The NFL Draft - On The Clock, Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams
Pick: #15
Top Needs: QB, WR, CB, C
Top Targets: Paxton Lynch, Laquon Treadwell, William Jackson III, Cody Whitehair
Off The Board:
PickTeamPlayer, POSSchoolComments1Tennessee TitansLaremy Tunsil, OTOle MissA shut down corner to protect franchise QB Marcus Mariota. 2Cleveland BrownsJared Goff, QBCaliforniaThe Browns finally find an answer to stop the QB merry go-round of the last 20 years.3San Diego ChargersJalen Ramsey, DBFlorida StateWhether he plays cornerback or safety, the Chargers get one of the best players in the draft.4Dallas CowboysJoey Bosa, DL Ohio StateThe Cowboys shore up their defensive line, and find QB, LB and DB help later in the draft. 5Jacksonville Jaguars Vernon Hargreaves, CBFloridaThe Jaguars get a shutdown corner in the first round, find solutions in the front seven in free agency and the rest of the draft.6Baltimore RavensMyles Jack, SS/LBUCLAThe Ravens leap to draft an elite defensive talent, and possibly draft a future star.7San Francisco 49ersCarson Wentz, QBNorth Dakota StateKap forces the teams hand and they take a potential future starting QB to truly start a new era.8Miami DolphinsMackensie Alexander, CB ClemsonMiami plugs its biggest hole, but with a player who does have some questions.9Tampa Bay BuccaneersDeForest Buckner, DLOregonBuckner could easily go earlier, but he's too talented to fall any farther than this.10New York GiantsEzekiel Elliott, RBOhio StateNew York gets an immediate boost with Zeke Elliott, getting new HC Ben McAdoo a huge weapon.11Chicago BearsRonnie Stanley, OTNotre DameChicago still needs help on defense but gets a plug-and-play starter at tackle to help stabilize the offense.12New Orleans SaintsA'Shawn Robinson, DTAlabamaNew Orleans shores up the defense by plugging up the middle and getting tougher and more physical in the process.13Philadelphia EaglesJack Conklin, OTMichigan StateDoug Pederson gets a stabilizing force on the OL to restart the running game and protect his almost comically fragile QB.14Oakland RaidersEli Apple, CBOhio StateThe Raiders begin to shore up the gaping hole of their defensive backfield, and do so with a player with a huge amount of promise from a bigtime program.15Los Angeles Rams???
It will take some getting used to, saying Los Angeles instead of St. Louis, but the team needs some more fundamental change than location. Yet again, they have no answer at QB (poor Case Keenum might be the best QB on the roster), and there really isn't a good WR (all you folks wanting to brag on Tavon Austin need to get real, and if your answer is Brian Quick, I'd hope you realize that there's a legitimate problem here.
While the Rams defensive line is one of the very best in the league, their offensive line is improving but still not terrific. They're okay at tackle (assuming Greg Robinson finally pans out) but guard and center really need addressing. Cody Whitehair could be the smart pick here.
Of course, it's QB that has the real pain points and there's nobody left who anyone would feel great about starting on Week 1. Do they draft Paxton Lynch and hope they can develop him? For Lynch's sake, I hope they don't because Jeff Fisher has shown no ability to make that happen. On the other hand, who is Lynch really going to throw to? Looking at it from the other side, Laquon Treadwell is probably getting quite antsy in the green room right about now.
If you have neither, would you rather get a rookie QB with nobody to throw to? Or a rookie WR with nobody to throw to him?
If you're the Rams, what do you do?
THE PICK: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
Yep, it's finally time for Laquon Treadwell. My thinking here is that unless the team has fallen in love with Paxton Lynch and his Gabe from Six Feet Under facial hair, they can target someone like Connor Cook or Christian Hackenburg in the second round, and in the meantime get a big, physical receiver who can catch balls from almost anyone throwing them to him.
That guy is Laquon Treadwell. He's not the fastest guy out there but everyone, even his critics, says he is relentless to the football, and he gets compared to Dez Bryant and Anquan Boldin. And this is where the draft is weird. Because ... if I'm a GM, and I can take "the next Dez Bryant," then there isn't a single draft slot that's "too early" to take him. Right?
The Rams get their #1 WR, put Quick on the other side and run Tavon out of the slot and/or backfield...all the while with Todd Gurley running the ball and they (gasp) are a bit scary on offense, even WITH Case Keenum back there.
Next up, the Detroit Lions.