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What is your priority for the draft at this juncture?

In order, Edge(Pass) rusher(got to get these early), NT, OG, ILB, FS, CB .

I see a cluster of needs and as a rule I don't rank those if I can avoid doing that. So in alphabetical order...and not saying anything new, just putting it all down in black n white.

CB. There has to be someone behind Talib/Peters cause that duo will not last forever.

FS. Same with Weddle as it is at CB--has to be a future guy.

NT/DE. They may have a candidate on the roster. Maybe Franklin-Myers and/or Joseph-Day, the 2 hyphen guys, can play. But adding to the DL is building a strength, which is something Snead likes to do.

OL. Assuming NB and Allen can play, that's not enough. Whitworth is not getting younger and Blythe may not get extended because you can only pay so many OL. The thing about OL though is that you don't have to draft all of them. You can also make something out of castoffs and UDFAs. In fact all good Rams OLs since Vermeil makes something out of castoffs and grunt-market FAs (Gruttudaria, McCollum, Nutten, Richardson, Barksdale, Blythe). Draft picks matter but you don't need them all to be draft picks.

OLB/edge. Even with Matthews signed and Fowler extended, this is a fairly obvious one. They have to keep adding. Obo, Ebukam, and Fox are all coming off of surgery and 2 of those are unknowns. Ebukam might develop but he also might not.

RB. IF they aren't confident in Kelly (and who knows right now), they need a 3rd back. If you run 2 backs a lot you need 3 backs, cause otherwise you're one ding away from running 1 back not 2.

I am going where the talent takes me. This draft is D heavy. So, that is where we will likely make hay. DL/Edge then corner, then safety, then LB as far as ranking "need". Yet, if one of the stud TEs is there at #31, I 'd take him. I would really only eliminate QB, 3-tech, and possibly WR as positions I wouldn't bother with -at least not until after the 4th/5th rd, and depending on trades and getting different/additional picks.

I can see them coming away with 1 DL, 2 OL, 1 Edge, 2 corner, 1 safety, 1 ILB (will require some trades, clearly). There will also be cheaper F/As available - just not sure we will have cap space to d anything about that.

/zn/ wrote:I see a cluster of needs and as a rule I don't rank those if I can avoid doing that. So in alphabetical order...and not saying anything new, just putting it all down in black n white.

CB. There has to be someone behind Talib/Peters cause that duo will not last forever.

FS. Same with Weddle as it is at CB--has to be a future guy.

NT/DE. They may have a candidate on the roster. Maybe Franklin-Myers and/or Joseph-Day, the 2 hyphen guys, can play. But adding to the DL is building a strength, which is something Snead likes to do.

OL. Assuming NB and Allen can play, that's not enough. Whitworth is not getting younger and Blythe may not get extended because you can only pay so many OL. The thing about OL though is that you don't have to draft all of them. You can also make something out of castoffs and UDFAs. In fact all good Rams OLs since Vermeil makes something out of castoffs and grunt-market FAs (Gruttudaria, McCollum, Nutten, Richardson, Barksdale, Blythe). Draft picks matter but you don't need them all to be draft picks.

OLB/edge. Even with Matthews signed and Fowler extended, this is a fairly obvious one. They have to keep adding. Obo, Ebukam, and Fox are all coming off of surgery and 2 of those are unknowns. Ebukam might develop but he also might not.

RB. IF they aren't confident in Kelly (and who knows right now), they need a 3rd back. If you run 2 backs a lot you need 3 backs, cause otherwise you're one ding away from running 1 back not 2.

Here's the thing, zn...

The purpose of the poll is to put yourself in the shoes of the front office and face the tough choice. The Rams have multiple needs, but only one first round pick. Ultimately, the team will have to decide which need to fill first.

Saying essentially "all of the above" does not answer the question.

AvengerRam wrote:Here's the thing, zn...

The purpose of the poll is to put yourself in the shoes of the front office and face the tough choice. The Rams have multiple needs, but only one first round pick. Ultimately, the team will have to decide which need to fill first.

Saying essentially "all of the above" does not answer the question.

I am guilty too then. I want one of the Iowa TE's - not on your poll and chances are we won't have a shot at either - so I went with the explosive playmaker choice. I think McVay could get very creative with 12 personnel and going "empty" with 2 WRs, 3 TEs. That said, I think a very talented interior DL AND talented corner will be sitting there #31.

AvengerRam wrote:Saying essentially "all of the above" does not answer the question.

Threads take on a life of their own, and not everyone answers "the question." And I say that's fine.

ramsman34 wrote:I can see them coming away with 1 DL, 2 OL, 1 Edge, 2 corner, 1 safety, 1 ILB (will require some trades, clearly). There will also be cheaper F/As available - just not sure we will have cap space to d anything about that.

It could go like that. Though in terms of getting starters, assuming they don't trade down, they really have 3 picks---the 1 and the 2 3s. Normally you don't count 3s, but with the Rams you do. Their record with 3rd round picks is golden. The norm is 35% hits on 3rd rounders and but they are way beyond that. So they could end up with 3 starters, depending on how the draft falls to them.

/zn/ wrote:Threads take on a life of their own, and not everyone answers "the question." And I say that's fine.



It could go like that. Though in terms of getting starters, assuming they don't trade down, they really have 3 picks---the 1 and the 2 3s. Normally you don't count 3s, but with the Rams you do. Their record with 3rd round picks is golden. The norm is 35% hits on 3rd rounders and but they are way beyond that. So they could end up with 3 starters, depending on how the draft falls to them.

I am not necessarily claiming ANY would be starters, but would assume at least one would be (DL or OL), and the rest rotational players and depth. I just think the draft can provide quality capital all the way down the board at those positions. Albeit, some as purely futures/developmental players and early career ST guys.

/zn/ wrote:Threads take on a life of their own, and not everyone answers "the question." And I say that's fine.

No, the thread did not "take on a life of its own." You simply ignored the question. Not the biggest crime in the world, but you should at least be honest about it.

ramsman34 wrote:I am guilty too then. I want one of the Iowa TE's - not on your poll and chances are we won't have a shot at either - so I went with the explosive playmaker choice. I think McVay could get very creative with 12 personnel and going "empty" with 2 WRs, 3 TEs. That said, I think a very talented interior DL AND talented corner will be sitting there #31.

If you said, "none of the above - I think TE is the top need," I would have had no problem with that.

zn is guilty of recidivism in this context... he was recently called out (not by me) for ignoring the premise of another poll. I'm not sure if he's deliberately attempting to derail threads, or just doesn't bother to read before posting. Again... not really a big deal. Just thought I'd mention it to try to keep the discussion on point.