By Joe Torosian
How many picks can you get in the Top 100?
As thinking begins about the NFL Draft and the anticipation of having a full complement of picks builds, consideration should be, what if the Rams trade out of the first-round?
Instead of paying for a first-round pick, teams move back and accumulate more choices inside the first 100.
Rams need a cornerback, and they need another edge rusher. Several corners and edge guys are available at 19, but that doesn’t preclude Les Snead from doing something outside the box.
According to the Draft Chart, trading back from #19 could net three draft picks. I ran a simulator, and it kicked this back to me offers for the 19th pick.
New Orleans: 2/45, 5/148, 6/191
Tampa Bay: 1/26, 2/57, 4/125
Green Bay: 2/41, 3/92, 4/126
It’s early and far from scientific, but one constant is three draft picks for the 19th overall. The most enticing is the one the computer kicked back from Tampa Bay. I didn’t like the New Orleans one, but the Packers’ offer is interesting.
The goal is accumulating as many picks as possible in the first 100.
In the Les Snead Era, the Rams have selected 34 players in the Top 100 of the NFL Draft.
Thinking about the Rams’ needs heading into 2024—CB, Edge, OL/WR—it’s interesting to see what they’ve done in the past.
34 Players (Busts in bold):
Defense—13
DI—3 (Michael Brockers, Aaron Donald, Kobi Turner)
Edge—2 (Terrell Lewis, Byron Young)
LB—1 (Alec Ogletree)
CB—4 (Janoris Jenkins, Trumaine Johnson, Lamarcus Joyner, David Long Jr.)
S—3 (T.J. McDonald, John Johnson, Taylor Rapp)
***
Offense—21
QB—2 (Sean Mannion, Jared Goff)
RB—5 (Isaiah Pead, Tre Mason, Todd Gurley, Darrell Henderson, Cam Akers)
WR—7 (Brian Quick, Chris Givens, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell)
TE—1 (Gerald Everett)
C—
G—3 (Jamon Brown, Bobby Evans, Steve Avila)
T—3 (Greg Robinson, Rob Havenstein, Joseph Noteboom
***Rams have ten total picks…Three are in the Top 100: #19, #51, #83
***Measuring busts versus contributors. Busts may have spent time as a starter but contributed nothing–and no tears were shed at their departures. Others like Gerald Everett never became a full-time starter, but he did contribute, as did Van Jefferson and Taylor Rapp.
I’ll leave the door open for Tutu Atwell. He has contributed this season, and I do not see him as a bust. But Atwell, along with Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers (Both contributors to the 2021 title), suffer from being drafted in the second round and the expectation that goes with it.
*** You’ll notice the trend of the Rams leaning more toward offense than defense in the Top 100. Since the arrival of Sean McVay, the Rams have gone 9-6 in favor of offensive players.
***Many made, and continue to make, a big deal of the Rams not taking Creed Humphrey at #57 in 2021–I get it. But you’ll notice the Rams have never taken a center in the Top 100 under Les Snead and only one true center overall since 2012—Brian Allen, 4/111/2018.
Keep an eye on Steve Avila, who played center in college. The Rams have Coleman Shelton under contract for another year, but if they look to move off him. Avila could move from LG to replace him, opening the door to bring somebody else on board along the offensive line.
*** Isn’t it interesting as the edge rusher has become a critical position in the NFL—Remember Michael Hoecht started 17 games this season as a UDFA, out of Brown, at 6-4/310—the Rams have only spent two of their 34 Top 100 picks on the Edge?
Terrell Lewis, bust, and Byron Young, who looks like a score, are the only two. They’ve drafted nine overall in the Snead Era, including Samson Ebukam, Ogbo Okoronkwo, and even Michael Sam.
***
2012
1/14—Michael Brockers-DT LSU
2/33—Brian Quick-WR Appalachian St.
2/39—Janoris Jenkins-CB North Alabama
2/50—Isaiah Pead-RB Cincinnati
3/65—Trumaine Johnson-CB Montana
4/96—Chris Givens-WR Wake Forest
2013
1/8—Tavon Austin-WR West Virginia
1/30—Alec Ogletree-LB Georgia
3/71—T.J. McDonald-S USC
3/92—Stedman Bailey-WR West Virginia
2014
1/2—Greg Robinson-OT Auburn
1/13—Aaron Donald-DT Pittsburgh
2/41—Lamarcus Joyner-CB Florida State
3/75—Tre Mason-RB Auburn
2015
1/10—Todd Gurley-RB Georgia
2/57—Rob Havenstein-OT Wisconsin
3/72—Jamon Brown-G Louisville
3/89—Sean Mannion-QB Oregon State
2016
1/1—Jared Goff-QB California
2017
2/44—Gerald Everett-TE South Alabama
3/69—Cooper Kupp -WR Eastern Washington
3/91—John Johnson-S Boston College
2018
3/89—Joseph Noteboom-OT TCU
2019
2/61—Taylor Rapp-S Washington
3/70—Darrell Henderson-RB Memphis
3/79—David Long-CB Michigan
3/97—Bobby Evans-G Oklahoma
2020
2/52—Cam Akers-RB Florida State
2/57—Van Jefferson-WR Florida
3/84—Terrell Lewis-Edge Alabama
2021
2/57—Tutu Atwell-WR Louisville
2023
2/26—Steve Avila-G TCU
3/77—Byron Young-Edge Tennessee
3/89—Kobie Turner-DT Northwestern
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