All it takes is one good draft...

[WestCoastRam]

Ranking the top 10 draft classes of the PFF era

Ranking the top 10 draft classes of the PFF era, including the 2010 and 2012 Seattle Seahawks.

www.pff.com

I'd love to see what the stats were on the average amount of starters that come out of draft classes. I'd bet that it's a lower number than most fans think. That being said, one epic draft class can reset/rejuvenate/catapult a team back into contention pretty quickly - hell, even one just really good one.

Everyone points to Geno being a big reason that the Seahawks bounced back hard last year but they had a pretty great draft class hitting on picks up and down rounds.

The link above shows a good example of what one stellar class (no matter how rare it might be) can go to buttressing a team going forward.

Just look at the Rams 2017 draft class (not the greatest of all time but an A+ class), they got starters in Kupp* and JJ, followed by above average role players Everett, Reynolds and Ebukam. That's a pretty fantastic draft class.

*Kupp not just being a starter, but an all-pro.

 

[Flatlyner]

Very interesting article. Yes, it definitely shows that you can turn your team around with one great draft. It does pain me to see the Shehawks on there twice with their last draft likely to also appear on that list soon. Let's hope our draft is destined for that list this year

 

[PARAM]

Ranking the top 10 draft classes of the PFF era

Ranking the top 10 draft classes of the PFF era, including the 2010 and 2012 Seattle Seahawks.

www.pff.com

I'd love to see what the stats were on the average amount of starters that come out of draft classes. I'd bet that it's a lower number than most fans think. That being said, one epic draft class can reset/rejuvenate/catapult a team back into contention pretty quickly - hell, even one just really good one.

Everyone points to Geno being a big reason that the Seahawks bounced back hard last year but they had a pretty great draft class hitting on picks up and down rounds.

The link above shows a good example of what one stellar class (no matter how rare it might be) can go to buttressing a team going forward.

Just look at the Rams 2017 draft class (not the greatest of all time but an A+ class), they got starters in Kupp* and JJ, followed by above average role players Everett, Reynolds and Ebukam. That's a pretty fantastic draft class.

*Kupp not just being a starter, but an all-pro.

Many fans don't realize immediate starters from the draft are not so plentiful. The worst the existing roster, the better chance to draft a starter. But the Rams have been operating from a handicap in two areas. No first round picks and fairly solid hard to crack roster......most years.

Very interesting article. Yes, it definitely shows that you can turn your team around with one great draft. It does pain me to see the Shehawks on there twice with their last draft likely to also appear on that list soon. Let's hope our draft is destined for that list this year

Maybe this is the year the Rams 2021 draft class makes the list. Tutu, Jones, Rochell, B. Brown, E. Brown and Skowronek. Then again, maybe they don't. But it won't be from lack of opportunity.

 

[snackdaddy]

A good draft class can change the fortunes for a team. But not usually in the first season. Even first rounders need time to develop. What you need a solid core and a good group of role players to compliment that solid core.

Our core is Stafford, Kupp and Donald. Losing Ramsey and Wagner reduces the core group. Even with nice role players I don't know if we have enough to compete.

 

[WestCoastRam]

A good draft class can change the fortunes for a team. But not usually in the first season. Even first rounders need time to develop. What you need a solid core and a good group of role players to compliment that solid core.

Our core is Stafford, Kupp and Donald. Losing Ramsey and Wagner reduces the core group. Even with nice role players I don't know if we have enough to compete.

Agree that a good draft class may not change the fortunes of a team in the first season but take a look at those top 10 draft classes, each of them had guys that not only started but excelled in their first season. They are the outlier, of course.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Very interesting article. Yes, it definitely shows that you can turn your team around with one great draft. It does pain me to see the Shehawks on there twice with their last draft likely to also appear on that list soon. Let's hope our draft is destined for that list this year

Schneider had the midas touch for a bit but then their drafts really fell off with him. That's why I'm willing to cut Snead a little more slack but sure seems like he needs to have another above average draft class soon and at some point not having a 1st and more can't be an excuse.

 

[Merlin]

A lot of your role player types show better early than later. Those tend to fizzle out as they are expected to filter into more important roles. So the key is hitting on a couple real quality starters that are going to be around for the full duration of that rookie deal with starter production at the least. That's not easy to do but it is possible. In this case the best positions for that to happen would be where our holes are so at S, CB, Edge, 5T, TE.

Then you try to hit on a couple role player types the rest of the way. And maybe you get lucky with another 1 or 2 in the UDFA group, plus a Kicker, Punter and LS. That UDFA group should be rather large for us this year given that the UDFAs all have agents looking to see where their clients have the best chance to make a roster, so maybe they can pull all this off. But it is a lot to expect and we're gonna start the season with some subpar players in important roles so it's gonna be rocky.

But let's say they hit on Corner and Edge and draft real starters for year one. From there things don't look near as bad, as you can rotate on the DL heavily vs most offenses, suffer through a year with one subpar safety next to Fuller, and maybe draft a TE that you don't feel year one but he's in that room's pipeline. We'd still need a miracle with OL health which feels dicey at best but the depth should get a pipeline piece or two.

End result is a mediocre as F team but they'll be young and play hard and we hope they find a way to string some wins together here and there and finish in that 7-9 win range (no Fish pun intended there lol). From there the wildcard is about how the league results go. Some years it's quality teams others not so much.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Role guys and what I like to call dirt workers are essential because it’s fantasy football to have 11 pro bowlers on the field. You need guys who not only can play but who will buy into the program.

The Rams have consistently gotten 2 or 3 yrs out of these types after drafting/acquiring them. If the Rams had drafted nothing but junk players from rd’s 2-7 we wouldn’t have won all those games and a title the last six years.

 

[dang]

We have 2 drafts in the 2 year plan but in reality fee rookies contribute outside of RB but we need to hit a couple this year.

 

[PARAM]

The Rams have been lucky with some rookies who've excelled. May not have started right away but took over and started during the season. The last dozen years. Brockers (1st) and Janoris Jenkins (2nd) in 2012. Donald (1st) in 2014. Gurley (1st) and Havenstein (2nd) in 2015. Kupp (3rd) and John Johnson (2nd) in 2017. SJD (6th) in 2018. Rapp (2nd) and Edwards (5th) in 2019. Akers (2nd) in 2020. And Ernest Jones (3rd) in 2021.

3 first round picks
5 second round picks
2 third round picks
1 sixth round pick.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Here’s my recipe that I’ll send to Snead.

1. No projects before the sixth round
2. No injured players period
3. No trading back with good players on the board
4. Lock Sean in the closet until round 5.

 

[OntarioRam]

The Rams have been lucky with some rookies who've excelled. May not have started right away but took over and started during the season. The last dozen years. Brockers (1st) and Janoris Jenkins (2nd) in 2012. Donald (1st) in 2014. Gurley (1st) and Havenstein (2nd) in 2015. Kupp (3rd) and John Johnson (2nd) in 2017. SJD (6th) in 2018. Rapp (2nd) and Edwards (5th) in 2019. Akers (2nd) in 2020. And Ernest Jones (3rd) in 2021.

3 first round picks
5 second round picks
2 third round picks
1 sixth round pick.

Seems to me like 2018 and onward have had a much lesser impact. That is 5 years ago now. It is starting to show and rear its head in terms of the depth of the roster.

Of course, the Rams have had less picks since 2018, and picking later when they do have them. Brockers, Gurley, and Donald were all high picks. We cannot expect that type of player, generally, at our recent draft slots. But the Rams have also had more whiffs recently, or at the very least, "meh" picks. Hopefully, we can have a very strong 2023 draft. It only takes one very strong draft class to set a franchise up for success, as the OP notes!

 

[PARAM]

Seems to me like 2018 and onward have had a much lesser impact. That is 5 years ago now. It is starting to show and rear its head in terms of the depth of the roster.

Of course, the Rams have had less picks since 2018, and picking later when they do have them. Brockers, Gurley, and Donald were all high picks. We cannot expect that type of player, generally, at our recent draft slots. But the Rams have also had more whiffs recently, or at the very least, "meh" picks. Hopefully, we can have a very strong 2023 draft. It only takes one very strong draft class to set a franchise up for success, as the OP notes!

I guess it's all in how you look at it. Some picks were depth picks and that's what they ended up being. Depth. Others were 'future starter' picks and they ended up being starters.

12 picks in the first 3 rounds the last 5 years. Twice our first pick was in the 3rd (both times they took OL). 13 picks in the 4th & 5th the last 5 years. I think they did well for what they had available.

 

[RamsOfCastamere]

I think our offense is two solid lineman away being very good. If the offense stays healthy and Stafford has little more time, there is still enough talent there to move the chains.

 

[oldnotdead]

It's not when the player is taken, but the player themselves. Talent can be found in every round. Too many times the difference is not what round the player is taken but the quality of the NFL coaching he receives combined with how the players are utilizied, If you have a team of role players, but the coaches play to their strengths, that team can excel. The Patriots during their glory years were proof of that.

Rapp is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. As a rookie Rapp was played by Phillips as an in the box SS which is how he was played by the Huskies. He excelled and was a standout on defense as a rookie. Since 2021 Rapp has been taken out of that role and basically played to his weaknesses. Staley expected him to play in man coverage. Morris played many times in deep coverage. Rapp doesn't have the long speed to play man coverage or the range to play deep coverage. His strengths are quickly reading the play while in the box and jumping the route within that 10 yd zone.

Most DCs don't know their players and therefore don't play to their strengths. No team has star players at all 22 positions. You don't have enough first round picks to fill your starting roster. Being a first round pick is no guarantee he's going to validate his draft position. That is why IMO most first round picks don't validate that draft status and first round picks are over valued. I'd rather have two second round picks than one first round pick.

The Rams haven't had a first round pick in 7 years but have two Super Bowl appearances and one Lombardi Trophy to show for it. What more need be said? It works for them.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I think our offense is two solid lineman away being very good. If the offense stays healthy and Stafford has little more time, there is still enough talent there to move the chains.

If pre draft visits are any indication, and they have been in the past, then I don't think its likely that the Rams will be drafting Oline early. I think the only one to visit was Torrence and its not likely that he will be around by pick 36.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

It's not when the player is taken, but the player themselves. Talent can be found in every round. Too many times the difference is not what round the player is taken but the quality of the NFL coaching he receives combined with how the players are utilizied, If you have a team of role players, but the coaches play to their strengths, that team can excel. The Patriots during their glory years were proof of that.

Rapp is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. As a rookie Rapp was played by Phillips as an in the box SS which is how he was played by the Huskies. He excelled and was a standout on defense as a rookie. Since 2021 Rapp has been taken out of that role and basically played to his weaknesses. Staley expected him to play in man coverage. Morris played many times in deep coverage. Rapp doesn't have the long speed to play man coverage or the range to play deep coverage. His strengths are quickly reading the play while in the box and jumping the route within that 10 yd zone.

Most DCs don't know their players and therefore don't play to their strengths. No team has star players at all 22 positions. You don't have enough first round picks to fill your starting roster. Being a first round pick is no guarantee he's going to validate his draft position. That is why IMO most first round picks don't validate that draft status and first round picks are over valued. I'd rather have two second round picks than one first round pick.

The Rams haven't had a first round pick in 7 years but have two Super Bowl appearances and one Lombardi Trophy to show for it. What more need be said? It works for them.

They had first round picks. Snead just wasn't the guy who picked them. Ramsey and Stafford were first rounders. Goff too for that matter.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

I don't have faith in our FO to pick the right guys. Be prepared for Tutu 2.0 in the next draft.

 

[PARAM]

It's not when the player is taken, but the player themselves. Talent can be found in every round. Too many times the difference is not what round the player is taken but the quality of the NFL coaching he receives combined with how the players are utilizied, If you have a team of role players, but the coaches play to their strengths, that team can excel. The Patriots during their glory years were proof of that.

Rapp is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. As a rookie Rapp was played by Phillips as an in the box SS which is how he was played by the Huskies. He excelled and was a standout on defense as a rookie. Since 2021 Rapp has been taken out of that role and basically played to his weaknesses. Staley expected him to play in man coverage. Morris played many times in deep coverage. Rapp doesn't have the long speed to play man coverage or the range to play deep coverage. His strengths are quickly reading the play while in the box and jumping the route within that 10 yd zone.

Most DCs don't know their players and therefore don't play to their strengths. No team has star players at all 22 positions. You don't have enough first round picks to fill your starting roster. Being a first round pick is no guarantee he's going to validate his draft position. That is why IMO most first round picks don't validate that draft status and first round picks are over valued. I'd rather have two second round picks than one first round pick.

The Rams haven't had a first round pick in 7 years but have two Super Bowl appearances and one Lombardi Trophy to show for it. What more need be said? It works for them.

Most DC's don't know their players? That doesn't seem like an accurate statement. I could buy "many unsuccessful DCs" don't know their players but not ALL DCs.

They had first round picks. Snead just wasn't the guy who picked them. Ramsey and Stafford were first rounders. Goff too for that matter.

Don't forget Brandin Cooks, Mark Barron and 3 guys besides Goff who Snead did draft in Brockers, Donald and Gurley.