LA Rams top 12 prospects face new Group 1 NFL Scouting Combine drills

As the LA Rams scouts observe and record, the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine Group one top 12 prospects face new drills for 2020

Welcome LA Rams fans. You’ve almost made it to the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride. The fact that you are reading this means that you are an NFL fan and are just about to witness the annual inundation of optimism for each and every team, courtesy of the hopes of over 255 young men to play the game of professional football. The reason we are writing this is to prepare you for that annual journey.

For the next two weeks, you will hear about the size, weight, speed, football intelligence, strength, and football skill tests of over 300 college football players.  337 to be exact. Each year, a small army of college players converges upon the city of Indianapolis, Indiana to volunteer to participate as one of four groups, each cycling through in four days, comprised of similar football positions, to audition their athleticism before NFL executives, coaches, and scouts.

The entire event builds the common database which NFL teams then sort through, adding additional names from players who participate in similar events at their university Pro Day, and prioritizes on their “Big Board”, which is their master list of players ranked in terms of talent, each given a draft round grade.

To the casual observer or fan, the NFL Draft is a rather pedestrian process. But to the NFL teams behind the scenes, the moments leading up to the pick is a flurry of activity confirming players, placing calls to other teams to discuss possible trades, and fielding calls from other players to consider trading out. The headlines for most of the discussion leading up to this year’s combine has focused primarily upon Group one, the group made up of Tight Ends, Quarterbacks, and Wide Receivers.

GROUP ONE – Tight Ends, Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers

Group one is scheduled to Arrive (Day 1) Sunday, February 23rd. While the LA Rams are somewhat set at these positions, a team should never “rule out” the likelihood of any prospect, as random chance could make a first-round talent fall to the Rams at 52. Therefore, we’ll highlight some tight ends, quarterbacks, and wide receiver who may fall to the Rams in the second round.

We’ll also highlight some changes in the test cycle for this year impacting Group one.  NFL.com’s Nick Shook highlighted a total of 16 new drills attendees will undergo this year. Of course, the tests are divided among the position specialization, so positions will be tested in one or up to four new drills. Some previous drills have been eliminated, such as the toe tap drill.

Group one tight ends will run an end-zone fade route. Quarterbacks will throw end-zone fade routes, as well as a smoke or now-route. A smoke/now-route is a quick pass to either side of the line to complete a quick pass against very soft coverage. Wide Receivers will no longer be subject to toe-tap drills. Instead, and they too will run an end-zone fade route.

This group will include the following players of interest to the LA Rams. Let’s start with tight ends:

3 Tight ends

The LA Rams are set for tight ends as the roster now stands heading into the 2020 NFL season. But fans know how quickly surplus becomes a shortage from the repeated injuries to the offensive linemen in 2019.  Right now the team boasts TE Tyler Higbee, Gerald Everett, and blocking tight end Johnny Mundt.  But should a niche or talented player fall to the Rams, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn they will make the selection to add depth to the position. For a complete list of tight ends, please check this link over to the NFL.com Scouting Combine invitation list.

Hunter Bryant, TE, Washington is a tight end who could fall to the LA Rams at their pick at 84, where he would be a good value. Bryant has the right size to make the conversion to a full-back role a possibility for the young man on the Rams roster.

Cole Kmet, TE, Notre Dame is a tight end we had mocked to the Rams at pick 52. He has been graded a first-round pick and would give the Rams options to trade tight end Gerald Everett if the team feels Kmet provides a higher ceiling.

Stephen Sullivan, TE, LSU is a tight end prospect who could be incredibly intriguing for the LA Rams should he fall in the 2020 NFL Draft. He stands 6-foot-5 and weighs in at just 245 pounds.  While he will test with the tight ends, he has above-average blocking skills, leading some to project him to a blocking tight end, or even offensive tackle, role in the pros.

4 Quarterbacks

Keep in mind that with the expired contract to veteran quarterback Blake Bortles, the Rams truly have a roster need for a veteran quarterback. If none are signed, the team will seek depth to develop the backup via the draft. For a complete list of quarterbacks, please check this link over to the NFL.com Scouting Combine invitation list.

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Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma offers a unique opportunity for the right innovative offense.  Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing in at 218 pounds, Hurts has all the momentum to catch the NFL scouts as the next Lamar Jackson or Kyler Murray. The only hitch? He can’t read defenses. He can run, and he can pass, however. So it falls upon an NFL team to integrate his talents into their offense. LA Rams’ anyone?

Nathan Stanley, QB, Iowa is a 6-foot-4 243-pound four-year starter for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He’s had enough production to wear the mantle of NFL quarterback, and his size will keep the attention of most NFL Scouts. But he is fairly raw, never breaking the 60 percent completion rate in four NCAA seasons. If he falls to NFL Draft day 3 for draft round six or seven, look for the Rams to call his name.

Steven Montez, QB, Colorado is another college quarterback who arrives at the NFL with the raw skills but in need of the coaching to develop his utmost potential. He is big, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 240.  He also produced solid accuracy in the PAC-12. If he falls to day three of the 2020 NFL Draft, he’s a steal.

James Morgan, QB, Florida International is one of the smaller school prospects who truly enhanced his draft stock with a strong showing at the East-West Shrine Game as well as the Senior Bowl. Another big quarterback at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, he could be a surprise selection chosen far higher than his projection at rounds three through five.  If he does fall to late in the draft, the Rams would get a starting-caliber quarterback for next to nothing.

Of course, the key to the LA Rams selecting a quarterback in the draft is a prospect falling far from their projection. With as many as eight quarterbacks going early, the market for quarterbacks could exhaust quickly. If that happens, talented quarterbacks will tumble right into the LA Rams’ lap on day three.

5 Wide Receivers

The LA Rams are set at wide receiver for now. But with as many as 30 wide receivers getting NFL starter scores in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Rams would be unwise to pass on the surplus of incredible talent. While many believe the LA Rams boast a surplus of NFL wide receivers, that status is very much in flux this off-season.  The team is heavily invested in a very underperforming WR Brandin Cooks, has just one year remaining for top WR Cooper Kupp, and the uncertain futures of WR JoJo Natson and Josh Reynolds.  So investing in a wide receiver from an incredibly deep wide receiver class makes sense. For a complete list of wide receivers, please check this link over to the NFL.com Scouting Combine invitation list.

Los Angeles Rams

Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU is a true speedster who could easily make LA Rams forget Bradin Cooks. Although his seed alone will like attract interest from NFL teams in round 1, this draft is simply loaded with talent at the receiver position.  He is an immediate starter for special teams and could be a solid receiver with the right coaching. He will likely not be there at pick 52, but if he is, watch for the Rams to surprise everyone and call his name. Look for his 40-yard dash time to impress.

Aaron Parker, WR, Rhode Island is a 6-foot-3 191-pound wide receiver from an underscouted small school of the University of Rhode Island. He hauled in 81 passes for 1,224 yards and nine touchdowns in 2019. He is the type of player who could slip through the cracks with so many talented prospects from larger football programs. Projected to draft rounds five through seven, he would be a day two prospect from a larger football school.  If he is there in round seven, the Rams will likely call his name.

KJ Hamler, WR, Penn State is another speedster-on-the-outside big playmaker. Standing just 5-foot-9 and weighing 176 pounds, he is the flash of speed which will force defenses to play their safeties deep. He too immediately would start as a kick or punt returner, adding that “oomph” new ST coordinator John Bonamego is looking for. He is another receiver whose future could hinge on his 40-yard dash time.

Aaron Fuller, WR, Washington is a 5-foot-11 188-pound wide receiver who projects no higher than round six. While he may not be the receiver so many scouts are talking about, his production on the Huskies offense showed continuous improvement for four seasons.  Now, emerging as a senior, he wants to compete at the next level.  His size will project him as a slot receiver, but he offers a starting returner to special teams.  if he posts a 4.45 on his 40-yard dash, his stock will rise.

Dezmon Patmon, WR, Washington State is a 6-foot-4 220-pound product, the last season, of head coach Mike Leach’s pro-style offense at Washington State. He has the hands and the size to make a strong case for a receiver at the NFL level. But many scouts have him flagged for insufficient speed for the NFL, which will limit his ability to generate separation. He is another receiver to watch is 40-yard dash time.  He needs to record a 4.50 or better to truly generate a buzz and his stock to rise.