The LA Rams drafted like the NFL’s version of Moneyball

Rochell, Rochell?

The LA Rams lost veteran cornerback Troy Hill to the NFL Free Agency market and then were persuaded to cut developmental former Georgia Bulldog cornerback Tyrique McGhee after two strikes on the NFL’s prohibited substances.  So when the Rams chose 6-foot-0 193-pound Central Arkansas cornerback Robert Rochell, the team addressed a true roster weakness. In the process, they got a Senior Bowl Standout as well.

With an inability to compare the production of NCAA players with dissimilar games and seasons, the LA Rams pivoted to another common element, Relative Athletic Score. Once more, the LA Rams chose a player whose sheer athleticism tracks off the charts. In the 2021 Draft, that did not necessarily track with the football production method applied by analysts, scouts, and pundits. But to be truthful, their methods did have a marked bias to players who performed in 2020. Rochelle was one of the players who did not.

And still, he heard his name called by the Rams.  In 35 games, he racked up 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, he picked off 10 interceptions, defended 35 passes, forced two fumbles, and recovered two fumbles. His draft grade was 6.25 per NFL.com and they expected him to be a Day Two selection. He’s good enough to crack the Rams starting roster from day one this year.