Pick #103- Rams select LB Ernest Jones, S. Carolina

[dang]

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last season was reeder's second year in the league and he was the weakest link in coverage. even an old, running on fumes, geriatric frank gore got loose from him so easily in the clutch.

until proven otherwise ernest jones is the man in the middle. spending a 3rd on a ilb is unheard of for the mcvay/snead rams.

my ilbers would be jones and kiser. if travin howard shows well in camp and can stay healthy it will be jones and howard.

.

I will give Reeder a B+ for effort but a C- for results. He just isnt athletic (quickness, change in direction, field coverage) or intuitive enough for me to be satisfied with him as a starting ILB. I like him as our #4 ILB. I can live with him as our #3 ILB.

 

[Merlin]

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last season was reeder's second year in the league and he was the weakest link in coverage. even an old, running on fumes, geriatric frank gore got loose from him so easily in the clutch.

until proven otherwise ernest jones is the man in the middle. spending a 3rd on a ilb is unheard of for the mcvay/snead rams.

my ilbers would be jones and kiser. if travin howard shows well in camp and can stay healthy it will be jones and howard.

.

I don't understand the Rams' fascination with Howard. He's not big or rangy, really the guy looks like a safety. He also hasn't been able to hold up at LB and be available. And lastly he is not particularly good at stuffing the run when compared to some of their safeties like Rapp or Scott.

Hell even Warner whose brother is a fine ILB in this league is an option here. So IMO WILB is wide open this year in camp.

 

[JKBOGEN]

I liked the dude at first from him posting here until he tried to be like all the other media types out there being the 'first' to report something and totally blowing a Rams story years back (can't remember what it was now) but dude is becoming more and more of a jackass.

The other day his video came up on my youtube and I told him " you need to get the close up of the camera out your face you think to highly of yourself". What happened? He deleted my comment and left his stupid reply and subsequent videos he took the camera from his fat face. smh

Guess this is the result when you get big headed because someone from the Athletic ' follow you' on IG

p.s. mods did you guys delete my criticisms of Ernest Jones out this thread? I even like to criticize myself for being wrong if that is the case this year if Jones does blow up and become a beast.

Hey there Corbin,

Sorry you felt that way can assure you one I haven't gotten a big head (always trying to help people out and get DMs all day about starting a YouTube channel, growing a brand etc.) and two, I didn't delete your comment I have other mods that may have but I don't delete comments unless you try to spam links to spam sites. Sad to see though you had to resort to making fun of my appearance. Anyway, all the best!

 

[Merlin]

Well since this thread got bumped one thing about Ernest that I find fascinating: the guy is way better in the pass game than advertised. Now, granted this is based on camp and practices and scrimmages but his potential pass game impact and the upgrade he might give us there once he takes the reigns is significant.

 

[Kupped]

I don't understand the Rams' fascination with Howard. He's not big or rangy, really the guy looks like a safety. He also hasn't been able to hold up at LB and be available. And lastly he is not particularly good at stuffing the run when compared to some of their safeties like Rapp or Scott.

Hell even Warner whose brother is a fine ILB in this league is an option here. So IMO WILB is wide open this year in camp.

I disagree on Howard. He had one injury. He's more explosive and thicker than Warner, for example. You're right, he is a big safety, but a pretty heavy safety and one that can really move. I don't know about having him out there on first down all the time, but second and third down? Absolutely.

 

[Merlin]

I disagree on Howard. He had one injury. He's more explosive and thicker than Warner, for example. You're right, he is a big safety, but a pretty heavy safety and one that can really move. I don't know about having him out there on first down all the time, but second and third down? Absolutely.

Well the Rams seemed to agree with you. They talked him up all offseason. Just like last offseason. Dude still hasn't shown much in these preseason games though.

I think the guy is a cut. Because I would keep multiple safeties on this roster over him.

 

[JKBOGEN]

I disagree on Howard. He had one injury. He's more explosive and thicker than Warner, for example. You're right, he is a big safety, but a pretty heavy safety and one that can really move. I don't know about having him out there on first down all the time, but second and third down? Absolutely.

Saw more from Howard on the first play of the game (sideline to sideline tackle) than I did from Kiser. I think Kiser gets cut. Howard and Jones start.

 

[Merlin]

ILBs

Young (I hate that he's the top dog right now but that's the indication, it's not a good indication either IMO)
Reeder (Solid depth ILB he is a sure roster spot)
Jones (Gonna be top dog soon, looks to me by the quarter pole if even that long)
Howard (of the rest of these clowns he's the only guy who can stay on the field third down)
Kiser (Great instincts but 2 down backer with physical limits)
Rozeboom (Might be better than Kiser in some ways but either way not gonna make this roster)

Basically you have what may be a diamond in the rough with Jones and a bunch of JAGs. And looking at the bottom of this group vs the OLBs and Safeties there is no way in hell I'd keep Kiser, Howard, or Rozeboom over a good rotation OLB or solid dime Safety of which we have a few.

This is a big squeeze this year on defense. The roster is very deep. Even DL prioritizes over ILB to my eye at least. This is why 3x ILBs would not surprise me.

 

[TheTackle]

ILBs

Young (I hate that he's the top dog right now but that's the indication, it's not a good indication either IMO)
Reeder (Solid depth ILB he is a sure roster spot)
Jones (Gonna be top dog soon, looks to me by the quarter pole if even that long)
Howard (of the rest of these clowns he's the only guy who can stay on the field third down)
Kiser (Great instincts but 2 down backer with physical limits)
Rozeboom (Might be better than Kiser in some ways but either way not gonna make this roster)

Basically you have what may be a diamond in the rough with Jones and a bunch of JAGs. And looking at the bottom of this group vs the OLBs and Safeties there is no way in hell I'd keep Kiser, Howard, or Rozeboom over a good rotation OLB or solid dime Safety of which we have a few.

This is a big squeeze this year on defense. The roster is very deep. Even DL prioritizes over ILB to my eye at least. This is why 3x ILBs would not surprise me.

What about special teams? We will keep at least 4, bank it

 

[Kupped]

ILBs

Young (I hate that he's the top dog right now but that's the indication, it's not a good indication either IMO)
Reeder (Solid depth ILB he is a sure roster spot)
Jones (Gonna be top dog soon, looks to me by the quarter pole if even that long)
Howard (of the rest of these clowns he's the only guy who can stay on the field third down)
Kiser (Great instincts but 2 down backer with physical limits)
Rozeboom (Might be better than Kiser in some ways but either way not gonna make this roster)

Basically you have what may be a diamond in the rough with Jones and a bunch of JAGs. And looking at the bottom of this group vs the OLBs and Safeties there is no way in hell I'd keep Kiser, Howard, or Rozeboom over a good rotation OLB or solid dime Safety of which we have a few.

This is a big squeeze this year on defense. The roster is very deep. Even DL prioritizes over ILB to my eye at least. This is why 3x ILBs would not surprise me.

I get the feeling on Young, and I'd say, in a vacuum, I'd feel the same. What gives me pause is that Rodrigue says he's having a heck of a camp. After her preseason observations last year turned out to be really prophetic, I'm going to be open to the thought that, in his 5th year and after getting comfortable in this system, he's still growing and ready to have a career season. He's the fastest of the LBs on the roster, maybe his processing is catching up to that. Would be great.
I generally think higher of Reeder than a lot of Rams fans. I believe I watched him grow game after game last season.
Jones? I see the potential and like it.
I like Howard.

Rodrigue also speaks highly of Reeder and says the position is night and day from this time last season, so I'm excited.

 

[Merlin]

I get the feeling on Young, and I'd say, in a vacuum, I'd feel the same. What gives me pause is that Rodrigue says he's having a heck of a camp. After her preseason observations last year turned out to be really prophetic, I'm going to be open to the thought that, in his 5th year and after getting comfortable in this system, he's still growing and ready to have a career season. He's the fastest of the LBs on the roster, maybe his processing is catching up to that. Would be great.
I generally think higher of Reeder than a lot of Rams fans. I believe I watched him grow game after game last season.
Jones? I see the potential and like it.
I like Howard.

Rodrigue also speaks highly of Reeder and says the position is night and day from this time last season, so I'm excited.

I love her articles and her excitement of following the team. But outside that I don't really trust anything but my own eyes. So hope she's correct re: our ILBs but I think we have a bunch of JAGs with one guy who might be a player (Jones).

And I'd love to be wrong on Young. He does have some wheels to him but I hate the way he gets caught up on blockers and takes bad angles in traffic. Those two elements are why they drafted Jones IMO.

 

[BonifayRam]

I love her articles and her excitement of following the team. But outside that I don't really trust anything but my own eyes. So hope she's correct re: our ILBs but I think we have a bunch of JAGs with one guy who might be a player (Jones).

And I'd love to be wrong on Young. He does have some wheels to him but I hate the way he gets caught up on blockers and takes bad angles in traffic. Those two elements are why they drafted Jones IMO.

What sticks to my mind is what we saw from him last season......he has not played in either preseason game so I will be observing him against the Bears.

In truth, I never thought Young had the talent to be a good starter but he was a good backup....so obviously I have missed something along the way.!

Rookie Jones looks like a safety running around in the middle. Soooo light & small but the kid is seriously blessed in his ability to be spontaneous & instinctive!

I am not sure how long Jones will remain healthy this season.

 

[Merlin]

What sticks to my mind is what we saw from him last season......he has not played in either preseason game so I will be observing him against the Bears.

In truth, I never thought Young had the talent to be a good starter but he was a good backup....so obviously I have missed something along the way.!

Rookie Jones looks like a safety running around in the middle. Soooo light & small but the kid is seriously blessed in his ability to be spontaneous & instinctive!

I am not sure how long Jones will remain healthy this season.

I'm with you on that Boni and I hope he gets to play vs the Bears. My expectation is that once he finally gets in there he'll never come out. And at some point Morris will realize Rapp is > the rest of the options he's got for run support next to Jones and then we'll see some shit hopefully.

I'm just really tired of watching SF ILBs dodge our OL and make plays while our guys get trapped and wired to blocks. So I am just not interested in convincing myself that these holdover ILBs we have on the roster are going to change all that. Our only real hope is 50 for this season on that front.

 

[So Ram]

Jake Ellenbogen is a 24-year old sportscaster from Upstate New York that co-hosts the Downtown Rams podcast, is the founder of Downtown Rams and Downtown Sports Network LLC. He covers the Rams and NFL Draft for the website.

Jake has been writing and commenting about the Rams for several years now. If the above age is correct, that means he started when he was a teenager.

How many of us have been Rams' fans for years? All the way back to our childhood. How strong were our opinions and knowledge when we were 16 or 18? Sure we had our opinions but were we qualified to provide meaningful commentary to others?

We were passionate fans. In today's world, a passionate fan can share his/her opinions with the masses. THAT technology does not make someone an expert or even particularly knowledgeable.

Jake Ellenbogen might be a nice guy and a knowledgeable football fan. THAT does not mean his opinions have any greater value than any of us. He's one of us ... but with a youtube show.

That’s True !!

Jake is one of US(Rams Fan), who is very passionate about what he does.

He continues to thrive in his YouTube channel. I only wish him success.

He came to Rod as a Fan,but sort of got to big for his britches? Actually I personally think he was sick of the doubters & a little thin skinned.

Personally I think his growth & maturity is a cool site. He has found a nitche to making a Ram Fan like US a 24/7 Job. Think support from fellow Ram Fans is worthy.

I come from an AGE of watching Sports Talk become a Thing. ESPN,FOX,CBS have all taken Off from Radio to TV.

YouTube is just another outlet & Amazon is taking off as well as all those other Internet companies & channels.

 

[So Ram]

Don’t know if this is the right format or place to post this.

I want to give Jake crap for a couple comments he had on his YouTube channel.

 

[So Ram]

Jakes knowledge is SOLID. He gives Honest Opinions & he only wants the best for The Rams to successful.

He comes up with excellent concepts & on game day maybe give some of the BEST insight without direct knowledge like US Rams Fans.

What I liked about Jake as a poster On ROD was his foresight & hope for players success. He has always thought out of the BOX.His ideas as a Ram Fan we’re excellent.

 

[dang]

Huh? I thought this was an Ernest Jones post??

 

[Psycho_X]

*3:44AM - So Ram feels the unbreakable urge to get on RoD and randomly search for any thread that has a mention of Jake no matter how old it is. Begins to fire off three different posts about the same subject in a thread that had nothing to do with the subject.*

 

[So Ram]

*3:44AM - So Ram feels the unbreakable urge to get on RoD and randomly search for any thread that has a mention of Jake no matter how old it is. Begins to fire off three different posts about the same subject in a thread that had nothing to do with the subject.*

Fair enough -

Ernest Jones will look different in 2022. His number 53 will give him more confidence that he has made it ,and will continue on from his college success.

No one picked up his number 50.Travin still sporting the #32.

I like Bobby Wagner in 45 & 54 for Floyd.

 

[Corbin]

*3:44AM - So Ram feels the unbreakable urge to get on RoD and randomly search for any thread that has a mention of Jake no matter how old it is. Begins to fire off three different posts about the same subject in a thread that had nothing to do with the subject.*