Pick #57 - Rams select WR Tutu Atwell

View: https://twitter.com/ramsnfl/status/1388297996547223553?s=21

 

[Picked4td]

Respectfully I disagree that Austin was better at YAC. He was def a better returner and if we stopped holding, he’d have been a different kind of threat.

Still, he’s another example of McSnead evaluating differently than us fans and we’ll see how it all pans out. He’ll learn under literally the best comp for him in the last two decades in DJax... which is a good thing.

i totally agree. tavon developed the issue that a lot of super fast guys develop, where they get so use to being soooooooooooooo much faster than everyone else they are able to do things in college and hs that just dont work in the nfl (i.e. tavon dancing all the time on returns). from what ive seen (maybe i havent watched enough yet) tutu doesnt have that issue. he seems to decide where he wants to go and runs there, no dancing around trying to make guys miss. just simply out run the man. To me thats much better for YAC in the nfl than the stuff tavon did in college and tried and failed to do in the nfl more times than not

 

[jrry32]

Respectfully I disagree that Austin was better at YAC. He was def a better returner and if we stopped holding, he’d have been a different kind of threat.

Still, he’s another example of McSnead evaluating differently than us fans and we’ll see how it all pans out. He’ll learn under literally the best comp for him in the last two decades in DJax... which is a good thing.

Tavon Austin had 21 carries for 344 yards (16+ yards per carry) against a top 15-ranked Oklahoma team his final year in college. He made Tony Jefferson, a guy who became a good NFL SS, look absolutely silly on multiple occasions in that game. I don't think you are remembering how gifted Tavon was with the ball in his hands. He was special in that regard. The problem for Tavon was that he wasn't good at playing WR and was too small to get consistent snaps at HB.

There was a reason Tavon was a top 10 pick. Yeah, he busted, but it wasn't because he lacked the ability with the ball in his hands. Tutu simply isn't near the talent as a runner that Tavon was. He has the upside to be a better pure WR, but that's not because of YAC. It's because of his ability to create vertical separation and potentially be a good route runner (if he develops).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3_UNFZHSQU

 

[jrry32]

i totally agree. tavon developed the issue that a lot of super fast guys develop, where they get so use to being soooooooooooooo much faster than everyone else they are able to do things in college and hs that just dont work in the nfl (i.e. tavon dancing all the time on returns). from what ive seen (maybe i havent watched enough yet) tutu doesnt have that issue. he seems to decide where he wants to go and runs there, no dancing around trying to make guys miss. just simply out run the man. To me thats much better for YAC in the nfl than the stuff tavon did in college and tried and failed to do in the nfl more times than not

Tutu doesn't "dance" because he's not an elusive guy. He's fast. He's a speed guy. Maybe that works for him in the NFL. DeSean Jackson has had a nice career playing in the 160's as a speed guy. Marquise Brown has looked decent playing in the 160's as a speed guy. But it's a hell of a risk to take considering our options and considering our ability to trade there.

People invoke Tyreek Hill. But Tyreek played HB at Oklahoma State (before being dismissed for domestic violence). Yes, he has freakish speed. But he's also a rocked-up dude and is surprisingly strong and physical. He can play through contact.

I can hope that Atwell develops here and McVay finds a way to utilize him. Yes, he's extremely fast. Yes, he has quicks. But man, it's tough to succeed in the NFL at his size.

 

[ProGen]

Saw this on Twitter :alol:

"If the Rams win the Super Bowl and go to Disney World, TuTu Atwell won't even be allowed to go on all the rides."

 

[Picked4td]

Tutu doesn't "dance" because he's not an elusive guy. He's fast. He's a speed guy. Maybe that works for him in the NFL. DeSean Jackson has had a nice career playing in the 160's as a speed guy. Marquise Brown has looked decent playing in the 160's as a speed guy. But it's a hell of a risk to take considering our options and considering our ability to trade there.

I mean i dont like the pick because i think there were bigger needs and hes gonna have a limited role with the wrs we got. I was simply commenting on his YAC ability. you say cuz hes not elusive, which may be true, but id argue hes more than fast enough to dance if he wanted to in college and hs, but from what ive seen he doesnt. but whatever the reason may be, I think its better that he doesnt cuz it typically just doesnt work in the NFL. And to be totally honest, if theres one thing I do like about this pick, its how effective he can be for us on screens and jet sweeps

 

[RocknRam29]

View: https://twitter.com/RamsNFL/status/1388359243896549377

 

[Riverumbbq]

I'm curious how much blood pressure medicine was prescribed & dispensed to Rams fans tonight.

 

[jrry32]

I mean i dont like the pick because i think there were bigger needs and hes gonna have a limited role with the wrs we got. I was simply commenting on his YAC ability. you say cuz hes not elusive, which may be true, but id argue hes more than fast enough to dance if he wanted to in college and hs, but from what ive seen he doesnt. but whatever the reason may be, I think its better that he doesnt cuz it typically just doesnt work in the NFL. And to be totally honest, if theres one thing I do like about this pick, its how effective he can be for us on screens and jet sweeps

He doesn't because he's not elusive. When he has a seam, he runs to daylight. When he doesn't, he's generally not breaking tackles/making people miss. Austin never had an issue running to daylight in college when it was there. There simply isn't the same daylight in the NFL, unless you're taking the top off a defense.

 

[ProGen]

I mean i dont like the pick because i think there were bigger needs and hes gonna have a limited role with the wrs we got. I was simply commenting on his YAC ability. you say cuz hes not elusive, which may be true, but id argue hes more than fast enough to dance if he wanted to in college and hs, but from what ive seen he doesnt. but whatever the reason may be, I think its better that he doesnt cuz it typically just doesnt work in the NFL. And to be totally honest, if theres one thing I do like about this pick, its how effective he can be for us on screens and jet sweeps

And we all know how much Sean loves those both of those options.

The Tutu pick is all about opening up the entirety of the offense, and less about Tutu being a dominant WR all by himself. He gives us more options.

Sean sees how Tutu can be used to keep the opposition honest. They have to give more respect to the sweep, screens and the deep shot now. This will all (hopefully) create more room for Stafford and the boys to carve up the D. I get the skepticism of the pick, but if the addition of Tutus speed gives everyone around him have a little bit more room to work with, and If it keeps the opposition safeties a little more hesitant....then it can't be a bad thing.

 

[XXXIVwin]

Tavon Austin had 21 carries for 344 yards (16+ yards per carry) against a top 15-ranked Oklahoma team his final year in college. He made Tony Jefferson, a guy who became a good NFL SS, look absolutely silly on multiple occasions in that game. I don't think you are remembering how gifted Tavon was with the ball in his hands. He was special in that regard. The problem for Tavon was that he wasn't good at playing WR and was too small to get consistent snaps at HB.

There was a reason Tavon was a top 10 pick. Yeah, he busted, but it wasn't because he lacked the ability with the ball in his hands. Tutu simply isn't near the talent as a runner that Tavon was. He has the upside to be a better pure WR, but that's not because of YAC. It's because of his ability to create vertical separation and potentially be a good route runner (if he develops).

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3_UNFZHSQU

Agreed, jrry. Let's not forget that Tavon was insanely talented. That college highlight reel is a good reminder... Tavon's speed and ELUSIVENESS were just completely off the charts.

Only problem was that Tavon wasn't a good WR. Hands were terrible, routes were mediocre, not great football IQ.

Here's hoping Tutu is a far better WR than Tavon was... hope Tutu has better hands and runs better routes.

But purely as a talented runner... yeah, no question in my mind that Tavon was superior to Tutu.

 

[OnceARam]

This is what happens when you leave McVay alone in the draft room.

Insanity. Tavon Austin 2.0

Jeff Fischer is laughing his ass off on a boat somewhere.

 

[kurtfaulk]

At least we didnt trade up like we did with tavon

I felt sick in my stomach when they showed the Rams trading up to that spot. Knew it would be for tavon but hoping it was for someone else.

After the initial disappointment I was very happy tavon was a Ram. And his rookie year had me salivating. However he never worked on his craft and it showed, especially after he got paid. And he admitted as much.

If tutu has the rookie year tavon had I will be thrilled to bits.

.

 

[Neil039]

It’s Saturday mornin and I still hate this pick.

Likely a solid young man & football player. No Super Bowl or playoffs and this pick will be scrutinized for a decade (See Tavon Austin for reference).

 

[ProGen]

Don't overthink it fellas - Tutu is a chess piece, designed to mess with the mind of the opposition D, and open the field up for our other playmakers....of which we have plenty!

Just imagine the torment opposition defenses are gonna go through when little Tutu is camouflaged behind those big bodies on the O-Line whilst he is zipping across the backfield pre/post-snap. They're gonna be in a world of pain having to account for him (and Cam) in the backfield...on top of all the talent we'll have running routes across the rest of the field! This pick should not purely be defined by his production! We have to see the bigger picture, and understand the 2nd and 3rd order effects he will bestow on this offense!

...side note - I wann See DeSean Jackson and Tutu have a race

 

[NJRamsFan]

Under McVay, the Rams seemed to have hit on their WR acquisitions.
People hated the Woods signing, right? He turned out ok. Kupp and Jefferson seem ok.
Sammy Watkins wasn't totally terrible, he was just less than hoped. Brandin Cooks was pretty useful for a couple of years.
So, I'm not excited by this pick, but I'm willing to pretend to be optimistic.

On the other hand, yes, I know highlight vids are not how you want to evaluate a player. That being said, I thought Tavon's college reels showed more and looked better than Tutu's. Tavon seemed shiftier and more elusive. Tutu has better timed speed than Tavon coming out, but it looks like Tavon had more actual game speed. So, if this guy turns out to be a poor man's Tavon . . . yeesh. Time will tell.

Tavon has some of the best hs/college highlight reels I’ve ever seen so I wouldn’t really compare his to others. Needless to say Tavon never became that player he was in the highlights in the NFL.

 

[tempests]

This is what happens when you leave McVay alone in the draft room.

Insanity. Tavon Austin 2.0

Jeff Fischer is laughing his ass off on a boat somewhere.

The thing about Austin is he came to an offense that didn't have a modern passing attack, or any other playmakers on it. Fisher was looking back to his early 2000s Titans and Derrick Mason as inspiration.

If they had a plan for how they were going to use Austin, the plan fizzled. He was saddled with Frank Cignetti and Rob Boras as OCs.

There's a big difference between then and now. McVay is miles ahead of Fisher as an offensive mind and we don't have to question every week what the plan is for this player, like Austin. He doesn't have to be made the focus and thrust into roles that he doesn't fit.

 

[kmramsfan]

I hope I’m wrong, but I’m done with Snead’s penchant for wasting high picks on gadget players like TA and now this dude.
No big, bad ass O linemen available?
We need another flyweight wide out to try and two step an oncoming DB, only to get crushed mid way through his shake n bake routine.
Yup. I don’t get it.

 

[Allen2McVay]

It's clear from many of these posts that the selection of Tavon Austin eight years ago has truly damaged many a Rams' fan.

 

[MachS]

View: https://twitter.com/ochocinco/status/1388325251147354117?s=19

 

[rams1fan]

Tutu highlights. What I see. Better receiver that Austin both in routes and hands. Similar catch radius, i.e small. Not a YAC guy as always runs for the sideline. Seems more fluid without ball. Didn't see one jet sweep where he took it inside. I think he will struggle with press. My guess is will be used in motion alot to get free release. Not sure we will excel as a deep threat. Question him as a returner also.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWL5Xez7bKI