[safer]

Been thinking about this. I'd guess almost all of us see our roster as studly with only two groups appearing to be lacking and/or lacking in depth. Oline (depth--especially at OT) and lber.
As for lber, I think we really only need to add a starter through this draft (and bring back Conner Barwin). Mostly, we really need to draft a guy to develop at LT, and I'd be fine if we traded even a mid rounder next year, and our 3rd to move into the 2nd round, if one is still there that we like. In the 4th or 5th rounds there should still be strong values at lber, just like last year when we got Ebukam. I don't see us needing to add the typical amount of players this year through this draft. Mostly a couple of quality picks to fill our most dire needs.

[ramsman34]

As it sits we have almost ZERO quality depth at OLB/ILB/O-Line

Starters (as of right now)
OLB: Ebukam potentially Barwin (unsigned) - Depth: Price, Sickels, Thompson
ILB: Barron, Littleton (listed as OLB on RAMS website) - Depth: Ramik, Wilson, Hager

Perhaps we go with Ebukam and Littleton on the edge and Barron, Wilson in the middle. Barron is the only solid starter at those positions. The rest have some experience.

The O-line has a solid starting 5 and proven depth with Blyth at C, the rest seem to be JAGs.

So yes, the Rams need to do whatever it takes to find potential starters at OLB, ILB, O-Line in this draft. Injury to any starter at those positions will be problematic at least and catastrophic at worst.

[CanuckRightWinger]

I think safer makes a good point. ie. in years past, our roster needed wholesale new blood, so the numbers of Draftees and UDFAs were herded into Rams TC every preseason in Platoon strength type numbers.

Now, with an already studly roster, thanks to McSneed's skillfull maneouvering, we can afford, this year anyway, to go with a "Quality over Quantity" Draft process.....ie. fewer bodies, of higher value, to fill fewer spots!!

The "Ram LB Dilemna" might be overblown, as conventional wisdom has Wade's D requiring less Brian Orlacher/Dick Butkus types in the middle....and more Lem Barney/Marcus Peters types on the Corners, along with the Merlin Olsen/Aaron Donald types up front.

One thing people might be overlooking.....besides Mark ExocetMissleTackler Barron in the middle, McSnead traded for Todd Gurley's BFF from Georgia Bulldog days, Ramik Wilson who went in the 4th Round of the 2015 Draft....along with one Bryce Hager, who was ranked similarly to Ramik Wilson by alot of Draftnik Publications....including DraftScout.com. FYI.
EDIT....and let's not forget 2016 Rams Rookie of the Year, Cory Littleton. So we might have more legit LB depth that we realize eh!

If Connor Barwin comes back at a vet minimu- area 2018 Contract, I am even more confident that "our kids at LB"....Matt Longacre, Samson Ebukam, Ramik Wilson, Bryce Hager (and maybe a hotshot 2018 Rookie LB) can man successfully these Los Ramos 20108 LB posts along with the vets Barron and Barwin. For TC and for 2018 Road Trips I would room Ebukam with Barron and Longacre with Barwin to optimally let the Osmosis-Learning Process thrive between Vet & Newbie.
We do not need any DBs, CBs, TEs, WRs, RBs, etc etc
What we need is what safer said "help at LB and OLine, particularly OT"

[dieterbrock]

Trading up sounds great, except the Rams don't have much to trade.
Are we giving up next year's 1st-3rd round pick?
Those 6th rounders are virtually worthless from a trade perspective

[Hacksaw_64]

Trading up sounds great, except the Rams don't have much to trade.
Are we giving up next year's 1st-3rd round pick?
Those 6th rounders are virtually worthless from a trade perspective

pretty much a lock to get 3 3rds next year

depends on who's available at end of second or top of third..

[dieterbrock]

pretty much a lock to get 3 3rds next year

depends on who's available at end of second or top of third..

I wouldn’t trade a 2nd rounder for 2 late 3rds next year
Heck probably wouldn’t trade it for all 3

[Elvis]

Saw this on Twitter, no idea how useful or accurate it is but seemed interesting...

[Elvis]

So if you go by this chart we have:

Code: Select allRound/Pick/Value
3   87   155
4   111   72
4   135   38
4   136   37.5
6   176   20.6
6   183   17.8
6   194   14.3
6   195   14

With a total value of 369.2...

[ramsman34]

So if you go by this chart we have:

Code: Select allRound/Pick/Value
3   87   155
4   111   72
4   135   38
4   136   37.5
6   176   20.6
6   183   17.8
6   194   14.3
6   195   14

With a total value of 369.2...

So, it would take ALL those picks to get high into the 2nd round? no thanks. Keep what we have and lean on the scouting dept. to unearth the late round gems. Hopefully get a stud at a need position with that 3rd rounder. We do have enough ammo to move up in the 3rd.

[safer]

Looking at these charts, it would take our 3 and a 4 this year and our 3 next year to get up into the mid 2nd round. Man, I'd even do more than that to move a bit higher if a LT we like is still there. I'm telling you guys, if we lose our LT to injury, we are going to have to move Saffold back out there (with this roster), and then other places start to breakdown too. If ALL we came out of this draft with was a true LT prospect we could groom and a starting lber, I think we'd be fine.