NFC West Draft Review

[fenikz]

Bored waiting for a game to download so I figured I would do some draft grades

Seattle Seahawks
1. James Carpenter, OT, Alabama
Still don't truly understand this pick will probably start at RT but passing on Carimi is simply awful for a game who may have been available at this pick in the 2nd.
Grade: D+

3. John Mofitt, OG, Wisconsin
Moved back for an additional 4th and 6th which is solid value but once again took a player who I don't believe was the best available at his position, I personally had Clint Boling and Will Rackey higher & even later round picks like D. Kilgore, K. Williams, S. Schilling & A. Jackson.
Grade: D+

4. K.J. Wright, OLB, Miss State
This is a pick I do really like a physically talented player who is a very sound tackler. Probably is only depth/special teamer at this point but could maybe be looked at as a starter down the road.
Grade: B-

4. Kris Durham, WR, Georgia
Once again this is not player at the position I would have selected. Guys like Edmond Gates, Tandon Doss, or Niles Paul all seem like better overall WRs. But Carroll did get by last year simply using large WRs and Durham does fit that mold.
Grade: C

5. Richard Sherman, CB, Stanford
Solid value at this pick, Sherman is a great athlete and had great workouts, possibly better suited for a FS role but could also develop into a good corner.
Grade: B-

5. Mark LeGree, S, App. State
Another good athlete without a great football IQ Obviously this is what Carroll wants in his players(the athletic part not the low football IQ) should at the very least be a special teams player.
Grade: C+

6. Byron Maxwell, CB, Clemson
Not a guy who I thought would get drafted but once again a good athlete. May also have to make the switch to S due to stiff hips.
Grade: C+

7. Lazarius Levingston, DE, LSU
Once again a solid athlete but not much else, DE/DT tweener
Grade: C

7. Malcolm Smith, OLB USC
Honestly I have no clue who he is, Carroll does though and he is one of the few USC guys that he has brought in
Grade: ?

Overall: C-

games done, I'll try to finish the others tomorrow, feel free to do your own grades too

[NGSeiler]

To be honest, I think it's a little premature to assign a grade to these guys before they've even stepped onto the field, so I'm just going to provide a review that outlines my thoughts on each pick for the Rams...


R1: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
-Quinn was considered by many to be a Top 10 talent in the league, and without a top tier WR falling to the Rams, it was almost guaranteed they were going to go DL. What few predicted was that such a talent would be there for them to take. Quinn hopefully gives the Rams a future right defensive end to start opposite of LDE Chris Long, forming what should be a very dangerous tandem.

R2: Lance Kendricks, TE, Wisconsin
-Kendricks gives this team a legitimate starting tight end, something they didn't enter this draft with. Daniel Fells is mediocre, Billy Bajema is a specialist, Fendi Onobun is a project, and Michael Hoomanawanui hasn't been able to stay healthy. Kendricks gives the Rams a versatile option at tight end and should make a quick impact in this offense.

R3: Austin Pettis, WR, Boise State
-Finding tall receivers who can reliably catch the football was a priority for the Rams in this draft, and they've added one in Pettis. He'll give the Rams another dimension in the red zone as well, where the Rams ranked as one of the worst in terms of converting red zone trips into points.

R4: Greg Salas, WR, Hawaii
-The Rams likely weren't planning on going WR back to back in the mid-rounds, but they loved Salas' value with pick 112 here. He should continue to upgrade a Rams receiving unit that was among the worst in the league in dropping passes, alloing for the offense to keep more drives alive and hopefully put more points on the board.

R5: Jermale Hines, DB, Ohio State
-When I look at what Hines does well, I think he fits a very specific role on Steve Spagnuolo's defense - a nickel DB who can line up as a linebacker and blitz from near the line of scrimmage. It was a role that Darian Stewart filled at times last year, but with Stewart primed for a bigger role this season, Hines could step in and help supply some pressure.

R7: Mikail Baker, CB, Baylor
-The Rams took a flier on a prospect with a lot of physical ability but some injury concerns. Baker provides some depth at cornerback, but more importantly, gives the Rams another option on special teams. If he can find a way to stick as a teams player, then it'll be a solid use of a seventh round pick.

R7: Jabara Williams, LB, Stephen F. Austin
-A candidate for the weak side in Spagnuolo's 4-3 defensive scheme, Williams should be right in the mix to earn playing time given the Rams' lack of great personnel at the position. Ideally, Williams will work on adding some bulk as a pro, but if former late round pick David Vobora can find a role on this team, who's to say Williams can't?

R7: Jonathan Nelson, FS, Oklahoma
-Sam Bradford was probably happy to see the Rams add another Sooner to the roster. But with the departure of O.J. Atogwe in free agency, St. Louis needs to add some more personnel to the safety position. They added a 'tweener safety in Hines earlier, but now add some potential depth to the backfield in Nelson.


Summary: The Rams did not address some of their more immediate needs, but will look towards free agency to do that. It sounds as if they stuck pretty close to their board, even though their board may have differed from fan rankings on the internet. However, they've added some more reliable weapons to the passing game, which will provide an upgrade over more unreliable players like Brandon Gibson, Daniel Fells, and Laurent Robinson. Defensively, they've added a number of prospects that fit what Steve Spagnuolo is looking for, starting with a very capable pass rusher in the first round.