MemphisRam's Mock Offseason #3 (Post-Combine)

[Memphis Ram]

FREE AGENCY

CAP CUTS
CB Darious Williams
TE Colby Parkinson
OG Jonah Jackson



RE-SIGN
CB Ahkello Witherspoon

SIGN
Zach Wilson, QB, Jets

View: https://youtu.be/JfJfwJbkBAU?si=E6qfWEzxiHhK1WMQ

Sticking with this one as I still believe he's better than anyone the Rams could select in this draft class. This kid who is still just 25 years old came out as a junior and was immediately inserted as the Jets starting QB with no competition. He offers mobility and arm talent and methinks McVay to make this guy the next former Jet QB to win NFL Comeback Player of the Year (Geno Smith & Sam Darnold).

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Given the lackluster showing of the team's recent free agent signings and not knowing the contract details for Stafford and Jackson, the remainder of free agency should probably focus on bringing in some cheaper 2nd to 3rd wave of free agency help. Main target = A veteran LB.

TRADE
Rams trade WR Cooper Kupp to the Jacksonville Jaguars for their 5th round selection (#143). Rams eat the majority of his 2025 roster bonus. New GM Gladstone and HC Liam Cohen take advantage of Kupp’s know how in implementing his offense.

DRAFT DAY TRADE: Rams trade 1st (#26), 3rd (#90) & 6th (#192) round selections to Chiefs for their 1st (#31) & 3rd (#66) round selections. Chiefs move up for OT Aireontae Ersery or OT Josh Conerly Jr.

2025 NFL DRAFT
1-31. Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State 6’4”, 214 (proposed Chiefs trade)

View: https://youtu.be/coplXf3I-NU?si=o9zHy_EtmInFyTDs
After a strong offseason process, the Rams replace Demarcus Robinson with a bigger, faster, more complete weapon at the X position with better hands and reunite him with his former college OC Nate Scheelhaase.

2.66. Jaylin Noel, WR/PR, Iowa State 5’10”, 194 (proposed Chiefs trade)

View: https://youtu.be/jggi_n950r0?si=a3awT7OKHnzfpxjR
Two years in a row, the Rams double dip a college. Voted the Senior Bowl WR practice player of the week (National squad), Noel could provide the team an explosive target that can separate in man coverage and win deep. Plus, he averaged over 15 yards per punt return.

3-100. Dorian Strong, CB, 6’1”, 185, Virginia Tech

View: https://youtu.be/5gF8OpqQPTM?si=1fhUkziuXxTjxe-N
While he didn’t run the 4.3/40 he mentioned in one interview (4.5/40), Strong had a solid Senior Bowl and is capable of playing man and zone coverage. Also read somewhere QBs had a low passer rating against him.

4-126. Joshua Simon, TE, 6’4” 239, South Carolina

View: https://youtu.be/lKnmp3LKL40?si=Oc3Re8V_q0r5HX43
Here’s a kid that made some money at the combine after leading South Carolina in receptions and receiving yards. Good speed. Willing Blocker. A potential matchup problem this team needs on offense.

5-143 Fadil Diggs, EDGE, Syracuse 6’4”, 257 (from Jaguars)

View: https://youtu.be/QfEWcVLPP6o?si=WSer5GrYcArPnEtb
Potential replacement for Hoecht. Diggs can line up all over the defensive front to rush the passer and would be far better in coverage. A team captain, Diggs lead his team with 14 TFLs and 7.5 sacks.

6-203. Nash Hutmacher, DT, Nebraska 6027,317

View: https://youtu.be/Owz48pWIJfA?si=moRcvzQLrq2WBRKU
High motor, tough guy for the interior. Former Rams DLineman believes that this kid is going to be one of the top 3 steals in the NFL Draft. A former #1 high school wrestler who made it to Collegiate Nationals, Hutmacher can now focus entirely on NFL football.

6-204. Gerald Christian-Lichtenhan, OT, Oregon State 6082, 328

View: https://youtu.be/-uYiORMWmZg?si=t-swdeTz4yV5VGAS
Man mountain with 35 7/8” arm measurement at East West Shrine Game said to be a good pass protector. Not sure why he didn’t get a combine invite.

 

[ArkyRamsFan]

Nice work.....my only question is what is your thinking about going WR back to back with our first two picks?

~ArkyRamsFan~

 

[Memphis Ram]

Nice work.....my only question is what is your thinking about going WR back to back with our first two picks?

~ArkyRamsFan~

Three Reasons

1. After Kupp is moved the only WRs who have played significant snaps on offense still under contract are Nacua & to a much lesser extent Whittington.

2. I wanted to increase the team's speed with playmakers with varying skillsets and liked the connection to the new Pass Game Coordindator Nate Scheelhaase.

3. I wanted both of them and couldn't make up my mind.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

That looks like a good draft either way good value with every pick. I’d be happy with it. You diverted from my thoughts of drafting two TEs and going with the strength of the draft, by picking two receivers early. Either way would work, but yours brings more speed.

I think Nutmasher would be a great fit on the defensive line.

 

[den-the-coach]

Not much to debate on this, covered all the needs and as you communicated once the numbers come in on Stafford, focus the free agent money on a veteran LB that can actually tackle and make an impact stopping the run.

Plus you and I like Zach Wilson so you will not get pushback from me for that move.

 

[dieterbrock]

Was hoping to see Milroe on here, even late, since the whole hand issue appears resolved. Lol
I like trades, they seem feasible and we know Snead just cant help himself

 

[Memphis Ram]

That looks like a good draft either way good value with every pick. I’d be happy with it. You diverted from my thoughts of drafting two TEs and going with the strength of the draft, by picking two receivers early. Either way would work, but yours brings more speed.

I think Nutmasher would be a great fit on the defensive line.

I'd still bring in another TE that would be more of a blocker as an UDFA.

The way I figure it, the TE, RB, and DL class is SO DEEP their should be some decent UDFA alternatives.

Not much to debate on this, covered all the needs and as you communicated once the numbers come in on Stafford, focus the free agent money on a veteran LB that can actually tackle and make an impact stopping the run.

Plus you and I like Zach Wilson so you will not get pushback from me for that move.

I just don't get it. Unless there is some major character issues going on with Zach Wilson that I don't know about, the kid has all the tools to be a fine NFL QB. As an underclassman, he just simply wasn't ready to immediately be inserted as the starting QB with no competition. It's a recipe for disaster for most underclassmen at QB. Now more mature (I assume), he could be a steal for the Rams under McVay.

 

[Memento]

Love the Iowa State receivers (both of them). Have had Higgins in my mocks before, and Noel came close to getting in as well. Both of them would be fantastic selections.

Love the Strong pick as well. Solid boundary corner with size and length. Only issue is his ball skills; his interception-to-passes-defensed ratio is heavily skewed towards the latter, but it's understandable that he didn't want passes to end up in the receiver's hands, and oftentimes, they didn't.

I'm fine with the rest of the picks (Hutmacher, in particular, looks really intriguing).

One caveat: I'm not sure if Wilson will want to come over just to be the backup. I like the thought, but he's likely a starter somewhere else; there's too many teams that need quarterbacks this offseason and this class is sparse with actual starters (Ward, maybe Sanders could start from Day One).

 

[Memphis Ram]

One caveat: I'm not sure if Wilson will want to come over just to be the backup. I like the thought, but he's likely a starter somewhere else; there's too many teams that need quarterbacks this offseason and this class is sparse with actual starters (Ward, maybe Sanders could start from Day One).

He just might be given an opportunity to compete for a starting job elsewhere. In fact, I was thinking that would be more the case for Garoppolo this offseason.

But, if I'm a free agent QB and Sean McVay comes calling, I would lean toward the Rams. Especially, with Matt Stafford probably going from year to year.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

He just might be given an opportunity to compete for a starting job elsewhere. In fact, I was thinking that would be more the case for Garoppolo this offseason.

But, if I'm a free agent QB and Sean McVay comes calling, I would lean toward the Rams. Especially, with Matt Stafford probably going from year to year.

I thought that a team might offer Garapolo too. If it’s a team that runs an offense that plays to his strengths with more crossing patterns and shorter passes.

I know Arthur Smuth liked to run that type of offense but the Steelers receivers don’t fit.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I'd still bring in another TE that would be more of a blocker as an UDFA.

The way I figure it, the TE, RB, and DL class is SO DEEP their should be some decent UDFA alternatives.

I just don't get it. Unless there is some major character issues going on with Zach Wilson that I don't know about, the kid has all the tools to be a fine NFL QB. As an underclassman, he just simply wasn't ready to immediately be inserted as the starting QB with no competition. It's a recipe for disaster for most underclassmen at QB. Now more mature (I assume), he could be a steal for the Rams under McVay.

In this deep of a TE draft I’d prefer that pick 66 is used on this be. The depth of the position pushes the talent down a bit. They may be able to draft a TE in round three that would be an early second round pick in other drafts.

 

[DzRams]

In this deep of a TE draft I’d prefer that pick 66 is used on this be. The depth of the position pushes the talent down a bit. They may be able to draft a TE in round three that would be an early second round pick in other drafts.

Yeah, at 66 I'd be looking at Arroyo, Fannin, or Mason Taylor.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Yeah, at 66 I'd be looking at Arroyo, Fannin, or Mason Taylor.

My guess is that they'll be looking at Arroyo and Taylor being selected earlier.

Plus, I think that if Simon were the focal point of Bowling Green's offense instead of Fannin, he'd put up huge numbers, too.

 

[DzRams]

My guess is that they'll be looking at Arroyo and Taylor being selected earlier.

Plus, I think that if Simon were the focal point of Bowling Green's offense instead of Fannin, he'd put up huge numbers, too.

I worry about Simon's size. I think the Rams prototype at TE is 6'5"ish and at least 250+ lbs. I'm not even sure Fannin fits what they like.

 

[Memphis Ram]

I worry about Simon's size. I think the Rams prototype at TE is 6'5"ish and at least 250+ lbs. I'm not even sure Fannin fits what they like.

I think that may have been dependent upon the player's intended use at the position and Kupp being locked into the slot role.

But Simon & Fannin are about the same size as former Redskins Jordan Reed and McVay's first draft selection Gerald Everett.

 

[DzRams]

I think it's upon the intended use at the position and Kupp being locked into the slot role.

But Simon & Fannin are about the same size as former Redskins Jordan Reed and McVay's first draft selection Gerald Everett.

Everett is 252 lbs.

 

[six2stack]

We need a stud ILB.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Everett is 252 lbs.

Not when he came out of college.

Gerald Everett Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com

 

[Memphis Ram]

We need a stud ILB.

Not sure they need a stud ILB. I'm fine with a solid veteran pickup as listed in the free agency portion.

 

[Memphis Ram]

View: https://x.com/JourdanRodrigue/status/1896632351205302705


He also had 23 bench press reps of 225 lbs.