NFL teams. Brandon Chubb was a two-year captain at Wake Forest. The Rams also signed Pitt’s Nicholas Grigsby.

DEFENSIVE BACK

Talented cornerback Janoris Jenkins left via free agency, but the Rams have good depth there with Trumaine Johnson, E.J. Gaines, Coty Sensabaugh and Lamarcus Joyner.

Things are thinner at safety, other than with veteran T.J. McDonald, and the Rams are counting on Cody Davis and Mo Alexander to contribute. There’s not much experience there, which could be a problem.

The Rams didn’t draft a safety, which was a bit surprising, but did sign two undrafted safeties: Jordan Lomax from Iowa and Brian Randolph from Tennessee. They also signed cornerback Mike Jordan from Missouri Western, who was a finalist for the small-college defensive player of the year award in 2015.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The job of punter Johnny Hekker seems safe, to no surprise, but the same can’t be said for kicker Greg Zuerlein, who surprisingly struggled last season. The Rams openly have said that there will be competition for Zuerlein in training camp, so perhaps a free-agent signing is still to come.

The Rams made only one post-draft signing, that of Taylor Bertolet of Texas A&M, and it’s a bit of a head-scratcher. Bertolet, once a top high school kicker from Pennsylvania, didn’t win the Aggies job until last season, then he made only 22 of 31 field goals, and even missed four from inside 40 yards.

I wonder if Forrest is a future Ayers replacement.

He looks the part.

He could be many things in depth before that.

If he ends up replacing Ayers down the road (and Ayers has only 2016 left on his contract) then the Rams would have, in base defensive sets, 3 converted LBs.

Barron was a safety in college, Ogletree was a safety converted to a backer in college, and Forrest started out as WR in college before playing as a hybrid linebacker/safety.

zn wrote:

The most encouraging recent example of an Air Raid transition to the NFL might actually be the guy who took Foles’ place, Case Keenum.

So yeah, Keenum DID make the transition. The numbers show this. Keenum, percentage of snaps in the shotgun:

2013: 75.5%
2014: 44.1%
2015: 45.6%

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.

He is going to have some value as a mentor, or so you would think.

.

from off the net

==

alyoshamucci

So we have a flooding effect in progress obviously with the WRs and TEs. I will deal with them separately as they are the main focus in my opinion.

I loved the trade down in the 4th and during the simulations I ran it was almost always available. That pick is going to matter, and given the player they snagged I’m confident in saying that.

To business ..

Goff. I ended up being sold on his footwork and his ability to take hits unflinchingly. I had come in leaning Wentz, but it shifted to 75-25 Goff by draft day.

Higbee. I don’t care about the arrest. I don’t have any Kentucky friends who haven’t been arrested.

Cooper. Kid’s a gamer. Watched him 3 years.

Hemingway. Obviously Fish had a Mo Alexander thing for him.

Forrest. This is a huge pick. I think much bigger than realized. Halfway through the year I was mocking him to us in the 3rd and 4th. But Kentucky LBs slide. He’s got a closing burst and wingspan that make him difficult to sneak away from as a runner and difficult to fully block if you’re trying to move him. Insurance in case Ogletree proves better outside. Could he play this year? I’d suggest special teams only while he learns, but each Kentucky LB that has come out has surprised with their overall skill and ability.

Mike Thomas. We’ve been talking about him for months as one of the most likely steals. Thought he’d climb after the postseason but then he didn’t get a combine invite. Weird.

UDFA kids.

North, Spruce, and McRoberts I’ll get to in the last section. Great gets though. Goodness.

Green RB TCU. This kid reminds me of Mason, except better in pass pro (I was not a huge Mason fan). I thought he’d get taken round 3 or 4. Stunned he was available and I bet he makes the squad.

Seau DE. Athlete with bloodlines. I don’t think he makes the 53 unless he pulls a freak in PS with wauffles coaching (totally possible) or he goes nuts on ST. But Practice Squad potential for sure.

Randolph FS. This could be another UDFA kid that gets groomed to start. We really know how to coach this position.

Not worried about the CBs and LBs.

Before going into the passing game, I have one gripe. WHERE IS MY THIRD DT? Trinca Pasat?

The passing game.

We brought in 5 talented draftable WRs, and 2 pass catching TEs.

The BEST part about this? They are coming in WITH Goff … So the comaraderie and chemistry should be obvious early.

I had them ranked

Thomas 3rd
Cooper 3rd (With a ST edge)
North 4th
Spruce 5th
McRoberts Also 5th.

Got 3 outside WRs 2 inside. North could be a serious #1 like a fast version of Boldin. Thomas is explosive. Cooper is a gamer. I have those three all making the roster.

Hard Knocks should be good TV.

Higbee should start in Cooks spot day one, and if he and Goff can bond early? He could be the steal if the draft, pretty reminiscent of Kelce.
Hemingway is a project and I know very little about him.

Overall I really like the way this team has been built and that the most complex aspect of the game was tended to after the full foundation was set.

Goff comes in with a young talented line in place, a stud RB, a smart TE, a couple vet receivers and a Gadget guy. He gets to come IN WITH his TE, and 5 potential WR connections. I don’t know how rare that is … But I’d bet it doesn’t happen too often and the odds of it paying off even without high draft picks is a big deal.

I have questions about safety and 3rd DT … But our defense is not going to be what I’m worried about or watching for in preseason.

Must excited I’ve been for an August in a long time.

Interesting bit, I think. —>

from PFF

Thomas is one of our favorite picks in the draft as the No. 38 player on the PFF draft board has great body control and he won contested catches at a higher rate than the other top receivers in the class. Thomas ranked seventh in the class in yards per route run, deep pass receptions and deep pass yards.

Rob Rang – CBS (B+)

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/25573338/nfc-west-grades-for-2016-nfl-draft-goff-pick-keys-rams-great-draft

Some will characterize the Rams moving up aggressively to nab quarterback Jared Goff as a public relations ploy to woo the notoriously fickle Los Angeles market, but his anticipation, pocket awareness and mobility and accuracy make him a legitimate franchise quarterback candidate. Given that the Rams went 4-2 in the division a year ago — including sweeping the Seahawks and defeating the Cardinals once — is an indication that this club is ready to win now with any kind of consistency at the position.

And give general manager Les Snead credit, he protected the investment in Goff with the type of weapons which will help his young quarterback. Tight ends Tyler Higbee and Temarrick Hemingway and wideout Pharoh Cooper are layers who can attack down the seam, taking full advantage of Goff’s touch over the middle and mitigating his lack of elite velocity to the perimeter, where the NFC West’s lanky, physical press corners like Richard Sherman and Patrick Peterson reside. Southern Miss wideout Mike Thomas has deceptive speed and good ball skills, as well.

==

Edholm – Shutdown Corner Yahoo

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/round-1-s-grades-for-2016-nfl-draft-042443575.html

1) Los Angeles Rams: QB Jared Goff – This pick has been in pretty much since the Rams moved up dramatically from No. 15 to 1, even if they kept the mystery going for a few weeks. Goff is a rhythm passer who has spent three years in the “Bear Raid” offense, and there will be a transition to more of a pro system with a first-year passing coordinator and a second-year QB coach. Patience, Rams fans. Grade: B

Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2016/04/30/2016-nfc-draft-grades-rams-get-high-marks-for-landing-jared-goff/

After taking QB Jared Goff first overall, the Rams didn’t pick again until Day 3. No matter. Quality will trump quantity if Goff becomes the franchise QB that the Rams hope he will be. They simply had to have a productive QB, with other pieces to a contending team already in place. And they did what they had to do, via their mega-trade with the Titans before the draft, to give themselves a chance to get one. Now all they can do is hope that it works out. Grade: A-

==

Five Day 3 players that could have a big impact

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000658802/article/five-day-3-players-who-could-have-a-big-impact

Tyler Higbee, TE, Western Kentucky (Rams): Jared Cook is now a member of the Green Bay Packers, leaving the Rams with little pop at the tight end position. Higbee was potentially viewed as the top tight end in the draft before a series of off-field incidents tainted his draft stock. He was arrested on April 10 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and charged with second-degree assault, evading police and public intoxication. An arraignment is planned for next week. On the field, the Rams know a tight end that can create mismatches in the 5-15 yard range are typically a rookie quarterback’s best friend. With so much invested in Jared Goff, Higbee was deemed worth the risk.

Rams Sixth-Round Draft Pick TE Temarrick Hemingway – Conference Call – April 30, 2015

(On being picked by the Rams)

“I cried immediately after I got the news. It’s like a numbing feeling that I had. It’s such an honor to be able to go play for the Rams. I’m just taking it all in right now. It’s still unbelievable that I’m going there.”

(On if he had any idea the Rams were interested in him)

“I actually was there a couple of weeks ago on a vist there, so I knew they had interest in me.”

(On if he cried after he was selected because it was unexpected or he was overcome with happiness)

“It was just happiness. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that nobody really ever gets. So, I felt like I was blessed enough to have the Rams interested in me and I really, really thank them for it.”

(On how he describes his game and his qualities as a player)

“A lot of people might think of me as a receiving tight end. I see myself as a physical tight end as well. I catch the ball in traffic. I like to get yards after the catch. I don’t look to just fall down to the ground as soon as I catch the ball. Immediately after I get the ball, I immediately look for extra yardage. I have a tough mentality, that’s a really big thing for me. Being that I used to be a receiver at 170 pounds my freshman year, I really have this spirit about me, this never-done attitude. Those are just some of the simple things that become big things, especially playing at the next level.”

(On if interest from teams spiked after his strong performance at the combine)

“To be honest, I kind of had an idea that they were probably interested in me, but I didn’t really know because a lot of teams, they like to keep their thoughts and things to themselves. They didn’t really show a reaction to anything I really did there, but I kind of figured that they showed interest in me. Some of the coaches there would talk to me on the side, like asking me how I’m doing and things like that – checking up on me. At that time I didn’t really know who was really interested in me. So I really didn’t have an idea of who was going to pick me up or if I was going to be drafted or not.”

(On the Rams 2016 draft class being weapons to help Jared Goff)

“It is a really special class. We’re going to come in competing and we’re all really good players, so it should be exciting to watch and be a part of as well.”

(On if he plans to add more weight/muscle for the NFL)

“Yeah, I always feel like I could gain more pounds. I want to gain most of my weight in muscle. I don’t want to be a heavy tight end with no muscle. I feel like if I could gain maybe 10 more pounds, that’d be really great for me. I came a long way from 229 at the beginning of last season to 248 now. So I feel like picking up weight shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

(On his familiarity with Los Angeles)

“I’ve actually been out to Los Angeles twice. I went there for the NFLPA (Collegiate) Bowl game and I went there to visit with the Rams, but I’m not really too familiar with LA itself because when I went there it was for business purposes. It will be interesting to see how LA is and how the lifestyle is, but I know the traffic is really, really crazy compared to the worst traffic in South Carolina.”

(On his experience and takeaways for the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl)

“It was a learning experience. I was glad that I had the opportunity to go there and play there. I really had to get a grasp on the concepts and terminology. The terminology is really different from what I was used to, so that was one thing I had to get adjusted to. Overall, it was a really good experience. If I could I’d do it all over again.”

—

Rams Sixth-Round Draft Pick LB Josh Forrest – Conference Call – April 30, 2016

(On what the wait to be drafted has been like and what he’s been doing today)

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I’ve been with my family – my brother and my sister, and my mom and my step-dad. We’ve just all been sitting around waiting. It’s been a crazy experience, definitely.”

(On what the feeling was like when the Rams finally called)

“I really can’t even explain…like goose bumps. Everybody in the house had goose bumps, and I’m still in shock right now.”

(On if he ever imagined following the path of starting as wide receiver in college to being drafted as an inside linebacker in the NFL)

“No, that’s unbelievable almost. You hardly ever see receivers turning into linebackers and pan out to be NFL players.”

(On if he can put into words what it was like to get drafted considering he didn’t begin playing football until his junior year of high school)

“Not really. I am just in shock right now. I started off just trying to do something with my time away from basketball season. So football was the thing I was chose to do. One of my best friends talked me into playing. I just fell in love with it from there.”

(On making the transition from wide receiver to inside linebacker and how he added the weight over the years to play linebacker)

“When I first got there I was maybe 205 (pounds). I redshirted and about halfway through my redshirt year was kind of when I switched over to the hybrid linebacker-safety position. Then we got a new coaching staff and I ended up moving from outside linebacker to the ‘will’ position. We had a will that was there. Avery Williamson was there the year before I moved, and after he left my position was wide open. Coach asked me if I thought I could do it and I told him, ‘I can do whatever you need me to do’. It just worked out that way.”

(On what his diet and weight room regime was like when he was trying to become big enough to handle the linebacker position)

“Well at first I thought it was just eating as much as I could, but then I feel like I put on some bad weight a little bit. Then I started eating healthy. I got with a nutritionist, and we sat down and got a meal (program), and I stayed on it. I gained about 10 pounds until I got up to 250, and right now that’s where I am at.”

(On what it means to be the lone defensive draft pick for the Rams this year considering the team’s history for drafting on the defensive side of the ball)

“It’s a blessing. Those are the only words that I can come up with. That’s really it. It’s a blessing.”

(On if he was on special teams in college)

“My first two years I did kickoff, kickoff return and punt return. Then my junior and senior years I did punt.”

(On if he is comfortable enough being on special teams in order to make the roster)

“Definitely, definitely.”

(On if he looked up to any NFL linebackers while he was making the transition from offense to defense)

“Danny Trevathan just because he was a good linebacker we had my freshman year. When I switched over, he went to the NFL, he went to the Broncos. He was undersized. He was like a small linebacker, and I just felt like I was switching over to linebacker weighing 205. So I felt like, I’m a smaller linebacker, too, not height wise, but weight wise. I tried to give myself some things like, ‘OK, he’s small. I feel like I’m a smaller guy. This is who I want to model my game after.’”

(On Kentucky producing late-round successes in Danny Trevathan and Wesley Woodward at the linebacker position and if that is a point of pride for him)

“It is definitely a point of pride. I talked with Danny and Bud Dupree about it about two or three days ago, saying how we have been putting out a lot of linebackers. We like to call it LBU.”

—

Rams Sixth-Round Draft Pick WR Michael Thomas – Conference Call – April 30, 2016

(On how it feels to be drafted by the Los Angeles Rams)

“It’s a great feeling. There’s a lot of great people in the organization. They’ve got a great receivers coach, I talked to him earlier. I’m just blessed. I’m thankful. It’s a happy moment for me.”

(On if anticipated that he would go earlier or later in the draft)

“I was anticipating going earlier, but I was just being patient and didn’t let it get to me. I just knew I was going to get picked, but I didn’t know when. Like I said, I’m just so thankful right now.”

(On what it means as a wide receiver to get drafted by a team who selected a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick)

“That means a lot. That means they are looking forward to the quarterback they got and I’m looking forward to it now, the fact that I have been drafted by the Rams. I’m just looking forward to working with him, getting that chemistry going, and then we’re balling.”

(On how much earlier in the draft he thought he would go)

“To be honest, probably second through the fourth, no later than the fourth. But, obviously that didn’t happen. I just stayed patient and kept thinking positive about it and here I am.”

(On why he didn’t think he wasn’t invited to the combine and if he was surprised by it)

“It was really a surprise because…I didn’t get a combine invite. That just motivated me more to keep going. That put a lot of fire in me to keep going, keep working hard, and thinking positive the whole way through.”

(On if he thinks not being invited to the combine affecting where he was drafted)

“No, I feel like that wasn’t the reason because I still had a pro day and I still went to regional combines. I feel like…I don’t know. There was a reason for it, but I just didn’t know why. All the people I talked to said, ‘Don’t worry about not getting invited to the combine, just stay focused and keep working.’”

(On what he brings to the table and what type of game he has)

“I bring dynamic playmaking skills. I can stretch the field, make things happen, make plays, execute plays, and that’s what I’m looking forward to doing with the Rams. Keep making plays, executing, and winning games.”

(On how much contact he had with the Rams before the draft)

“Well, I was talking to the receivers coach (Mike Groh). We FaceTimed a couple times and talked, but I never was in contact with the Rams like that. He did give me a call, so technically I was before. So it’s kind of like, kind of, sort of, but not really.”

(On being a part of the group of receivers that has been drafted to help QB Jared Goff)

“To be honest, I’m looking forward to learning from a lot of the receivers that are already there. I’m just looking forward to those guys helping me out, teaching me things, the ins and outs. Like I said, I’m just looking forward to working, I really can’t explain. I’m just happy. I’m so thankful right now.”

(On if he’s ever been to California and how he liked it if so)

“Yes, I’ve actually been there when I visited San Diego, and I’ve also been to Long Beach as well, but I’ve never been to Los Angeles. The weather is great, it’s way better than Chicago right now, so I’m looking forward to that.”

canadaram wrote:

Drew Boylhart

Pharoh Cooper WR South Carolina
STRENGTHS

You’re doing good work, CR. Adding stuff to the mix. Thanks.

canadaram wrote:

Sorry about the misplaced posts on lomax and Jordan. I reposted in he UDFA thread. Too late for me to delete them here.

I got it. No problem.