Alabama Pro Day

[Wildflecken]

Some intriguing talent coming out of Alabama this class as scheme fit prospect in Rams scheme. Here are four I really like:

RB Derrick Henry - Well aware Rams took Gurley last draft. Anyone remember Csonka, Kick and Mercury Morris? Look Rams are never going to be a top five precision passing offense under Fisher. And while Gurley is a true 3 down rb, Henry is a punishing rb at the second level, an excellent fit running behind Rams zone blocking scheme. Rams offense being able to rotate Gurley, Henry and TA out of backfield is an intriguing option. An offense that can be successful with Keenum under Center and throwing for 200 yards or less each week. A one/two punch of Gurley and Henry would create a lot of favorable coverages out of play action. Having to tackle Gurley/Henry for four quarter would make catching TA out of backfield nearly impossible. (and Paxton Lynch would look really good behind Center in this type offense)

C Ryan Kelly - Kelly is for real, top interior lineman this class. Rams experience with Jones potentially swayed my early opinion. Barnes is back in fold, but adding Kelly would be a huge upgrade in future seasons to come. If Rams want to run football like I think they do under Fisher, adding Kelly helps this cause immensely.

Ragland - This guy is a thumper. Size does not hamper his ability to play all three downs at next level. As close to a natural at position as I have seen in quite some time. Deciphers plays quickly and blows plays up. Seen a lot of threads over last few seasons knocking JL's inability to do this. If you want to blow running plays up at or behind LOS, add Ragland plain and simple.

Jake Coker - Think Coker has much more upside at next level than McCarron, and might come off board later than McCarron did. Not a day 1 starter but come 2019 when new venue opens you very well could have your franchise qb on field behind Center. Love his mental approach to game, a solid understanding of pro concepts coming out of college. Have seen teams try and develop much worse looking prospects than Coker, true sleeper pick this draft

[poplarbluffman]

have yet to hear why Coker wasn't a combine invite....

2 Alabama guys I'm curious about are Dominick Jackson JC guy rt normally Alabama doesn't mess with JC players and Pettway DE ...both good 3rd-5rh rd guys

[lynyrdsghost]

Really like Henry, Ragland, Kelly and Coker. Also like Cyrus Jones. Not a fan of Dom Jackson. Didn't seem to play well all year. Pettway can make an NFL team but not sure he'd ever make any impact. I'm also curious why Coker wasn't invited to the combine. Makes no sense to me. I feel sure he'll be drafted and honestly, I think he'd have been a 2nd day pick if he had played his Junior year. Dude can ball. I wouldn't cry if the Rams took him. JMO.

[NN1Badboy]

Just think. It's possible that we could land 3 of the 4. Henry or Ragland in the first, Kelly with one of our seconds and Coker in the 4th, or maybe even in the 6th.

[RamFanFor55]

Some intriguing talent coming out of Alabama this class as scheme fit prospect in Rams scheme. Here are four I really like:

RB Derrick Henry - Well aware Rams took Gurley last draft. Anyone remember Csonka, Kick and Mercury Morris? Look Rams are never going to be a top five precision passing offense under Fisher. And while Gurley is a true 3 down rb, Henry is a punishing rb at the second level, an excellent fit running behind Rams zone blocking scheme. Rams offense being able to rotate Gurley, Henry and TA out of backfield is an intriguing option. An offense that can be successful with Keenum under Center and throwing for 200 yards or less each week. A one/two punch of Gurley and Henry would create a lot of favorable coverages out of play action. Having to tackle Gurley/Henry for four quarter would make catching TA out of backfield nearly impossible. (and Paxton Lynch would look really good behind Center in this type offense)

C Ryan Kelly - Kelly is for real, top interior lineman this class. Rams experience with Jones potentially swayed my early opinion. Barnes is back in fold, but adding Kelly would be a huge upgrade in future seasons to come. If Rams want to run football like I think they do under Fisher, adding Kelly helps this cause immensely.

Ragland - This guy is a thumper. Size does not hamper his ability to play all three downs at next level. As close to a natural at position as I have seen in quite some time. Deciphers plays quickly and blows plays up. Seen a lot of threads over last few seasons knocking JL's inability to do this. If you want to blow running plays up at or behind LOS, add Ragland plain and simple.

Jake Coker - Think Coker has much more upside at next level than McCarron, and might come off board later than McCarron did. Not a day 1 starter but come 2019 when new venue opens you very well could have your franchise qb on field behind Center. Love his mental approach to game, a solid understanding of pro concepts coming out of college. Have seen teams try and develop much worse looking prospects than Coker, true sleeper pick this draft

Thanks Fleck. Batting .750 (or maybe .625) is excellent! If the Rams went Ragland with 15, then Kelly in the second, I'd be a very happy camper. Any notion of a RB before the 6th round is, all due respect, truly a yuge waste of a draft choice. And Coker? He might also be there in the 6th...not well regarded at all. 18 qbs invited to the Combine, including some dude from Liberty (???), but, sorry no Jake Coker. He's indeed a "sleeper" (Crimson Tide's offered next to zilch at qb--in spite of being a perennial national contender--since Joe Willie), and should remain asleep.

If the Rams want to roll the dice, 3rd round at the soonest, with Hogan, Prescott, Jones and likely Hackenberg all there. Each has some very interesting upside, and a lot of downside. A couple might even be there in the 4th.

But Ragland and Kelly...YOWZA!!

[lynyrdsghost]

Any notion of a RB before the 6th round is, all due respect, truly a yuge waste of a draft choice.

Gotta disagree. With Mason and Watt both having off the field problems, I'm not so sure they can afford to wait that long to get a RB. Especially if they lose Cunningham in Free Agency. The entire Offense is built around a strong run game. Under the current circumstances, if they ignore the position; they could be in huge trouble if Gurley goes down. Keeping Cunningham would definitely help but they cannot depend on any of the other backs at this time. I wouldn't be shocked if Fisher drafts a RB by the 4th round. Earlier if they lose Cunningham. JMO.

[poplarbluffman]

Tre Madden 6' 225 and Keith Marshall 5'11 219 4.31 at combine might be later rd guys

[lynyrdsghost]

Really like the thought of bringing in Keith Marshall. Teaming him with Gurley might even help TG get better.

[Wildflecken]

Any notion of a RB before the 6th round is, all due respect, truly a yuge waste of a draft choice.

Gotta disagree. With Mason and Watt both having off the field problems, I'm not so sure they can afford to wait that long to get a RB. Especially if they lose Cunningham in Free Agency. The entire Offense is built around a strong run game. Under the current circumstances, if they ignore the position; they could be in huge trouble if Gurley goes down. Keeping Cunningham would definitely help but they cannot depend on any of the other backs at this time. I wouldn't be shocked if Fisher drafts a RB by the 4th round. Earlier if they lose Cunningham. JMO.

lynyrd you could not be more spot on here. Think Rams offense was bad last season, loose Gurley and not restock behind him. Did not like what Mason brought last season prior to arrest. Watt had legit talent but as you state offfield. Maybe can be addressed in later rounds but if we are going to be a running offense, why not build the best, a future hall of fame backfield. Why run Gurley into ground and make him a one contract rb, versus using a Csonka, Kick, Morris approach or Brandon Jacobs, Bradshaw, Ward? Think the qb will thrive in this type offense and make his job easy to find the favorable single coverages that will result as opposing defenses will have to put cb's on an island to counter run attack.

[RamFanFor55]

Any notion of a RB before the 6th round is, all due respect, truly a yuge waste of a draft choice.

Gotta disagree. With Mason and Watt both having off the field problems, I'm not so sure they can afford to wait that long to get a RB. Especially if they lose Cunningham in Free Agency. The entire Offense is built around a strong run game. Under the current circumstances, if they ignore the position; they could be in huge trouble if Gurley goes down. Keeping Cunningham would definitely help but they cannot depend on any of the other backs at this time. I wouldn't be shocked if Fisher drafts a RB by the 4th round. Earlier if they lose Cunningham. JMO.

There's the whole "draft for possible need vs. draft for REAL need." Will the Rams possibly need a RB? Sure. Houston will "possibly" need a def RE, too. I'll still maintain that the Rams definite needs: WR/LB/TE/FS especially, depth at DE/CB/C (maybe DT) are immediate needs. And I'd still like to see Brown get a shot--guy's a banger. Plus, Snead appears to be sitting on his hands with respect to new FAs, so the draft becomes more and more significant.

But will Snisher draft a RB in the 4th or higher? (Where's Stacy...oh, yeah...) Sure. Arguably half their picks over four years have been head-scratching busts/near-busts. So nothing surprises me when the Ram number is called.

[Wildflecken]

RamFan the model I listed above on the 3 headed rb threat has won at a minimum, two teams Super Bowls in this league. Simply put cannot force filling needs in draft. If Rams wr's find themselves in favorable coverages throughout majority of game due to opposing defense struggling to stop our running attack, leaving their cb's on an island without safety help would you consider Rams have addressed the need in draft to create chunks of yardage in passing game using a down the field, vertical passing game?

You sometimes have to look a little deeper to decipher why a positional unit is underperforming. Faulk made the GSOT philosophy possible. How did Martz's offenses perform when he did not have Faulk? Did he succeed in other coaching stops?