Rams General Manager Les Snead and Head Coach Sean McVay – Post-Draft Day One – April 27, 2017
(On the mood in the draft room with no first round selection)
Snead:
“I think early in the round, I was like a fan, didn’t really know who was going to go where. It’s fun watching how the quarterback run goes. But I think, towards the end there – heck, when it gets around pick 25, 26, 27, you realize, ‘Okay, we’re getting closer.’ And at that point, I know you all will ask, ‘What’s the next step?’ And I think the next step is we’re five picks away, so we have got to have five players that we would take and then, from there, you decide whether you go up and get one of the five, or you take one, or you move back from there and grab another pick. So, I think that’s going to be the strategy from his point forward.”
(On Head Coach Sean McVay’s first time in the draft room as a head coach)
McVay:
“It was pretty similar to what I had experienced in Washington, just being in there watching the picks go off the board. The unique thing about it is, just kind of knowing what’s going to be our gameplan, like Les had mentioned starting out tomorrow where you kind of categorize our top five players and then I think it’ll, kind of, naturally sort itself out. The thing that you do feel good about, when you look at the depth of this draft, there’s a lot of good players at different positions that we feel really good about and that kind of gives us some flexibility, in terms of what we’ll want to do at 37 that’s going to help us get better as a football team.”
(On if there was anything that grabbed his attention during the first round)
Snead:
“Again, I hadn’t analyzed it, but I think we did mention that, at one time, no corner went in the top-10. It seems like there’s corners that go in the top-10. I think we mentioned, at one point there was only one OL (offensive linemen) that was taken, but the Saints ruined the streak at the end. But, I think those were some trends that we noticed.”
McVay:
“Yeah, that seemed to be, kind of, the theme that was a little bit different than in years past. When you see only two offensive linemen – especially when there’s a handful of guys in the premium at that position and guys that can protect the quarterback – that was surprising in addition to those corners. Different than in years past, especially of late.”
Snead:
“And I do think a continued trend is there’s a lot of activity nowadays. Whether teams coming up to get QBs, teams moving back, it just seems like, over the last few years, the first round has been a lot more active – and that continued.”
(On if the strategy is to still take the best available player)
Snead:
“Yeah, I think that’s what we’ll do tonight. The way we would do it is – and when we say five players, heck, ‘scenario A’ would be – let’s just call it ‘scenario one,’ that’ll be our favorite player. If he’s there, you take him. And then, it goes down from there. Let’s just say that player gets taken at (No.) 33, then we got to move to ‘scenario two, three, four, and five.’ I do think trading up and trading back also becomes a scenario. That’s what tonight and tomorrow morning, and pretty much all day we’ll try to figure out that.”
(On if the player that fits either of those scenarios is still available on the board)
Snead:
“Oh, to be honest, yes. He’s still there. That’s part of trying to handicap who will be gone in the first (round). We weren’t playing fantasy football and had a certain player up there that wasn’t going to be there.”
(On if they ever thought about trading up into the first round)
Snead:
“Truthfully, no. We knew this was the year probably not to give up picks to go get a player late. We had done a lot of work on who we felt would fall to (second round), and we were very comfortable with those players. So, we felt that it might be the best strategy to stay put this year.”
(On if their desired player is still available on the board)
Snead:
“Still there.”
McVay:
“Players. He’s got a lot of guys (laughs). Les leans over at (No.) 30 with his tape, and you feel really good about a bunch of different guys. That’s the thing that’s unique about this experience is kind of having all of those contingency plans in place, which they’ve done a great job with. You’re sitting there at (No.) 30, before that pick is even made. He’s got his top-eight listed in order of priority. So, you can appreciate the plans, and we’re all on the same page. We know, no matter what happens, how those next picks lay out. Once we get to (No.) 37, we’re going to get a great football player that we feel good about.”
(On the mood in the draft room with no first round selection)
Snead:
“I think early in the round, I was like a fan, didn’t really know who was going to go where. It’s fun watching how the quarterback run goes. But I think, towards the end there – heck, when it gets around pick 25, 26, 27, you realize, ‘Okay, we’re getting closer.’ And at that point, I know you all will ask, ‘What’s the next step?’ And I think the next step is we’re five picks away, so we have got to have five players that we would take and then, from there, you decide whether you go up and get one of the five, or you take one, or you move back from there and grab another pick. So, I think that’s going to be the strategy from his point forward.”
(On Head Coach Sean McVay’s first time in the draft room as a head coach)
McVay:
“It was pretty similar to what I had experienced in Washington, just being in there watching the picks go off the board. The unique thing about it is, just kind of knowing what’s going to be our gameplan, like Les had mentioned starting out tomorrow where you kind of categorize our top five players and then I think it’ll, kind of, naturally sort itself out. The thing that you do feel good about, when you look at the depth of this draft, there’s a lot of good players at different positions that we feel really good about and that kind of gives us some flexibility, in terms of what we’ll want to do at 37 that’s going to help us get better as a football team.”
(On if there was anything that grabbed his attention during the first round)
Snead:
“Again, I hadn’t analyzed it, but I think we did mention that, at one time, no corner went in the top-10. It seems like there’s corners that go in the top-10. I think we mentioned, at one point there was only one OL (offensive linemen) that was taken, but the Saints ruined the streak at the end. But, I think those were some trends that we noticed.”
McVay:
“Yeah, that seemed to be, kind of, the theme that was a little bit different than in years past. When you see only two offensive linemen – especially when there’s a handful of guys in the premium at that position and guys that can protect the quarterback – that was surprising in addition to those corners. Different than in years past, especially of late.”
Snead:
“And I do think a continued trend is there’s a lot of activity nowadays. Whether teams coming up to get QBs, teams moving back, it just seems like, over the last few years, the first round has been a lot more active – and that continued.”
(On if the strategy is to still take the best available player)
Snead:
“Yeah, I think that’s what we’ll do tonight. The way we would do it is – and when we say five players, heck, ‘scenario A’ would be – let’s just call it ‘scenario one,’ that’ll be our favorite player. If he’s there, you take him. And then, it goes down from there. Let’s just say that player gets taken at (No.) 33, then we got to move to ‘scenario two, three, four, and five.’ I do think trading up and trading back also becomes a scenario. That’s what tonight and tomorrow morning, and pretty much all day we’ll try to figure out that.”
(On if the player that fits either of those scenarios is still available on the board)
Snead:
“Oh, to be honest, yes. He’s still there. That’s part of trying to handicap who will be gone in the first (round). We weren’t playing fantasy football and had a certain player up there that wasn’t going to be there.”
(On if they ever thought about trading up into the first round)
Snead:
“Truthfully, no. We knew this was the year probably not to give up picks to go get a player late. We had done a lot of work on who we felt would fall to (second round), and we were very comfortable with those players. So, we felt that it might be the best strategy to stay put this year.”
(On if their desired player is still available on the board)
Snead:
“Still there.”
McVay:
“Players. He’s got a lot of guys (laughs). Les leans over at (No.) 30 with his tape, and you feel really good about a bunch of different guys. That’s the thing that’s unique about this experience is kind of having all of those contingency plans in place, which they’ve done a great job with. You’re sitting there at (No.) 30, before that pick is even made. He’s got his top-eight listed in order of priority. So, you can appreciate the plans, and we’re all on the same page. We know, no matter what happens, how those next picks lay out. Once we get to (No.) 37, we’re going to get a great football player that we feel good about.”
The Los Angeles Rams will start day two of the 2017 NFL Draft with the fifth pick (No. 37th overall) in the second round.
Mel Kiper's Best Available Day 2 Prospects
ESPN.com
Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky
Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina
Kevin King, CB, Washington
Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State
Budda Baker, S, Washington
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Chris Wormley, DT, Michigan
Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
Josh Jones, S, NC State
Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt
Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston
Marcus Maye, S, Florida
Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State
—————
Mel Kiper's Best Available Day 2 Prospects
ESPN.com
Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky
Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina
Kevin King, CB, Washington
Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State
Budda Baker, S, Washington
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Chris Wormley, DT, Michigan
Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
Josh Jones, S, NC State
Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt
Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston
Marcus Maye, S, Florida
Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State
—————
Todd McShay's Best Available Day 2 Prospects
ESPN.com
Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
Kevin King, CB, Washington
Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston
Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina
Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
Marcus Maye, S, Florida
Budda Baker, S, Washington
Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State
Josh Jones, S, NC State
Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State
—————
ESPN.com
Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
Kevin King, CB, Washington
Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
Tyus Bowser, OLB, Houston
Zay Jones, WR, East Carolina
Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
Marcus Maye, S, Florida
Budda Baker, S, Washington
Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State
Josh Jones, S, NC State
Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State
—————
2017 NFL Draft: Best remaining prospects
NFL.com
Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
Kevin King, CB, Washington
Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado
DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State
Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
Marcus Williams, S, Utah
Josh Jones, S, NC State
Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State
Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky
Marcus Maye, S, Florida
Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt
NFL.com
Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
Kevin King, CB, Washington
Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado
DeShone Kizer, QB, Notre Dame
Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State
Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
Marcus Williams, S, Utah
Josh Jones, S, NC State
Jordan Willis, DE, Kansas State
Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky
Marcus Maye, S, Florida
Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
Zach Cunningham, ILB, Vanderbilt
A satirical look at more than 75 years of Football's Rams history, combined with discussions of American Exceptionalism and almost 50 years of personal experience in the life of a Rams Fan. The history parallels and intertwines life to form a humorous, yet serious look at American History, World History, an American Football team, and Political Science.
