[PARAM]

Why is being honestly critical of the 2021 pick a case of "agonizing"?

It's just being fair in draft discussions about a particularly strong example of the Snead/McV Rams not getting particularly high value out of round 2.

In my experience, criticisms like that tend to linger as long as that particular GM/coach regime combo is in power. So nowadays people tend not to bring up the OT Smith pick from 2009 or the OT Robinson pick from 2014. As long as this particular regime is in power it's fair to discuss their record, and in this case that record includes a very high percentage of quality drafting right alongside their much less common more mediocre moments. That's just fair discussion.

Myself? I tend not to make it so much about Atwell per se as it being a more general thing where with Snead/McV, round 2 doesn't really have the kind of results you would expect from picks that high. Round 3 tends to be better. That's of course absolutely not as bad as taking Phillips and Kennison both in round 1 in 96, but it is a thing worth mentioning.

Well to be fair, honestly critical is one thing. Overly critical is completely another. Even agonizing. Different fans go to different degrees.

However......your suggestion the Rams do better in round 3 than round two may be a perfect example of why this year's 14 pick draft class might have a better chance for success.

Including this draft, they've made six 2nd round selections compared to twelve 3rd rounders. And I'd submit there have been more 'misses' in the 3rd round. So have they been 'more successful' in round 3 or is it simply they've had twice as many chances for success?

[CanuckRightWinger]

Here's the catalogue of Snead 2nd & 3rd Rounders 2017 thru 2022

DRAFT.....SECOND ROUNDERS..............THIRD ROUNDERS............RAM VALUE GOT
2017........TE GERALD EVERETT..............COOPER KUPP, JJIII..........GREAT HAUL!!!
2018........NO 2ND ROUND PICK............JOE NOTEBOOM...............1 INJURY PRONE OT
2019........S TAYLOR RAPP....................HENDO, LONG, EVANS........ZERO 2024 COMP PICKS FROM THOSE 4.
2020........AKERS, VANJEFF..................T.LEWIS, T.BURGESS...........TWO RD 3 BUSTS!
2021.......WR TUTU ATWELL.................LB ERNEST JONES............JONES IS A LEADER
2022.......NO 2ND ROUND PICK............OG LOGAN BRUSS..............VALUE UNKNOWN

Add your own commentaries, but THIRD ROUND with Hendo, Evans, Lewis and Burgess all jettisoned for nothing definitely brings down the Snead hit-ratio.

Not complaining, just the facts. The 2017 Draft yeilded superstar Kupp and 2 Comp Picks from Everett & JJIII. Great stuff!!

Since then....
you tell me.

[PARAM]

DRAFT.....SECOND ROUNDERS..............THIRD ROUNDERS............RAM VALUE GOT
2017........TE GERALD EVERETT..............COOPER KUPP, JJIII..........GREAT HAUL!!!
2018........NO 2ND ROUND PICK............JOE NOTEBOOM...............1 INJURY PRONE OT
2019........S TAYLOR RAPP....................HENDO, LONG, EVANS........ZERO 2024 COMP PICKS FROM THOSE 4.
2020........AKERS, VANJEFF..................T.LEWIS, T.BURGESS...........TWO RD 3 BUSTS!
2021.......WR TUTU ATWELL.................LB ERNEST JONES............JONES IS A LEADER
2022.......NO 2ND ROUND PICK............OG LOGAN BRUSS..............VALUE UNKNOWN

Bruss is "unknown"? That's generous. He's known to be nothing but injured so far. Noteboom was labeled a "bum" after 2019 but at least he played in 6 games (while the offense averaged 28 PPG).

Comp picks? That's certainly not a measure of success when it comes to draft picks! They're like a consolation prize, "thanks for playing, too bad you didn't win $250,000. Here's 500 bucks".

JMHO.

[CanuckRightWinger]

If you read about Rams strategy over the years....
from Kroenke on down, Rams brass studied the New England method for dynasty-building....which included BB letting some Patriot key players in their primes go to other teams.

Then Belichick would use the resulting Comp Picks to build-up the NE roster.

McSnead believe in acquiring & utilizing Comp Picks in their roster building. Clearly.
And I am glad they do, because it's the smart move.

Contrast that wise McSnead strategy with Jeff Dumkopf Fisher, who in early 2016, with Case Keenum starting as his QB, and with #1 overall pick Jared Goff getting readied to start games for us......
Fisher lets redundant QB Nick Foles go during the 2016 Off-Season "as a favor to Nick, so Foles can get on with another team early enough to be a factor playing in 2016." That was a dumb move, as clearly Foles had value for some other NFL Teams, that could have resulted in additional Draft capital (or player trade value) for our Los Ramos. Anyhoo, Fisher's move was dumb & wasteful IMO....
whereas amassing Comp Picks is smart management.

Rams have garnered four 6th Round Comp Picks for 2024 via Gay, Mayfield, A'Shawn and Nick Scott. Looks sound & smart to me.

Cheers from sunny Vancouver, BC.

[PARAM]

If you read about Rams strategy over the years....
from Kroenke on down, Rams brass studied the New England method for dynasty-building....which included BB letting some Patriot key players in their primes go to other teams.

Then Belichick would use the resulting Comp Picks to build-up the NE roster.

McSnead believe in acquiring & utilizing Comp Picks in their roster building. Clearly.
And I am glad they do, because it's the smart move.

Contrast that wise McSnead strategy with Jeff Dumkopf Fisher, who in early 2016, with Case Keenum starting as his QB, and with #1 overall pick Jared Goff getting readied to start games for us......
Fisher lets redundant QB Nick Foles go during the 2016 Off-Season "as a favor to Nick, so Foles can get on with another team early enough to be a factor playing in 2016." That was a dumb move, as clearly Foles had value for some other NFL Teams, that could have resulted in additional Draft capital (or player trade value) for our Los Ramos. Anyhoo, Fisher's move was dumb & wasteful IMO....
whereas amassing Comp Picks is smart management.

Rams have garnered four 6th Round Comp Picks for 2024 via Gay, Mayfield, A'Shawn and Nick Scott. Looks sound & smart to me.

Cheers from sunny Vancouver, BC.

They have used comp picks to build their team. But they don't draft well anyway, right (only 1 pro bowler drafted way back in 2017)? Maybe it's the theory, more lottery tickets = better chance to win? And maybe they've maximized that theory this year? Plus they build their team by trading away draft picks for established top notch players. Maybe another confirmation they don't draft well?

Since McVay arrived in 2017 the Rams lead the league in comp picks received (18) from 2017 through 2023. San Francisco is a close second (16), with New England (15), Dallas (15), Arizona (14), Kansas City (13), Green Bay (12), Minnesota (11), Cincinnati (11) and Baltimore (10) rounding out the top ten. The Rams lead in 3rd round comp picks (7), followed by SF (6), New England and Baltimore (5 each). The Rams lead in 3rd and 4th round comp picks (10), followed by SF, New England and Baltimore (8 each). FWIW, there are just 2 teams who haven't been awarded a comp pick in the last 7 years. Jacksonville and Buffalo. Also, following the New England model, I believe the Rams are second to the Patriots in draft day trades over that period*.

*I'm not positive but a cursory look at all NFL trades from 2017-2023 has me believing that's true. I will do a little more research to confirm that either way.

[/zn/]

Snead/McV Rams, 2nd round v. 3rd round picks. 2017 through 2022 (can't do 2023 yet)

I will rate them.

Good picks ie. hits:
All-pro.
Solid contributor.

Mediocre picks:
Avg. at best, "okay"

Bad picks:
Busts.
Injuries (not fair to count it as a bad pick but so be it)

2nd round:

2017 Gerald Everett
2019 Taylor Rapp
2020 Van Jefferson
2020 Cam Akers
2021 Tutu Atwell

100% hits, but issues with quality.

2017 John Johnson
2017 Cooper Kupp
2018 Joseph Noteboom
2019 Bobby Evans
2019 David Long
2019 Darrell Henderson
2020 Terrell Burgess
2020 Terrell Lewis
2021 Ernest Jones
2022 Logan Bruss

40% hit rate, which is decently avg. But 3 quality players.

[PARAM]

Snead/McV Rams, 2nd round v. 3rd round picks. 2017 through 2022 (can't do 2023 yet)

I will rate them.

Good picks ie. hits:
All-pro.
Solid contributor.

Mediocre picks:
Avg. at best, "okay"

Bad picks:
Busts.
Injuries (not fair to count it as a bad pick but so be it)

2nd round:

2017 Gerald Everett
2019 Taylor Rapp
2020 Van Jefferson
2020 Cam Akers
2021 Tutu Atwell

100% hits, but issues with quality.

2017 John Johnson
2017 Cooper Kupp
2018 Joseph Noteboom
2019 Bobby Evans
2019 David Long
2019 Darrell Henderson
2020 Terrell Burgess
2020 Terrell Lewis
2021 Ernest Jones
2022 Logan Bruss

40% hit rate, which is decently avg. But 3 quality players.

The only thing I'd disagree with is VJ/Akers. If only 1 should be in blue font it's VJ. I'd actually put them both in blue font myself.

[/zn/]

The only thing I'd disagree with is VJ/Akers. If only 1 should be in blue font it's VJ. I'd actually put them both in blue font myself.

I forgot to add that a couple still have a chance to step up. VJ could step up (ie. step up in my grading, I get that we grade him differently. I would grade VJ higher if he were a 4th rounder.) Maybe Atwell becomes more too.

But also so could Bruss. It's obviously too soon to judge Bruss but I didn't really have much choice.

If Bruss steps up then they have a 50% hit rate in round 3, which is significantly above avg.