New Jaguars GM - 34 years old; was senior assistant to Rams GM

[folz]

33 minutes ago, billsfan714 said:

Pretty amazing what the Rams have done without no.1 picks.

 

Yeah, this is pretty interesting. I hadn't paid too much attention to what the Rams have done. But looking at it, it is an unusual situation.

 

In 7 of the last 8 years, the Rams did not have a first round pick in the draft. And in two of those years, they also had no second round pick. So, they were missing 9 of their top 16 picks over the last 8 years.

 

Over that span, they have made two Super Bowls, winning one. They have made the playoffs in 6 of 8 years. The two off-years both came after their Super Bowl appearances (2019, 9-7; 2022, 5-12). So, only one losing season, two years without playoffs.

 

Obviously they are doing something right over there. First off, they have a very good coach. But is their draft strategy (using first rounders for trades rather than rookies) innovative and the reason for their success, or have they been successful despite that strategy?

 

Here is where their top picks were spent:

2016 and 2017 1st rounders, two second rounders, and two third rounders to draft Jared Goff.

2018 first rounder traded for Brandin Cooks

2019 first rounder was used to trade back and acquire more picks

2020 and 2021 first rounders traded for Jalen Ramsey

2022 and 2023 first rounders, Jared Goff, plus a third given up to get Stafford in a trade.

 

So, 7 first rounders, 2 second rounders, 3 third rounders, and a 4th rounder for: Jaren Goff, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Ramsey, and Matthew Stafford. I mean, Stafford and Ramsey helped them win a Super Bowl, but that's 12 premium picks spent on 4 players (two who are no longer on the team, and one who has just been granted the ability to seek a trade). 

 

You can't knock the success they've had, but I'm not sure it's due to how they allocated their first rounders (unless you say they don't have a Super Bowl without Stafford).

 

Over the last 8 years, they have had a lot of draft picks overall (despite trading away a lot of their premium picks). The Rams have averaged 9.6 draft picks in each of the last 8 drafts. That's a lot of picks in rounds 3-7.

 

Since 2018, the Rams players to make the Pro Bowl have been: Aaron Donald (6X), Jared Goff (1X), Jalen Ramsey (1X), Cooper Kupp (1X), Todd Gurley (1X), and their rookie 2024 1st round pick Jared Verse (picked 19th overall---their first 1st round pick in 9 years, since drafting Jared Goff in 2016). [Just as a base for say stud players on the team---obviously, Ramsey was not drafted by the team.]

 

16 of the Rams 25 starters came through the draft. They did find some later-round guys (Puka and Kyren Williams in the 5th, for example). But half of those picks (8 of 16 starters) were selected in the first three rounds (7 of them coming in rounds 2 and 3). So, it's not like they are killing it late in the draft or anything. They are finding like 1 starter per year in the later rounds (4-7). They have also had their share of misses. Their first three picks in 2020 and 2021 were Cam Akers, Van Jefferson, and Tutu Atwell (albeit without a first round pick in either year).

 

So, I don't know, it's hard to tell what has actually worked for the Rams. Did the big trades do it? Renting players (like Von in the Super Bowl year)? Their volume in the draft (because their drafting hasn't been stellar overall, outside of a few big hits---but they have filled out their roster with it---64% of their starters came from the draft). Rookie first-rounder Jared Verse and 3rd rounder Cooper Kupp are their only draft picks still on the team that have made a Pro Bowl. Obviously Puka is a stud too...and Ramsey has made the Pro Bowl (but he wasn't a draft pick). But, it's not like they are overloaded with talent overall (a handful of very good players and a lot of solid players). Is it coaching? I mean, looking at their moves and drafts in a vacuum, I wouldn't have guessed that they would make two Super Bowls from it...but they did. Maybe it's just magic...or a softer conference, good coaching, and a little bit of luck along the way.

 

Anyone have any thoughts on the Rams' success?

 

 

[GunnerBill]

13 minutes ago, colin said:

 

You just like him because on paper he is as English as the day is long.

 

my computer started playing "Swing low, sweet chariot" when I clicked on his profile.

 

Gladstone was only Prime Minister four times....

[Don Otreply]

3 hours ago, Einstein said:

Thats the best picture they could find?

Bet he’s not wearing pants…,

[machine gun kelly]

I’m happy for Jax if this works.  The new HC did a heck of a job as OC for Tampa.  He was part of how Mayfield made the most of his career.  This the best Mayfield has ever performed, amd been quite impressed with him in Tampa.  Seeing as I watch about every Bucs game, I’m a decent judge of his performance.

[JGMcD2]

15 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I don't know for certain but I suspect it means developing player specifications and profiles for guys that meet their requirements for the scouting staff to then apply. 

Yeah, this is probably pretty close. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a draft model that takes the inputs of the scouts alongside objective variables that have a strong relationship to NFL success. Those things help them determine their board, etc. 

 

My guess is it’s less scouting staff applying his feedback, as it is him applying theirs. 

Edited 5 hours ago by JGMcD2

[stuvian]

Kids these days 

[BigdaddyinOrlando]

16 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

..

 

what does the "director of scouting strategy" do if  he has never scouted?  

He has the same responsibilities as the asst to the traveling secretary of the Yankees 

[stuvian]

14 hours ago, folz said:

 

Yeah, this is pretty interesting. I hadn't paid too much attention to what the Rams have done. But looking at it, it is an unusual situation.

 

In 7 of the last 8 years, the Rams did not have a first round pick in the draft. And in two of those years, they also had no second round pick. So, they were missing 9 of their top 16 picks over the last 8 years.

 

Over that span, they have made two Super Bowls, winning one. They have made the playoffs in 6 of 8 years. The two off-years both came after their Super Bowl appearances (2019, 9-7; 2022, 5-12). So, only one losing season, two years without playoffs.

 

Obviously they are doing something right over there. First off, they have a very good coach. But is their draft strategy (using first rounders for trades rather than rookies) innovative and the reason for their success, or have they been successful despite that strategy?

 

Here is where their top picks were spent:

2016 and 2017 1st rounders, two second rounders, and two third rounders to draft Jared Goff.

2018 first rounder traded for Brandin Cooks

2019 first rounder was used to trade back and acquire more picks

2020 and 2021 first rounders traded for Jalen Ramsey

2022 and 2023 first rounders, Jared Goff, plus a third given up to get Stafford in a trade.

 

So, 7 first rounders, 2 second rounders, 3 third rounders, and a 4th rounder for: Jaren Goff, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Ramsey, and Matthew Stafford. I mean, Stafford and Ramsey helped them win a Super Bowl, but that's 12 premium picks spent on 4 players (two who are no longer on the team, and one who has just been granted the ability to seek a trade). 

 

You can't knock the success they've had, but I'm not sure it's due to how they allocated their first rounders (unless you say they don't have a Super Bowl without Stafford).

 

Over the last 8 years, they have had a lot of draft picks overall (despite trading away a lot of their premium picks). The Rams have averaged 9.6 draft picks in each of the last 8 drafts. That's a lot of picks in rounds 3-7.

 

Since 2018, the Rams players to make the Pro Bowl have been: Aaron Donald (6X), Jared Goff (1X), Jalen Ramsey (1X), Cooper Kupp (1X), Todd Gurley (1X), and their rookie 2024 1st round pick Jared Verse (picked 19th overall---their first 1st round pick in 9 years, since drafting Jared Goff in 2016). [Just as a base for say stud players on the team---obviously, Ramsey was not drafted by the team.]

 

16 of the Rams 25 starters came through the draft. They did find some later-round guys (Puka and Kyren Williams in the 5th, for example). But half of those picks (8 of 16 starters) were selected in the first three rounds (7 of them coming in rounds 2 and 3). So, it's not like they are killing it late in the draft or anything. They are finding like 1 starter per year in the later rounds (4-7). They have also had their share of misses. Their first three picks in 2020 and 2021 were Cam Akers, Van Jefferson, and Tutu Atwell (albeit without a first round pick in either year).

 

So, I don't know, it's hard to tell what has actually worked for the Rams. Did the big trades do it? Renting players (like Von in the Super Bowl year)? Their volume in the draft (because their drafting hasn't been stellar overall, outside of a few big hits---but they have filled out their roster with it---64% of their starters came from the draft). Rookie first-rounder Jared Verse and 3rd rounder Cooper Kupp are their only draft picks still on the team that have made a Pro Bowl. Obviously Puka is a stud too...and Ramsey has made the Pro Bowl (but he wasn't a draft pick). But, it's not like they are overloaded with talent overall (a handful of very good players and a lot of solid players). Is it coaching? I mean, looking at their moves and drafts in a vacuum, I wouldn't have guessed that they would make two Super Bowls from it...but they did. Maybe it's just magic...or a softer conference, good coaching, and a little bit of luck along the way.

 

Anyone have any thoughts on the Rams' success?

 

 

They focused scouting on division 3 schools when they had no early picks. The talent is out there 

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, JGMcD2 said:

Yeah, this is probably pretty close. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have a draft model that takes the inputs of the scouts alongside objective variables that have a strong relationship to NFL success. Those things help them determine their board, etc. 

 

My guess is it’s less scouting staff applying his feedback, as it is him applying theirs. 

 

Probably a bit of both. Him setting some parameters before they hit the road and then him adding a layer of analytic analysis to their reports when they come back.

[The Tomcat]

Do we get a compensatory pick?  🤔