Hindsight Draft: What do you do as Rams GM?

[jrry32]

Hey y'all, thought it would be fun for some of us if we got to play GM. The draft is over. We have the gift of hindsight of knowing who went where. If you were GM and were picking for the Rams, who would you pick at each slot? Here's a full list of the draft picks:

2020 NFL draft - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Here are the top UDFAs (based on the NFL.com scouting staff):

2021 NFL Draft | NFL Draft News, Video & Photos | NFL.com

Get the latest NFL draft news. Watch live streaming draft videos & video highlights. Follow our 2021 NFL draft tracker, draft history & mock draft commentary.

www.nfl.com

Here's mine:
52. Josh Uche OLB Michigan
57. Van Jefferson WR Florida
84. Zack Moss HB Utah
104. Akeem Davis-Gaither ILB Appalachian State
136. Tyler Biadasz C Wisconsin
199. Josh Metellus S Michigan
234. Joe Bachie ILB Michigan State
248. Hunter Bryant TE Washington
250. J.R. Reed S Georgia

 

[DR RAM]

I’ll try to do this tomorrow, but it’d be pretty hard for me to beat the top 3, on what was available, and after research today. I targeted Akers, he was my #1 RB. Moss was my man crush #2.

I like your picks, btw. I wanted Biadasz also, probably even a round higher.

 

[Billy Baroo]

Biadasz obviously an injury concern.

 

[DR RAM]

Biadasz obviously an injury concern.

That’s hard point to make, when you look at our draft. Lol.

 

[Allen2McVay]

Biggest disappointment for me was them not taking Ezra Cleveland with either the 52nd or 57th pick. He went to Minnesota at #58.

Don't believe the future Left Tackle is on the roster, and think Cleveland has a chance to be a good one.

His selection probably would not have helped in 2020 but could have had a long-term benefit.

Like both Akers and Jefferson (the two #2's) but was really hoping they would pull-the-trigger on a potential long-term-LT.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Good topic...

I find myself locked in with Van Jefferson now. He landed in the perfect spot with the Rams.

So, if I were to pick differently it might be Akers. I would love to find a RB later...

However... With the topic “”hindsight“, and Jefferson in place, I sort of see the Rams logic prioritizing RB. So, I’ll stick RB and Akers.

I contributed nothing so far.

 

[Lunchbox]

Good topic...

I find myself locked in with Van Jefferson now. He landed in the perfect spot with the Rams.

So, if I were to pick differently it might be Akers. I would love to find a RB later...

However... With the topic “”hindsight“, and Jefferson in place, I sort of see the Rams logic prioritizing RB. So, I’ll stick RB and Akers.

I contributed nothing so far.

Sure you did. A vote of confidence in the picks our team made.

I'm no talent evaluator but I can say I like that our team drafts for scheme fit first and foremost (as it should).

I like our draft and hope and think a few years from now we may come to appreciate the plan and the execution of this draft.

 

[PARAM]

I wanted RB - WR - Edge with the first 3 picks and as the draft unfolded, I thought they would take Dobbins, Mims and Greenard/Jennings. I have to say I'm still pleased as hell with who they got. I knew they would draft a PK as that was probably a top need going in, despite those signings prior to the draft.

 

[rams1fan]

I am good with the Rams first five picks. I would have packaged the 6th and 7th rounds to move up to the fifth.

 

[OregonRamsFan]

I must say being from Oregon, I am biased. But I watched Troy Dye lead the Oregon Ducks in tackles all 4 years he played, his final year there he did it with a cast on his hand. Nobody else has lead Oregon all four years in tackles. He is an absolute stud at ILB. More than that, his enthusiasm for the game and life is infectious. I feel we missed out here. But the silver lining is we got a kicker and another pick in the seventh. Anyway, it would have been nice. I do fully understand the coach and GM know way more than I do.

 

[TheTackle]

I like the top 5 picks. They are all potential impact players in their first year. Players who gain experience early (provided they don't struggle) often become core starters. See Gurley, Donald, JJ, Kupp & Higbee for example. From that perspective, this class gets a big thumbs up

From round 5 onwards (mid-round 5 this year) it becomes a crapshoot. That is why those later picks have such little value on the trade chart. I liked some of those players Jrry, but that said, I have come to like our later picks. Only time will tell...

 

[Ants]

Gotta say, when the Rams went TE...I got pissed and went out to cut the lawn.
In hindsight, though, I suppose it was the smart move.
The only pick I question is Fuller. I don't see him ever being a starter.

 

[dieterbrock]

Logan Wilson at 57, Jefferson at 84, Lewis at 104
Thought that Dobbins would have been awesome, 1 cut and go guy in zbs scheme, along with his reputation as a good/great pass blocker. However the more I see/read about Akers, the more I love that pick

 

[Wisconsinram]

Always fun to do so you can look back later, so thanks Jrry.

With the benefit of hindsight, I would have like to have seen:

52. Zach Baun- LB

57. DK Dobbins- RB

84. Malik Harrison- ILB

104. Terrell Burgess- S

136. Tyler Biadasz- C

199. Quez Watkins- WR

234. Thakarius Keys- CB

248. Hunter Bryant- TE

250. Rodrigo Blankenship- K

 

[Allen2McVay]

Gotta say, when the Rams went TE...I got pissed and went out to cut the lawn.
In hindsight, though, I suppose it was the smart move.
The only pick I question is Fuller. I don't see him ever being a starter.

Agree but I still liked the Fuller pick in Round 6.

Rapp and Johnson as the starting safeties is a team-strength in my opinion but there was zero depth, with only Scott and Gervase.

Could see Nick Scott not making the roster. He was a Fassel favorite for a top ST role but I did not see much from him on STs.

From McVay’s comments, the Clay Johnston pick may be a Bonamego pick for STs.

Really expect Burgess to play the slot-CB as opposed to S. Can see Fuller as a solid third-S and STer.

 

[spamlord]

Hey y'all, thought it would be fun for some of us if we got to play GM. The draft is over. We have the gift of hindsight of knowing who went where. If you were GM and were picking for the Rams, who would you pick at each slot? Here's a full list of the draft picks:

2020 NFL draft - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Here are the top UDFAs (based on the NFL.com scouting staff):

2021 NFL Draft | NFL Draft News, Video & Photos | NFL.com

Get the latest NFL draft news. Watch live streaming draft videos & video highlights. Follow our 2021 NFL draft tracker, draft history & mock draft commentary.

www.nfl.com

Here's mine:
52. Josh Uche OLB Michigan
57. Van Jefferson WR Florida
84. Zack Moss HB Utah
104. Akeem Davis-Gaither ILB Appalachian State
136. Tyler Biadasz C Wisconsin
199. Josh Metellus S Michigan
234. Joe Bachie ILB Michigan State
248. Hunter Bryant TE Washington
250. J.R. Reed S Georgia

52. Terrell Lewis - OLB Alabama
57. Denzel Mims - WR Baylor
84. Lucas Niang T TCU
104. La'Mical Perine RB Florida
136. Tyler Biadasz C Wisconsin
199. Quez Watkins WR Southern Mississippi
234. T.J. Brunson ILB South Carolina
248. Kendall Coleman DE Syracuse
250. Chris Miller S Baylor

 

[Legatron4]

Most of you seem to be in the same ballpark on picks. So I’ll take it in a different direction.


Best Pick: Van Jefferson

Worst Pick: Sam Sloan

Sleeper Pick: Brycen Hopkins

Wish we could’ve got: Tyler Biadasz

Can’t believe we passed on: Ezra Cleveland

UDFA to Watch: Bryce Perkins

Draft Grade: A

 

[Ram Ts]

I just wish we could have gotten a developmental OT or OC to learn for 1-2 years earlier in the draft. But when I look at our picks, top 5 that is, they are great players and perfect fits.

Fuller is the one I guess. I’d switch Prince OT for him. In a perfect world with perfect
Hindsight, I’d have found a way to move up from our 6th to end of 5th and gotten either Muti or Hakeem Adeniji.

but overall, great draft.

 

[Merlin]

Looking at the list...

2a: Dobbins. I had him pretty high, and would have taken him there at 52 as BPA. That said maybe the Rams got it right with Akers though. I think my grade on him was a bit low in all honesty too, didn't give him much cred for the players around him.

2b: Uche. Flexibility, speed, strength, open field tackling add. IMO he would have been something in this defense and would have supplemented both LB groups. We got Lewis instead in round 3 and maybe that works out, in fact if it does he has the kind of ceiling Uche cannot touch. But I think the Patriots are going to love Uche and I'm not nearly as certain that we're going to get good snaps out of Lewis.

From there things would have been different, the butterfly effect as it were, so gonna keep it to round 2.

But I will say that the WR dropoff in round 3 is significant. There's a huge difference between Jefferson and Duvernay for example at least in our offense, so I can see why they pushed WR there in round 2. Could argue for Mims there at 57 certainly. Still, I'm good with Jefferson.

IMO this draft just like our season comes down to the OL. With Snead doubling down on the OL we have in house, it's critical they perform well and if they do then he properly utilized his assets to build the 2020 roster. But if not, he's up shit creek, plain and simple.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Once Chase Claypool came off the board 3 spots ahead of that #52 selection, things were pretty wide open for me.

With the possible exception of perhaps EDGE Jonathan Greenard over EDGE Terrell Lewis at #104 and EDGE Oluwole Betiku Jr. over K Sam Sloman in the 7th round, I'm not sure I'd change a thing. I think that Rams had a pretty good draft and UDFA period so far.

All in all, hindsight drafts are really difficult when one isn't completely sure what schemes the team plans to run and/or how the team really feels about players already on the roster. Some of the players we liked more may not be good fits even though they may turn out to be good players elsewhere.