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LA Rams 2021 NFL Draft: 5 post-draft surprises

By Bret Stuter

Jun 4, 2018; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead during organized team activities at Cal Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 4, 2018; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead during organized team activities at Cal Lutheran University. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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The LA Rams were all set for a major score in the 2021 NFL Draft. This was the draft that would put the team over the top in terms of competing in Super Bowl LVI. Despite just six picks in the draft, the Rams had a lot of shopping to do. After the 2020 NFL Draft, it appeared as though the Rams would have similar success.

Now, the question is, did they?

Well, despite the consensus of the wait-and-see, the mood of the fans this year is not as glum as a year ago, and reactions were pretty bad at this same time in 2020. Then, the mood was the disappointment in grabbing running back Cam Akers and wide receiver Van Jefferson so quickly. This year, the Rams pulled similar tactics and were just as confusing and dismaying to fans who hoped for a more mainstream approach to the draft.

The draft had plenty of twists and turns, but none in the direction that the Rams fanbase expected. How so? Well, for the past two years, fans have been bombarded with online draft simulators, mock drafts, and team needs assessments that prioritize offensive line, while the personnel office has pooh-poohed all of that and gone in different directions.

Many articles about the woes of 2019 pointed to the Rams’ indifference to the plight of the offensive line as a direct cause for the team’s predicament.  While the Rams have been successful, the route to that success has been rather inefficient. Much luck a bad auto mechanic swapping parts, many are pointing to the Rams willingness to pay out huge sums to unproven players, but quickly pivot to pay huge penalties and sums to shed those same players just two years later.

light. Must Read. LA Rams NFL Draft 2021: A deep-dive dissection of all selections

The same love/hate dynamics seemed to happen in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Rams doubled down at running back, tight end, and wide receiver, all of which were sufficiently addressed in 2020, and failed to bring in help at offensive line, cornerback, and even outside linebacker, all positions that were hit hardest after the 2020 season. So what exactly were the biggest ‘WTF’s in the 2021 NFL Draft? Here are our top five.

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