Lookback at LA Rams 2019 NFL Draft results one year later

The LA Rams are setting sights on the 2020 NFL Draft. How did the team do in the 2019 NFL Draft? Let’s review that 2019 NFL Draft a year later

The 2019 NFL Draft was a test of sorts for the LA Rams.  Emerging from a Super Bowl loss, paying for expensive player contracts, and addressing roster needs for a team already performing at a high level, but trying to get over the hump.

We’ve dissected the LA Rams 2019 NFL Draft twice: once focusing upon the domino effects of trading six times; the second time focusing on a scenario where the Rams hold on their original picks.  At neither time did we do the simplest and perhaps the most direct analysis of all, examining the results of the 2019 NFL Draft a year later.

Heading into the draft, Sports Illustrated listed the team’s needs as interior offensive line, cornerback, and edge rusher.  Curiously, those same positions appear on team needs in many 2020 NFL Draft projections.

So how did the LA Rams do?  Did the team draft the best player available or a team need?  Sometimes predicting the future is simply a matter of tracking past history and following the line forward

Round 2 Pick 61

University of Washington safety Taylor Rapp is a rising star in the LA Rams secondary. In fact, he is now the projected starter alongside teammate safety John Johnson after a very impressive rookie debut. Standing 6-foot-0 and weighing in at 208 pounds, he had a surprisingly effective rookie season for the LA Rams. He was a fortunate combination of both need and best player available.

He played in 15 games, starting 10, and recorded 99 tackles, two interceptions, one touchdown (interception), one fumble recovery.  On 22 blitzes, he registered one sack, one quarterback knockdown and one pressure.

In the wake of safety Eric Weddle‘s retirement, the starting role for Rapp is virtually a lock.  For many reasons, that’s great news for the Rams.  Rapp is more than a pass defender or mop up tackler. He is a solid defensive back against the run game.  He played in 73 percent of the defensive snaps in 2019, which may climb to approximately 80 percent in 2020.

Rapp is fearless and can deliver a solid tackle. His youthful energy and drive made up for his newness in the Rams defense and unfamiliarity with his defensive teammates.  To find a young man  who is a baseline starter who promises significant upside is a huge selection at 61.

GRADE: A

Round 3 Pick 70

University of Memphis running back Darrell Henderson was a third round pick “insurance policy” for the LA Rams for the Rams offensive backfield. Standing just 5-foot-8 and weighing 208 pounds, he was touted as a “change of pace” running back with big play speed.  Henderson was a solid investment of a third round pick in a draft where the team had plenty of roster depth needs. For a team weighing the health of the feature back, selecting a running back at pick 70 felt very much like a need pick.

The objective for the Rams 2019 offense was to limit the number of carries by running back Todd Gurley.  While the team was very successful in doing so, the result was to lean far too heavily on the passing game.  In essence, the Rams opted to pass the ball rather than hand it off to either RB Darrell Henderson or his his teammate RB Malcolm Brown. That was deeply disappointing.

Henderson’s speed and flash never seemed to find its way onto the field in 2019.  He touched the ball just 39 times in 13 games, and ran for 147 yards and no touchdowns.  Not much of a debut in the NFL, was it?

But time is on Henderson’s side. With so little usage in 2019, he will be on fresh legs this season, and has a year of NFL and LA Rams playbook experience under his belt.  Beyond that, you can expect the Rams offense to align more closely to Henderson’s skill sets: sweeps, misdirection plays, and getting him one on one with linebackers in pass coverage.  His 2020 season will be a huge step towards a long NFL career.

GRADE: B-

Round 3 pick 79

University of Michigan cornerback David Long was a second third round pick and had a “best player available” feel to it.  Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 196 pounds,  Long was a defensive back many projected as a slot defender. The LA Rams already had a solid slot cornerback in Nickell Robey-Coleman, so Long added competition and depth to the defensive backfield.

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As a rookie playing behind a competent veteran, Long saw limited action in 2019.  He played in just eight games where he took just 10 percent of the defensive snaps.  He was more active on special teams, where he played in 29 percent of the available snaps.

Despite his limited role, he scored rather well by Pro Football Focus, hitting a 67.4 for a rookie defensive back. That’s a solid rating and confirms that Long is a talented player who translates well into the Rams defensive scheme.

Look for great competition from Long for more playing time this season.  His ever expanding role in 2020 contributed to the preseason ranking of the Rams defensive backfield as best in the NFL.

GRADE: B-

Round 3 pick 97

Oklahoma University offensive tackle Bobby Evans was a perfect example of why teams need to ensure a roster has adequate depth.  That depth turned into a starting role rather quickly into the 2019 season.  Evans is a 6-foot-4 312 pound offensive lineman who proved to be quite versatile for the LA Rams in a rather difficult season in terms of offensive line play.

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While Evans was not a standout, he was a rookie forced into a starting role a year sooner than expected.  That type of entrance into an NFL career typically leads to being demoted due to the inability to hold one’s own.  Fortunately for both the Rams and player, he did hold his own well enough to string together enough starts.  As the season progressed, Evans got better.

Evans took over for veteran right tackle Rob Havestein after he fell to a knee injury. Even though starting at a new position (he was solely left tackle in college),Evans actually played better than Havenstein. While he saw action in nine games, he started the last seven at right tackle.  By the end of the season, he had played in 473, or 43 percent, of the offensive snaps and allowed just one quarterback sack.

His PFF score was a modest 49.4, but that was actually slightly better than expected tue to the unique circumstances which forced Evans onto the field.   The 2019 playing experience was a huge fasttracking to his development.  Look for 2020 training camp to fill with stories about his good production.

GRADE: B-

Round 4 pick 134

University of Washington defensive tackle Greg Gaines was case of best player who also happened to fill a team need.  6-foot-1 312 pound Gaines was a four year starter with the Washington Huskies who had played a large part in solid defense during his tenure.  At 6-foot-1, Gaines is best suited for either a nose tackle or defensive tackle role. Should the team need to bolster the run defense, we expect Gaines will play a significant part in that upgrade.

Gaines was a developmental pick from the fourth round. That being said, he saw limited action on the field, playing in just 17 percent of the defensive snaps in just ten games, and just two percent of the special team snaps.  Gaines does not possess speed. But he is nearly an impenetrable object on the defensive line, able to hold his ground even when double teamed.

He was very efficient despite his limited usage. He put up 13 tackles, 0.5 sacks, two quarterback hits, four pressures, two hurries and one quarterback knockdown.  With the likely exodus of 6-foot-5 305 pound DE Michael Brockers in free agency,  the Rams could rework the defensive line by sliding 6-foot-4 310 pound Sebastian Joseph-Day to fill Brockers slot, and promote Gaines to starting nose tackle.  Gaines is up to the task, as his 2019 PFF rating of 74.4 will confirm.

GRADE: A-

Round 5 pick 169

University of Wisconsin offensive tackle David Edwards was the second of two offensive linemen selected in the 2019 NFL Draft.  A versatile player, Edwards stands 6-foot-6 while weighing in at 308 pounds. Edwards was promoted to starting right guard on the offensive line after left guard  Joseph Noteboom fell to injury.  While a tackle at college, Edwards quickly learned how to play right guard in a trial-by-fire crash course.

He saw action in all 16 games in 2019, and started 10.  His snap count of 690 was good enough for 62 percent of the offense.  He was a true baller, playing like a veteran “in the zone” despite only his first season in the NFL.  A likely best-player-available selection who became a position of great need due to injuries, Edwards was solid.

His performance did not go unheralded.  Despite arriving from round six, Edwards 2019 PFF grade came in at 61.0, a solid score for any rookie. While that may start a parade from a day one selection, Edwards was a round six day three rookie. Getting 10 starts on the offensive line from him was a huge success for the Rams.  Beyond that, the experience should place him in solid competition for 2020 starts as well.

GRADE: A

Round 7 pick 243

Penn State University safety Nick Scott was a best-player-available selection for the LA Rams in round seven.  Standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 201 pounds, Scott was clearly a best-player-available selection for the team.  Fortunately though, with the recent news of veteran safety Eric Weddle’s retirement, Scott will be promoted to more playing time in 2020.

While Scott only saw 15 defensive snaps, he was very active on special teams, where he saw 378 snaps, good for 80 percent.  Round seven selections are often chosen for their fit on special teams, and Scott was a solid agile defensive back who makes a bigger boom when tackling than expected at just 200 pounds.

Despite his limited usage, he still managed to earn a PFF grade of 66.9. For a rookie, that was a nice return from round seven.

Look for Scott to count for a larger role on the team this season. The Rams have been incredibly successful at replenishing the ranks by developing late rounds or even undrafted talent through special teams play, a backup role, and eventually a starting role on the team. Without Weddle, the team will turn to Scott to contribute on nickel and dime defensive packages.  In 2020, Scott should be ready for more responsibility on the defense.

GRADE: B-

Round 7 pick 251

Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Dakota Allen was a late round seven pick for the LA Rams, selected at pick 251.  Allen was signed to a rookie contract with the Rams for four years, but was unable to make the team’s roster.   The Rams did manage to sign him onto the team’s practice squad in September 2019.

From there, the Oakland Raiders signed him onto their 53 man roster, where he played two games on special teams.  He was cut from the Raiders on October 30, 2019.  The Rams resigned him to the practice squad once more.  On December 10, 2019, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Allen off the practice squad to their 53-man roster.

It was clear that the Rams had future plans for 6-foot-1 235 pound Allen, but simply ran out of roster spots to keep him protected from other teams.  All in all, he was a developmental player for the Rams who would be coached into a future and larger role with the team

The team is not without linebacker talent to develop.  The team signed 6-foot-2 249 pound outside linebacker Jeff Holland and 6-foot-3 245 pound outside linebacker edge specialist Jachai Polite to reserve future contracts in January 2020. The 2020 NFL Draft has a deep linebacker class as well,

Grade: Incomplete