‘‘Twas the night before playoffs mock

[fanotodd]

1) Stafford is a smart, savvy, and still talented thrower back there.
PROTECT HIM. He will destroy any defense unless you put a lot of heat on him.
2) the emergence of McClendon means the Rams do not have to draft a Tackle early; however, this IS a three OT rotation.
3) yes, the secondary must be addressed.
4) when the Rams win the SB everyone’s price goes up. Think ahead.

Round 1
WR-Denzel Boston (Wash) 6-4, 209, 4.42
He’s big and strong. He high points and wins contested balls regularly. He’s what the Rams will need to replace Adams.

CB-Brandon Cisse (SC) 6-0,193, 4.45
Great in coverage, including man. Has the size and will be one of the fastest CBs in the draft. The Rams need a CB who can handle manning up when they rush 5 or more. This has been killing the Rams to the point that Shula stopped blitzing and sending 5-6 rushers.

Round 2
C-Conner Lew (Auburn) 6-3,300
I always say, “anytime you can get the best player at a given position, how can that be a bad pick?”
Lew is it and the Rams need a future captain of that OL. I wanted zach frazier two years ago, but the Rams screen their calls.

Round 3
DL-Gabe Jacas (Ill) 6-3,275
This guy is tough and smart. The Rams will face tuff $$ decisions regarding that defense over the next two years. Let’s make sure the DL is still dominating.

Round 5
G-DJ Campbell (Texas) 6-3,332
Plenty of experience with a steady trajectory of improvement. No way the Rams will be able to afford both Avila and Dotson.

Round 6
Edge-Vincent Anthony, Jr (Duke) 6-6,250
Speed and motor with a lot to try and develop. Could be a riser, so I’m not sure he lasts this long.

CB-Amare Farrell (Indy) 6-2,200, 4.47
Size, speed, championship program. Depth/STs at the LEAST.

Round7
OT-Fernando Carmona (Ark) 6-5, 322
Has held his own and impressed at LT. He has been a regular starter for two programs (SJS being the other). He can either be highly rated or nonexistent, depending on which draft site you follow. I like the guy and think it’s worth a 7th rounder to see if he can develop.

TE-John Michael Gyllinburg (WY) 6-5, 250
He was on the right path but got injured. Prior to that he was an up and comer. Should the Rams want to continue running 13 personnel, they will need another solid, developmental TE.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Interesting mock draft

Try as I might, I just can't see Denzel Boston being worthy of such a high selection.

I still think Justin Dedich is the future a center.

Is Jacas really 275? That seems 4-3 Edge like.

I remember that TE from awhile back. How long as he been in college?

 

[fanotodd]

Interesting mock draft

Try as I might, I just can't see Denzel Boston being worthy of such a high selection.

I still think Justin Dedich is the future a center.

Is Jacas really 275? That seems 4-3 Edge like.

I remember that TE from awhile back. How long as he been in college?

I understand the trepidation regarding Boston because most of the mocks I have seen have him going late 1rst round—but definitely 1rst round. Hes the WR I want for the Rams and a SB is still on my wish list forTHIS season. I don’t think he makes it to #32. He’s the stronger and possibly faster version of a young Devontae Adams. Boston can be a beast on contested balls.

Cisse is my guy at CB. He does get mocked into the 1rst half of the 2nd round sometimes. That’s why I figured to go with Boston first.
Cisse has the tools the Rams should be looking for to improve the CB room. There could be a few CBs ranked and drafted higher than Cisse, but he would be an immediate upgrade who could handle the man responsibilities when the the Rams go heavy on the rush. Besides, I don’t believe all of those CBs listed ahead are better than Cisse. I think he’s gonna be there at #32.

One of these days the Rams are gonna take the Center position more seriously and draft the best player to anchor the spot instead of just filling the position. I like Dedich and feel better having him in the group as opposed to letting him go, but a rock solid Centef to plug into this group who could end up being a pro bowler would be a major asset to the Rams OL.

Yes, Jacas is listed as a DE, but his run stopping skills could put him inside as a 3-4 DE on this team. Again, not everyone will be getting a second contract. Fiske could be the odd man out. A DL featuring the Conductor, Poona Ford, and Jacas could be a very large nightmare for opponents.

Gyllenborg (I think I spelled it right this time) has only been getting significant playing time the last 2 years. He's a redshirt junior. Having been injured, he might fall to the Rams.

 

[HitStick]

I’m with Memphis, but maybe a little more critical. I don’t know what it is about Boston that I just don’t like. He has a decent top end speed, but it’s a building speed. He doesn’t seem crisp out of his cuts, but are still decent for a guy his size. I had a similar feeling about Odunze, but for him it was more his lack of separation than anything….maybe I just don’t like Washington WRs (unless they transfer elsewhere and then get drafted in the 5th)

For me it’s Tyson or Tate if we go WR at 13. If they’re not on the board I’m going in a different direction. In this scenario, I’d hope to be wrong, obviously.

I do actually like Cisse and Lew. Big fan of those two picks. I do kind of wish you would have talked on free agents (who is cut, who resigns…not necessarily FA targets)


Maybe I’m too critical of Boston. Only time will tell. But…aside from that….Overall, good work.

 

[Memento]

Love the Jacas, Anthony Jr., and Carmona picks, mostly. Lew and Cisse are good as well.

There is no way you can convince me to take Boston at #13. Just...no. If we're taking a wide receiver at #13, it's Tyson or Tate, and that's in the unlikely scenario that they fall out of a weak top ten.

Taking Boston after a trade down? I'd do it, but if we're trading out of #13 to a later pick, I'd still rather have Chris Brazzell II (Boston would be a fall-back option, in case Brazzell goes earlier.). Brazzell may be skinny, but he runs crisp, fast routes at 6'5" and catches like his hands are a vacuum.

 

[fanotodd]

I’m with Memphis, but maybe a little more critical. I don’t know what it is about Boston that I just don’t like. He has a decent top end speed, but it’s a building speed. He doesn’t seem crisp out of his cuts, but are still decent for a guy his size. I had a similar feeling about Odunze, but for him it was more his lack of separation than anything….maybe I just don’t like Washington WRs (unless they transfer elsewhere and then get drafted in the 5th)

For me it’s Tyson or Tate if we go WR at 13. If they’re not on the board I’m going in a different direction. In this scenario, I’d hope to be wrong, obviously.

I do actually like Cisse and Lew. Big fan of those two picks. I do kind of wish you would have talked on free agents (who is cut, who resigns…not necessarily FA targets)


Maybe I’m too critical of Boston. Only time will tell. But…aside from that….Overall, good work.

I expected pushback on Boston and even some on Cisse, but from my couch, these are two players who I see as prime candidates to do what I’m hoping the Rams want from this draft:
1) a weapon on the outside. A bigger WR to replace not only Adams, but the WRs the Rams will be losing this year and next.
2) a top CB who can play both zone and man.

As for the Rams’ FAs and re-ups, that is going to be a great topic to discuss on ROD after this season ends. Theres some big decisions to make. Some things I see:
1) the Rams only seem to spend on the front end of the defense.
Verse and Turner are getting new deals. Young SHOULD, but if the Rams can’t afford two expensive Edges, despite them being pro bowlers, then it will probably be Young who goes. For the record, I do NOT want to see that.
2) the secondary needs to draft a starting CB. This is something universally agreed upon, right? Another CB from the draft would be nice too. I have not seen enough of McCreary to offer something lucrative, so if he wants to stay…it would have to be team friendly. The Rams are almost forced to offer Durant a deal. They should. Curl might not come back. He’s gonna get big offers in FA. The Rams have depth at the position and will probably bring in a day 3/UDFA player. That’s been their MO.
3) the OL is the conundrum for me. McClendon is a no brainer, but another Tackle is needed, hence the Carmona pick.
The interior is where it gets dicey. Will the Rams be able to re-sign BOTH Dotson and Avila? Bringing back Dedich is a necessity. The problem is he might get more $$ in FA—hence the DJ Campbell pick. If it’s me, I find a way to sign both starting guards. With my mock and signing the aforementioned players, the Rams are set on the IOL. Remember, Limmer is still around. Who knows what he can be?

I would get more into the FA stuff, but again, I think it’s gonna deserve its own thread.

 

[fanotodd]

Love the Jacas, Anthony Jr., and Carmona picks, mostly. Lew and Cisse are good as well.

There is no way you can convince me to take Boston at #13. Just...no. If we're taking a wide receiver at #13, it's Tyson or Tate, and that's in the unlikely scenario that they fall out of a weak top ten.

Taking Boston after a trade down? I'd do it, but if we're trading out of #13 to a later pick, I'd still rather have Chris Brazzell II (Boston would be a fall-back option, in case Brazzell goes earlier.). Brazzell may be skinny, but he runs crisp, fast routes at 6'5" and catches like his hands are a vacuum.

Boston doesn’t seem to be as impressive to others as he is to me, apparently. LOL. That’s ok. We all have our opinions.

I would certainly rather scoop up Boston after a trade down but if there’s a guy you like/want, you grab them a few picks early if you have to. Don’t get greedy. That’s how the Rams lost out on bobby wagner.

As for you wanting Tyson or Tate, it’s entirely possible they could be there at #13. I never thought Jarrod Verse would be there at #19. As much as I liked him, I wouldn’t even bother discussing the idea of him making it to the Rams. It sounded absurd. He was the best Edge player in that draft, IMO. No. He was going top 10.

Glad I was wrong.

 

[Memento]

Boston doesn’t seem to be as impressive to others as he is to me, apparently. LOL. That’s ok. We all have our opinions.

I would certainly rather scoop up Boston after a trade down but if there’s a guy you like/want, you grab them a few picks early if you have to. Don’t get greedy. That’s how the Rams lost out on bobby wagner.

As for you wanting Tyson or Tate, it’s entirely possible they could be there at #13. I never thought Jarrod Verse would be there at #19. As much as I liked him, I wouldn’t even bother discussing the idea of him making it to the Rams. It sounded absurd. He was the best Edge player in that draft, IMO. No. He was going top 10.

Glad I was wrong.

Tyson and Tate are going top ten. Every mock has them going top ten without fail. They're the best receivers in this class, and it would take multiple miracles and a fuckton of a lot of stupid teams to push even one of them to #13.

This is a very weak top-half draft with only two decent QBs (maybe three or four if some teams pushes for Chambliss/Simpson early), two blue chip O-linemen, Love, Downs, and two blue-chip edge rushers (Bain, Reese) as well as Tyson and Tate being blue-chips alongside those players. By comparison, Verse's 2024 class had six quarterbacks and 14 potentially elite offensive players total go before the first defensive player was picked, period.

This is a class where #11-50 could be interchangeable. And it's not that I'm not a Denzel Boston fan; it's that I'd rather trade down to get a receiver because a lot of similar receivers are going to be in that later first round position.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Upon further review, Denzel Boston is probably a fine selection at #13 in this draft class if the Rams go with a wideout. There are some guys I like that will probably go much later, but McVay is probably going to demand that top pick be a WR.

I keep throwing myself off comparing players from this draft class to players in other draft classes.
For example I'd take Quinyon Mitchell and Travis Hunter over Mansoor Delane. Joe Alt and Armand Membou over Spencer Fano. Brock Bowers and Colston Loveland over Kenyon Sadiq, etc....

 

[DzRams]

1) a weapon on the outside. A bigger WR to replace not only Adams, but the WRs the Rams will be losing this year and next.

Until about a half hour ago, I shared your thinking that they need and would be looking for an Adams replacement. Then I saw the Adams interview with SAS. He's got years left in the tank if he's playing with Stafford and McVay, so maybe they sign him to another short-term deal after 2026.

If so, I still feel they'll be looking for a WR but it won't necessarily be a big body Adams type replacement. A dynamic slot WR like Lemon could be in play, too.

Some things I see:
1) the Rams only seem to spend on the front end of the defense.
Verse and Turner are getting new deals. Young SHOULD, but if the Rams can’t afford two expensive Edges, despite them being pro bowlers, then it will probably be Young who goes. For the record, I do NOT want to see that.

Sadly, you're probably right that they will have to choose retaining one of the edge defenders and it will be Verse. As such, I can see them trading Young early like Dallas did with Parsons. If you can't resign him, get what you can early especially since it should be more than what a comp pick would get you.

2) the secondary needs to draft a starting CB. This is something universally agreed upon, right?

No, not universally agreed upon. Drafting starting CBs doesn't fit the Rams' MO. We can say it's universally agreed that they need to increase their CB talent, but I think it's more likely they do it via a trade or the free agent market. They seem to like trusted vets to anchor the room. I'm thinking a free agent like Jaylen Watson or Jamel Dean. No idea on trade targets...

In 9 years, they haven't used a 1st or 2nd round pick on the CB position.

Another CB from the draft would be nice too. I have not seen enough of McCreary to offer something lucrative, so if he wants to stay…it would have to be team friendly. The Rams are almost forced to offer Durant a deal. They should.

Again, there is the free agent market. They're not forced with Durant, but I do agree that they'll sign some vet before the draft be it Durant, McCreary, or an outside free agent.

The interior is where it gets dicey. Will the Rams be able to re-sign BOTH Dotson and Avila? Bringing back Dedich is a necessity. The problem is he might get more $$ in FA—hence the DJ Campbell pick. If it’s me, I find a way to sign both starting guards.

I'm with you: I think they choose one between Dotson and Avila. I can see them prioritizing IOL early in this draft.

Dedich is an ERFA which means he'll be an inexpensive retention.

 

[fanotodd]

Until about a half hour ago, I shared your thinking that they need and would be looking for an Adams replacement. Then I saw the Adams interview with SAS. He's got years left in the tank if he's playing with Stafford and McVay, so maybe they sign him to another short-term deal after 2026.

If so, I still feel they'll be looking for a WR but it won't necessarily be a big body Adams type replacement. A dynamic slot WR like Lemon could be in play, too.


Sadly, you're probably right that they will have to choose retaining one of the edge defenders and it will be Verse. As such, I can see them trading Young early like Dallas did with Parsons. If you can't resign him, get what you can early especially since it should be more than what a comp pick would get you.


No, not universally agreed upon. Drafting starting CBs doesn't fit the Rams' MO. We can say it's universally agreed that they need to increase their CB talent, but I think it's more likely they do it via a trade or the free agent market. They seem to like trusted vets to anchor the room. I'm thinking a free agent like Jaylen Watson or Jamel Dean. No idea on trade targets...

In 9 years, they haven't used a 1st or 2nd round pick on the CB position.


Again, there is the free agent market. They're not forced with Durant, but I do agree that they'll sign some vet before the draft be it Durant, McCreary, or an outside free agent.


I'm with you: I think they choose one between Dotson and Avila. I can see them prioritizing IOL early in this draft.

Dedich is an ERFA which means he'll be an inexpensive retention.

You make some good points.
1) the CB can be upgraded in variety of ways and yes, the Rams have shown a propensity for bringing in established players; however, that is a tenuous position they put themselves in. The $$ is more than rookie contracts and there really is no upside for the future. These guys slow down. The last time the Rams knew they would be losing multiple players in the secondary, they drafted several players (smartly, a year ahead). To YOUR point though, nobody was picked that early. Maybe they do it this year? They saw what it did for philly.

2) Adams may want to play a few more years, but how will that go? He’s still deadly in the red zone—one on one matchups where he’s likely taller than the DB. When he and Stafford are on the same page he’s unstoppable.

Between the 20’s I’ve noticed Adams is a bit slower and his arms have become shorter.

McVay does a fantastic job creating good matchups for. Nacua and it sometimes puts him in the slot. Grabbing a slot receiver would probably take more targets from Nacua than Adams. I’m not for that.

3) I’m not as well versed with the cap numbers as some here. I look at sites but don’t always fully understand them. Nice to hear Dedich should be easy to retain. I see him as key next year, whether he’s who the Rams are looking to move to Center. (I hope not) or he’s insurance/depth at Guard.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Love those top 2 Cisse is 1 of my top 3 CB's and Boston due to need @ X is my pick over Lemon. There are 3 or 4 CB & WR that I Like for us. Boston has very strong hands, runs phisically after the catch, is bigger and faster than Puka and plays with a lot of those same skills. Not sure what there is to criticize, he is no unicorn but is a big fast physical X wih strong hands and ability after the catch.

Tyson & Tate as mentioned have some promise too, Tyson doesn't block....Yet and Tate is slow for that high of a pick comparitive to the the others

Cissse or Delane are 2 guys I would like to see in our DB room

 

[fanotodd]

Love those top 2 Cisse is 1 of my top 3 CB's and Boston due to need @ X is my pick over Lemon. There are 3 or 4 CB & WR that I Like for us. Boston has very strong hands, runs phisically after the catch, is bigger and faster than Puka and plays with a lot of those same skills. Not sure what there is to criticize, he is no unicorn but is a big fast physical X wih strong hands and ability after the catch.

Tyson & Tate as mentioned have some promise too, Tyson doesn't block....Yet and Tate is slow for that high of a pick comparitive to the the others

Cissse or Delane are 2 guys I would like to see in our DB room

I appreciate your support.
It really does come down to preference, but it is generally understood that the Rams need help in the secondary and Coach McVay is always looking for a new wrinkle on offense. He HAS to. His disciples are spread around the league.

In the end, we can’t fall for the first layer of the onion.
I remember when it was almost UNANIMOUS that the Rams would pick Tavon Austin. Hmm. I don’t think Cisse and Boston are bad picks.

 

[DzRams]

You make some good points.
1) the CB can be upgraded in variety of ways and yes, the Rams have shown a propensity for bringing in established players; however, that is a tenuous position they put themselves in. The $$ is more than rookie contracts and there really is no upside for the future. These guys slow down. The last time the Rams knew they would be losing multiple players in the secondary, they drafted several players (smartly, a year ahead). To YOUR point though, nobody was picked that early. Maybe they do it this year? They saw what it did for philly.

2) Adams may want to play a few more years, but how will that go? He’s still deadly in the red zone—one on one matchups where he’s likely taller than the DB. When he and Stafford are on the same page he’s unstoppable.

Between the 20’s I’ve noticed Adams is a bit slower and his arms have become shorter.

McVay does a fantastic job creating good matchups for. Nacua and it sometimes puts him in the slot. Grabbing a slot receiver would probably take more targets from Nacua than Adams. I’m not for that.

3) I’m not as well versed with the cap numbers as some here. I look at sites but don’t always fully understand them. Nice to hear Dedich should be easy to retain. I see him as key next year, whether he’s who the Rams are looking to move to Center. (I hope not) or he’s insurance/depth at Guard.

Well, as we saw with Avila and the Dotson resigning, trends can change.

That said, I think the Rams prefer established vets at the CB position because that position has the highest bust rate for draft picks. Few teams pick DBs like the Eagles. It also seems easier for the team to recover from a bust free agent signing than a bust early pick since all you have to do is eat some money and move on.

Good point on a slot guy taking snaps from Nacua. Maybe it would be best to get a WR who's not slot only or a traditional, big bodied WR but a multi-utility player. As long as they increase the talent and speed I'm good.