A Rock And A Hard Place

[jrry32]

I'm not always a fan of BPA...For example if this year the BPA is a DT, sorry, I've got to find an interior OL ...I think BPA is never wrong, but I think sometimes it can be trumped by a real need...If there is not real quality available for your need(s) then I go back to BPA and go from there...

I'm telling you, BVA is the way to go. Takes into account need and positional value but still gives the most weight to talent.

Need should never trump talent. But at the same time, you can't simply ignore need either. It's gotta be factored in.

 

[Noregar]

I voted OL but I agree with the sentiments of many others that if the O line value is not there there then I hope they do not reach and really do not expect them to reach because they have shown that they will generally take the BPA over need in the early rounds no matter the position. However, if there is a group of closely rated players and one is an O-lineman then I expect the Rams to move him to the top of the list due to need.

Interestingly, the three other players we heard the Rams were very high on and possibly targeting outside of Donald and Robinson in the first round were Martin, Mosley, and Beckham and all three are having good to great rookie seasons.

 

[rhinobean]

World's best rock n roll band! Thanks for the post!

 

[BigRamFan]

I would prefer an offensive player but if it's your turn to pick and the best value is a lb s etc you have to take that guy. There are three elite wr I have a hunch one will be a Ram.

I see A. Cooper and K. White as "top tier" WRs in this class but I don't watch a lot of college FB. Who is the 3rd you have in mind?

 

[Memento]

I see A. Cooper and K. White as "top tier" WRs in this class but I don't watch a lot of college FB. Who is the 3rd you have in mind?

The third is likely Devante Parker (Louisville). He's a tad below White and Cooper, but I think he's a top twenty prospect. Some would say that Dorial Green-Beckham is elite, and talent-wise, he's definitely above Parker. But DGB is a drug-addled douchebagging fuck off the field. A complete mess. Easily the worst character issues I've seen from a former Mizzou football player since Derrick Washington, and Washington is a serial rapist.

 

[tahoe]

I voted oline but I could definitely see wr being bpa. There are 3 maybe 4 great wrs in this draft. Oline is very deep and qb is aweful. I heard mcshay (yeah I know) saying that after mariota and winston his next highest qb had a late 3rd early 4th round grade! No way the rams can reach for a crap qb. Its oline or wr for me.

 

[BigRamFan]

The third is likely Devante Parker (Louisville). He's a tad below White and Cooper, but I think he's a top twenty prospect. Some would say that Dorial Green-Beckham is elite, and talent-wise, he's definitely above Parker. But DGB is a drug-addled douchebagging freak off the field. A complete mess. Easily the worst character issues I've seen from a former Mizzou football player since Derrick Washington, and Washington is a serial rapist.

Thanks @Memento ! I truly hope we stay as far as possible from DGB.

 

[rdlkgliders]

Not to be a copout but I went other. In a perfect world where equal talent was available I go OL. but in the case of reality I still believe a QB ,OL , LB and WR all would be fine as long as they are the clear cut best player available. I believe that the 4 positions I listed are of greatest concern.

 

[RamFan503]

I'm telling you, BVA is the way to go. Takes into account need and positional value but still gives the most weight to talent.

Need should never trump talent. But at the same time, you can't simply ignore need either. It's gotta be factored in.

I like the BVA principle and agree there has to be at least some thought put toward your roster when deciding on picks.

My question isn't pointed to players I may think are actually in the draft as I haven't yet really looked at who will likely be available to us. So my question is this: Is there a position besides maybe DT that we don't have a "need" for BPA? I realize we seem set right now at DE and areas like DBs and maybe WR don't seem like an actual need but to me right now in the first round, I think every position but DT may additionally carry the BVA part of the equation. Talent always carries value and I just don't know that there are many areas we couldn't improve on with the right player.

I realize this may even be what you are saying with the BVA tag but do you see an area that we maybe have little to no chance in grabbing that BVA player? It looks like we have a good year to need O-line help and a bad year to need a QB. What other positions do you see real potential value picks out there?

 

[RamzFanz]

This early there are too many variables.

This team could really use some road graders on the O line who can also pass protect.

If their main focus is o line, I would not be shocked at a trade back.

 

[LosAngelesRams]

Grab a high prospect QB, build the line in the 2nd and later. But both need to be addressed.

Imo, of course.

 

[LesBaker]

I think we are two good LB's away from being a defense that will clamp down and we are one good QB away from being a top 10 offense.

If the OL gets bolstered that is always good but as this team is constructed now if the Rams had those two things we would see them contending in an NFC that after years of being the stronger conference is starting to look like the AFC did not too long ago.

 

[Big Willie]

I think we would all agree that A.Donald was a tremendous find With the 13th pick of the 1st round. DT was not a area of most need for this team. If you lock into one position in 2015, say OL, then you may have to reach for a player and could miss out on a talent like Donald. My selection in the survey was other because I do not want to reach for a QB or OL, because there may be a player at another position that may be heads and shoulders above the rest. I would prefer to have another impact player rather than a JAG who meets an immediate need. However, when value meets need you have the perfect storm.

 

[woofwoofmo]

Definitely BPA. When you start drafting for position you over-reach and don't optimize your talent. Depth is what wins games in December and it is my firm belief the Rams will be playing significant games in December next season!! :banana:

 

[jrry32]

I like the BVA principle and agree there has to be at least some thought put toward your roster when deciding on picks.

My question isn't pointed to players I may think are actually in the draft as I haven't yet really looked at who will likely be available to us. So my question is this: Is there a position besides maybe DT that we don't have a "need" for BPA? I realize we seem set right now at DE and areas like DBs and maybe WR don't seem like an actual need but to me right now in the first round, I think every position but DT may additionally carry the BVA part of the equation. Talent always carries value and I just don't know that there are many areas we couldn't improve on with the right player.

I realize this may even be what you are saying with the BVA tag but do you see an area that we maybe have little to no chance in grabbing that BVA player? It looks like we have a good year to need O-line help and a bad year to need a QB. What other positions do you see real potential value picks out there?

Value
OL(OT/OG mainly)
WR
Pass Rusher
HB

That's where the best value lies in this draft.

Worst Value
QB
TE
DB
ILB

Those are the weak positions of this draft.

I think every team can stand to improve in almost every area. For us, our biggest needs lay on the interior OL and at QB. We could upgrade at pretty much every position if we wanted to but I think SS, CB, DT, and DE are safe right now. Wouldn't be shocked if he passed on WRs too early. I think the Rams are still behind Tavon and have seen more than enough out of Quick, Britt, and Bailey to feel good about WR. But that depends on Quick's medical...they may know something that I don't.

 

[Alan]

jrry32 with an early look:
Value
OL(OT/OG mainly)
WR
Pass Rusher
HB

That's where the best value lies in this draft.

Worst Value
QB
TE
DB
ILB

Those are the weak positions of this draft.

Is that based on who's already declared they're coming out this year or regardless?

I agree with the rest of your analysis.

 

[Boston Ram]

I voted OL mainly because I think that the BPA will be OL at the range we are picking (8-8>. Truth is, I have no idea what will happen between now and the draft.

I agree, exactly my thoughts when I voted. I go BPA but Im fairly certain a OLman will be available and be pretty close to the BPA also. TJ Clemmings, Ereck Flowers, AJ Cann, possibly Scherff depending on when we pick.

 

[jrry32]

Is that based on who's already declared they're coming out this year or regardless?

I agree with the rest of your analysis.

Based on who I EXPECT to declare. So there's a possibility it could change if things don't go as expected.

 

[Irish]

Its really neither a rock nor a hard place. Look at the elite teams in the league: Packers, Patriots, Broncos, Seahawks, they all have one thing in common.

They do not reach on talent in the first 3 rounds. They don't get cute, they trade down when value dictates such, and they covet top picks. I really wouldn't be shocked if, after the combine, they draft board looks nothing like the mock drafts, the bloviating buffoons on ESPN, or anything we know currently.

The Rams have been guilty of reaching a couple of times, and it has hurt them. They reached on Pead, traded premium picks to draft Tavon without a first clue how to utilize such an explosive weapon (to their credit, they are learning), just to name a couple. Now, the Rams have padded the lack of returns, immediate or otherwise, of some of the reach picks with the pinata of talent that was received by Washington, a team that routinely reaches on talent and makes stupid draft decisions, but you could argue that it has stymied the rebuild to a certain extent. Hindsight is always 20/20, but the theme of successful organizations in the NFL is limiting your exposure on premium draft picks as much as you can, and trust your board and your scouting to find gems later in the draft. Once the Rams can limit the head scratching moments, they will find themselves on the other end of a conversation that, quite frankly, we have only seen about 3 seasons since they moved here.

 

[jrry32]

Its really neither a rock nor a hard place. Look at the elite teams in the league: Packers, Patriots, Broncos, Seahawks, they all have one thing in common.

They do not reach on talent in the first 3 rounds. They don't get cute, they trade down when value dictates such, and they covet top picks. I really wouldn't be shocked if, after the combine, they draft board looks nothing like the mock drafts, the bloviating buffoons on ESPN, or anything we know currently.

The Rams have been guilty of reaching a couple of times, and it has hurt them. They reached on Pead, traded premium picks to draft Tavon without a first clue how to utilize such an explosive weapon (to their credit, they are learning), just to name a couple. Now, the Rams have padded the lack of returns, immediate or otherwise, of some of the reach picks with the pinata of talent that was received by Washington, a team that routinely reaches on talent and makes stupid draft decisions, but you could argue that it has stymied the rebuild to a certain extent. Hindsight is always 20/20, but the theme of successful organizations in the NFL is limiting your exposure on premium draft picks as much as you can, and trust your board and your scouting to find gems later in the draft. Once the Rams can limit the head scratching moments, they will find themselves on the other end of a conversation that, quite frankly, we have only seen about 3 seasons since they moved here.

The idea of a reach has always bothered me. "Reaches" are really a code for poor talent evaluation. They got it wrong on Pead. If he were racking up 1000 yard seasons, nobody would consider it a reach. The media calls players reaches because they didn't rate them as highly but the truth is that if the NFL team's evaluation is dead on, nobody calls the player a reach in 3 years.

Some would say that I believe in "reaching" for talent because my philosophy has always been that you build your board with guys that you believe in and then you try to draft as many as possible. Their value in the eyes of the media and other teams be damned. You just get as many as you can and you take them where you can. Sometimes, if they're severely undervalued, you might be able to trade down and I'm not against that.

But I trust my ability to evaluate talent and because of that, I'm going to go draft as many of the guys that I think are special as I can. Don't care if he's rated as a 6th rounder, if I think he's great and he's at the top of my board, I'll take him in the 3rd.

I'm not perfect so like any person, I'll miss on players but I think I hit on enough to make it worthwhile.