Deadpool

1.19 Jared Verse – EDGE – FSU – 6′-4″ 254 lbs. – Twitched up, speed to power merchant that can really apply pressure to OL early in the rep. Solid setting an edge as well.

He was my 15th overall rated prospect, and my 7th overall Rams specific board prospect (and the top one available at 19) He was also my 3rd rated EDGE.
He was in my other names to watch in my 2nd mock with the 19th pick, but I didn’t expect him to be there.

From a post I made 11 months ago on prospects to watch for next year, since the Rams had a 1st round pick:
Jared Verse, FSU – Shocked he didn’t come out, he had to have had a 1st round grade. Played for Albany, then transferred to FSU, so maybe he wanted 2 years of production at a high end school 6′-4″ 250 lbs of relentlessness. In the run and pass game. Flexible enough to flatten around the corner to the QB, but strong enough to hold his own at the PoA.

He is strong, athletic with a nonstop motor and high character marks. His RAS score was 9.60, putting him in the “Elite” category. His speed and explosion grades “Elite”
He can set an edge in the run game and is a speed to power QB hunter. His explosion off the snap combined with violent hands put OL on the defensive immediately. He needs to add some pass rush moves, but he is further along in development than Byron Young was last year. And stronger. My only question is can he drop into coverage?

I love the value of this pick meeting need and I think fit. We can thank all the QBs going, pushing down the defensive guys. In a normal year 6 QBs and 3 WRs in the top 10 will not happen and Verse is gone my 12 at the latest IMO.

I truly think if Verse is gone, the Rams trade out or at the least down. Did they like Robinson? Maybe. Would have they traded down and went Fiske early in the 2nd and then went edge rusher later? That’s the most likely scenario, followed by trading back to the end of the 1st and grabbing a WR, then moving back up for Fiske. I like how it worked out TBH.

2.39 Braden Fiske – IDL – FSU – 6′-5″ 292 lbs. – Good athlete that is a super smooth mover, big time motor and quick.

He was my 35th overall ranked prospect, my 25th ranked Rams specific prospect and my 4th overall ranked IDL (top 3 were off the board ) He was also in my other names to watch in my mock 2.0 second round.

From 2 months ago on my 1st round prospects after the combine:
Fiske is having himself an offseason, I oriiginally had him as 3rd rounder, because his play speed seemed sluggish, but he dominated the Senior Bowl and the combine and I will have him locked in as 2nd rounder, he could, in theory push himself into the back of 1st.

Really active hands
Explosive out of his stance
Agile enough to be effective in stunts
Red hot motor
Won’t eat double teams, but is quick enough to split them
Bigger, longer OL can neutralize him

This was a pick I was hoping they would make after Friday night. I knew they would have to move up for him, but like I said in trade section above, with the way WRs and DTs were going, they were going to have to move up for a target, or take the best fitting CB. Adding Fiske with his relentless motor to guys like Turner, Young and Verse, and you have 4 high motor, relentless QB hunters. Its going to be a fun front 7 to watch. I think

3.83 Blake Corum – RB – Mich. – 5′-8″ 205 lbs. – He will wear you down and grind out yards despite his size. Excellent contact balance and good vision. Lacks a HR gear, seemed to have a down season.

He was my 106th overall prospect on my 220 big board, my 86th prospect on my Rams specific board and my 6th rated RB.

I had heard someone comment on NFL radio (cannot remember who) that he may have played the season dinged, accounting for his down year from the previous year.

45 TDs in last 2 seasons, he has a nose for the endzone
Great contact balance
good vision
Good patience for the most part
Long speed is missing
Not the shiftiest or most elusive RB
Solid hands as a pass catcher, not a dynamic route runner
Pass blocking is a work in progress

He’s more of the same with Williams, I guess if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Fans will love him the same way I said fans will love Williams when htey drafted him. He is just an angry, tough runner with a lot of dog in him. I was hoping for a HR style back for a change of pace, but he will work really well in the Rams offense. Overall, in a weak RB class, I’m happy with this pick, considering who was available.

3.99 Kamren Kinchens – SAF – Miami – 5′-11″ 203 lbs. – Turnover machine, brings it when in the box. Not the rangiest SAF in the class.

He was my 85th rated prospect on my 220 big board, my 64th rated prospect on my Rams specific board and my 6th rated safety.

Excellent instincts
Ballhawk
tough and willing to do work in the box
Likes to punish ball carriers
lacks the range to play single high
Can work in man or zone, but I liked him better in zone

He was in contention for the top SAF taken in the draft with Nubin, but a sub-optimal combine really dropped him down a few pegs on the safety rung. And really, the Rams aren’t that concerned with 40 times, its play speed, and he is more than athletic and fast enough to play in a split zone system, he can also play big nickel. He plays a smart brand of football and his ability to create turnovers is 2nd to none in the safety class. I was working on a 3rd mock before I ran out of time, but he was going to be my pick at the end of the 3rd round. Love this value.

5.154 Brennan Jackson – EDGE – Washington State – 6′-4″ 264 lbs.

I had no ranking on him in my top 220 prospects, he was on my list but missed the cut by 10 or so names, so I had a late 6th, early 7th round rating on him.

Great power and size for the position
Really powerful – combines that with a devastating bull rush
Excellent edge setter against the run
Another red hot motor
Lacks fluid change of direction, a bit stiff in his lower half.
Needs to develop more pass rsh moves and a pass rush plan

I missed on him. Alyo nailed this kid, which is not surprising, since he is the best at this. I struggle with the guys in that upper 260 lb range to 275ish. That said, this is an interesting pick. They announced him as a LBer, so they are planning on him playing standing up on the edge, maybe he can reduce down to a 5t on passing downs. I can see a front 3 of Jackson, Fiske and Turner with Verse and Young on obvious passing downs. Thats a relentless front 5.

6.196 112. Tyler Davis – IDL – Clemson – 6′-2″ 301 lbs. – Explosive NT with powerful hands and a good understanding of leverage. Pass rush needs refinement.

My 112th ranked prospect on my 220 big board, my 91st ranked prospect on my Rams specific board and my 11th rated IDL.

Nose tackle
Team captain
Non-stop motor
Grown man strong
Powerful and active hands
intelligent, understands leverage and angles
Explosive first step
Can eat up double teams
On the small side for a NT
Pass rush is lacking

He is a fun pick. Smart, leader on and off the field, productive and relentless. He will fit right in with the new Rams DL. I imagine he will rotate Brown at NT. This pick had tremendous value to match need and fit. Big fan of this pick.

6.209 Joshua Karty – K – Stanford – 6′-2″ 207 lbs. – Big time range with improved accuracy year after year.

My 175th overall prospect on my big board, my 173rd ranked player on my Rams specific board and my top rated K.

Big leg (career long of 61)
Accuracy has improved year over year

My favorite kicker since the season started. Love the value, love the fit. This was one of the most important picks in the Rams draft IMO. I think htey nailed down their punter and kicker for a while, and that feels good.

6.213 Jordan Whittington – WR – Texas – 6′-1″ 205 lbs. – Physical before and after the catch. Good run blocker and could be a monster on STs with the new rules. Lacks route running and HR gear.

He was my 205th rated player on my big board, my 160th player on my Rams spercific board and my 34th rated WR.

Team first guy willing to block, go over the middle, take jet sweeps
tough to tackle with the ball in his hands
Route running is a work in progress
good hands
PR/KR value
Lacks homerun speed
Works as an X or slot WR

I love this kid. I actually mocked him to us in my first mock draft at the end of the 5th round. He just has that Rams WR vibe. Tough, smart team oriented that is willing to block. Fun fact: he worked with Ricky Proehl to get ready for the draft. His teammates apparently love him. He is a hard worker. He is a beast after the catch and he adds ST value, which I hope lands him a spot on the roster. He won’t take the top off a defense, but he will do everything he can to help his team win on Sundays and thats good enough for me with a round 6 pick. I hope he makes the roster.

6.217 Beaux Limmer – OC – Arkansas – 6′-5″ 302 lbs. – Most of his experience is at RG, last year OC. He is an excellent run blocker that needs to improve his pass sets.

He was my 143rd rated prospect on my big board, and my 5th ranked OC. He did not make my Rams specific board (no OCs did)

Athletic OC with great length (9.80 RAS score)
A little light and could use some good weight
Has OC/OG flexibility
For all that athleticism, he isn’t the smoothest mover in space
Smart, can call line calls

After years of mocking OCs to the Rams, I finally quit doing it and they draft one. If I knew that was all it took, i would have quit drafting OCs years ago. This is a depth pc that most likely ends up on the PS. He needs to get stronger/bigger and work on his pass sets. His run blocking is good. Good news is he seems like a hard worker and smart, so he has a chance to carve out a nice IOL depth piece. I thought he would work better in a zone scheme, but he has heavy feet so maybe a gap/power scheme is his ticket. I had him pegged at 143, so late 4th, early 5th, so great value at the end of round 6.

7.254 KT Leveston – OG – Kansas St. – 6′-4″ 326 lbs. – OT that will probably end up as an OG. Mauler style that needs technical improvement. gap/power scheme.

He was my 169th rated prospect on my big board, my 143rd rated player on my Rams specific board, and my 17th ranked IOL.

Most of his snaps came at LT, but did have snaps at LG
He is a finisher, nasty personality
Can get a bit upright and has a tendency to lunge
A good mover, but not the smoothest
Has the length to stay at OT, but not the movement skills to survive on an island

He was one of the few OL I put on my Rams vertically stacked board because he fits what the Rams like. Positional versatility, nasty demeanor, lots of experience. He most likely lands on the PS. But I do like this pick.

***

Overall, this may be my favorite draft since I’ve been following it. Time will tell how it actually shakes out.

As the the picks themselves, they are all team first, hard working, relentless on the field types. They all have plenty of experience as well, The Fiske/Verse paring is amazing as both should start, too bad they didn’t sign FSU NT Fabian Lovett to an UDFA contract. Instead they went with a NT thats a bit undersized, but relentless and a team leader, he will fit right in. Karty was my top kicker. Corum and Whittington both bring punt and kick return experience with them as well as flawless fits inside the offense, the 2 OL add depth and developmental OL. Kinchens was a steal in the 3rd and should push for starter minutes early and Jackson is a early down edge with the ability to squeeze down to the 5t on passing downs.

from https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2024-nfl-draft-grades-for-every-team-eagles-patriots-chiefs-deliver-cowboys-panthers-receive-poor-marks/

Les Snead is one of the most underrated GMs in the NFL. He proved that again with this draft. The Florida State duo with the first two picks — spectacular. Older but instant-impact types. Neither Corum nor Kinchens are premier athletes; they just handle their jobs at a high level. Jackson has some upside as a thick but sleek edge rusher, and Davis is one of the preeminent run-stopping defensive tackles in this class.

Oh, and Limmer is an eventual starter given his time destroying worlds in the SEC as an explosive and powerful pivot.

Grade: B+

from https://www.the33rdteam.com/2024-nfl-draft-ranking-7-best-pass-rushers-in-this-years-class/

JARED VERSE, FLORIDA STATE

Jared Verse starts the list of the 6.7 and above grades that represent true three-down starting edge rushers. Originally starting in the FCS ranks at Albany, Verse made the jump to Florida State in 2022 and immediately stood out.

In 2023, he ranked third among edge prospects in SIS’s Pressure Rate Above Expectation stat, which adjusts pressure rate for game situations and the player’s alignment.

SIS scout Nathan Cooper gave Verse a 7 in pass rush, hand use, play strength and pass rush repertoire. He also wrote, “Verse is a top-tier pass rusher with heavy hands and a bag of tricks that makes it difficult for linemen to block him.”

from https://www.the33rdteam.com/2024-nfl-draft-ranking-top-11-edge-rushers-prospects/

Jared Verse Verse projects as a high-end starting edge rusher who fits best in an even front where he can rush with his hand in the ground, but there really isn’t a reason he can’t stand up on the edge as well. His pass rush ability is already at a very good level and with a little refinement and coaching at the next level, it can become elite.

On third downs, he’ll be most effective and do the most damage with his power and repertoire as a wide-9 on the edge. He could also reduce down inside to use his length on interior linemen. He can stand in here and there on special teams, but with stamina, motor and tackling concerns, it’s likely not something to waste reps on.

From https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Jared-Verse-DE-FloridaState

SCOUTING REPORT: STRENGTHS

Verse brings a seasoned pass-rush plan to the table, executing a myriad of initial and counter moves with polished technique and shrewd decision-making.
The explosive first step is a cornerstone of his game, dictating pass-rush scenarios by imposing his will and disrupting offensive linemen’s rhythm off the snap.
Elite athletic skills — Made Bruce Feldman’s 2023 ‘Freaks List’ at number 26. He wrote: “another year at FSU has enabled him to continue to develop, both physically and in his on-field skill set. At 6-3 1/2, 260 pounds, Verse power-cleans 360 pounds, squats 555 and benches 455, but he also has excellent burst, running 21.14 MPH in a game with a max acceleration of 5.85m/s with a max deceleration of -6.98m/s.”
Exceptional bend and flexibility allow Verse to exploit the edge, dipping under offensive tackles and maintaining a tight, efficient path to the quarterback.
Natural athletic gifts are evident in his lateral agility, enabling effective redirection and counter moves that continue to confound protective schemes.
His functional strength shouldn’t be understated – Verse consistently delivers powerful punches and showcases the ability to hold his ground against heavier opponents.
The motor on Verse runs incessantly, reflecting a high-effort player who brings relentless energy and pursuit from snap to whistle on every down.
Hand usage is a notable strength, displaying rapid and potent strikes that effectively navigate through opposing linemen’s blocks to disrupt the backfield.
A hallmark of his game, the palpable explosiveness, permeates through his every move, asserting dominance in gap penetration and providing a perpetual disruptive presence.

SCOUTING REPORT: WEAKNESSES

Verse, while maintaining exterior leverage, occasionally overshoots, enabling offensive schemes to exploit created lanes, undermining the run defense’s integrity and effectiveness.
Despite a robust and physical approach to run defense, there’s a discernible lack of control in his tackling, often resulting in missed opportunities in the backfield.
While the collegiate tackle-for-loss numbers are there, skepticism arises regarding the translatability of those statistics to the NFL, demanding further refinement in his approach.
Anticipation and mental processing in run scenarios require elevation; enhancing block recognition and reactionary quickness out of his stance remains a pivotal area for development.
Verse’s effective hand usage in pass-rush scenarios demands translation into run defense, ensuring that generated power and jolt are equivalently impactful across all play types.

 

from PFF, Most and least improved units after the 2024 NFL Draft:  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-most-and-least-improved-units-after-the-2024-nfl-draft

LOS ANGELES RAMS DEFENSIVE LINE

One of the sayings that we heard all offseason for the Rams was that they can’t replace Aaron Donald. The Rams certainly believed that to be true, and their response was to draft a plethora of new defensive linemen. They drafted Jared Verse in the first, traded up for Braden Fiske in the second, then brought in Brennan Jackson and Tyler Davis on Day 3. Combine those four with Kobie Turner and Byron Young from last year’s draft, and you have a completely new defensive line in Los Angeles.

Which teams will make the #NFL playoffs next season? 🤔 @DallasDRobinson predicts the entire field. 👀 pic.twitter.com/sxz9YX91kD

— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) April 30, 2024

Would you change anything? pic.twitter.com/lYmjNBSQFL

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) April 30, 2024

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#Browns have agreed to terms with center Brian Allen, per his agency @SportsAmdg.

Allen was a fourth round pick by the #Rams in 2018. He’s played in 50 career games, while starting 32 of them. pic.twitter.com/xm24JQeIfL

— Noah Weiskopf (@BrownsWithNoah) April 30, 2024

Instant Analysis: Why Jordan Whittington could be the steal of the draft for the Rams

Brock Vierra

https://sports.yahoo.com/instant-analysis-why-jordan-whittington-222308663.html#:~:text=A%20near%20Rhodes%20scholar%2Dlevel,be%20such%20a%20consistent%20player.

Despite all the hype behind Xavier Worthy and AD Mitchell entering the NFL draft, it is without a doubt that the most consistent pass catcher for the Texas Longhorns over Steve Sarkisian’s tenure has been Jordan Whittington.

At No. 213 overall in the sixth round, the Rams selected Whittington, and it could be the steal of the draft for them.

Whittington, a 6-foot-1 wide receiver from Cuero, Texas is no stranger to adversity. During his five years at Texas, he played for two different head coaches, and while opportunities were sparse due to the immense talent surrounding him including seven offensive skill players being selected in the past two drafts, Whittington has consistently answered when called upon.

Whittington doesn’t have off-the-charts athletic talent, causing him to slide in the draft but he possesses something better. A near Rhodes scholar-level football IQ. Whittington throughout his entire career has put together film of him finding pockets in coverages, cutting routes short, and creating separation based on pre-snap reads that has allowed him to be such a consistent player.

Whittington also has sure hands and the awareness to reroute himself when the pocket collapses on his quarterback. He is a QB’s best friend and despite getting thrown the ball by Casey Thompson, Hudson Card, Quinn Ewers and Malik Murphy, his numbers though not mindblowing, have remained steady.

This is the exact type of receiver that thrives in a Sean McVay offense and with Cooper Kupp getting older, there’s a high possibility that Whittington could see the field early and often. I’m not saying he’s going to put up Puka Nacua numbers but the man has the ability to mess around and have a 1000-yard season.

I’m calling my shot. Jordan Whittington is the steal of the draft.

BrooklynRam74

Mel Kiper tonight on ESPN Draft Recap just singled out Brennan Jackson as a great pick in the 5th Round. Said he’s a great pass-rusher and had him ranked 2 rounds lower, 3rd Round.

.@TampaBayTre drops his post-Draft grades on @NFLTotalAccess 👀

Did your team do well in the Draft? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/HwvFOg7a4i

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) April 29, 2024

Not that they will stay in their base formation, but what is their base formation?

ROLB……ILB/nickel-DB……ILB…….LOLB
……RDE or 3-TECH……NT…….LDE

Going from left (or ROLB) to right, starting with the LBs:

Young
?Rozeboom?/Lake
Jones
Verse

Then it gets tricky?

Turner (if 3 -TECH), Fiske (if 3-TECH or DE)
Brown
Johnson? Fiske? Hoecht? Goodlow (UDFA)? Olajiga (UDFA)?

Last year the RDE was Jonah Williams but he signed with the Vikes.

I have a feeling it will be

Turner (3-Tech)
Brown (NT)
Fiske (LDE)

That btw does not look great. It’s too young. The defense might be generally effective in 2024 but I see them ranking between 18th and 12th.

from https://www.turfshowtimes.com/2024/4/29/24144751/rams-draft-beaux-limmer-value-espn

ESPN’s Matt Miller has to grades hundreds of prospects in the draft every year, if not sometimes tipping the scales close to 1,000 names, so it’s notable that he was especially stunned that the Los Angeles Rams were able to draft offensive lineman Beaux Limmer in the sixth round. On Monday, Miller posted his best values and biggest reaches in a thread on Twitter and named Limmer alongside receiver Brenden Rice and quarterback Michael Pratt.