The LA Rams 2021 NFL Draft rewind: Didn’t deliver just yet

Round 3, pick 103

The LA Rams certainly had plenty of holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball after the 2021 NFL Free Agency market quickly claimed any and all Rams defensive players whose contracts had expired.  The inside linebacker position, although returning a number of veterans, seemed particularly susceptible to depletions, because almost all veterans were coming back to the fold in the last year of their contract.

The Rams needed to address the evolving situation with a clear investment.  The defense had cobbled together inside linebacker play that was good enough, but not great. The hope was that the front office and coaching staff would view this draft as an opportunity to anchor the position for years to come.

Our original assessment

"Ernest Jones (5.99 grade per NFL.com) may not have been the top player on the board, nor even the top linebacker at the time he was chosen, but he was likely one of the top linebackers on the Rams board. He’s young, just a mere 20 years old, can’t even grab a beer at the bar yet. Moldable clay with all the raw talent you could possibly ask for. He may not be as rangy as say, former Rams ILB Corey Littleton, but he plays with great instincts and tracks the ball exceedingly well. With all the mobile pre-snap motion and trickery to be found amongst NFC West teams, such as the Rams will encounter twice a year from that team by the bay that beat them twice last year -San Francisco Niners’ head coach Kyle Shanahan’s passing offense – the Rams needed a defender with that particular skill set. This team was screaming for some new, young and hungry blood at inside linebacker. Jones plays intelligently. High football IQ. He’s able to sniff out developing plays before they, well, develop. Teammates love him. Looks like he’s having a lot of fun out there on the field. He’s a leader on the field. It’s easy to imagine him stepping right in for either Micah Kiser or Troy Reeder, if not immediately then in the not-so-distant future. The Rams snagged themselves a bonafide stud, and actually addressed a critical need of this team. Draft Grade: A-"

Our revised assessment

While many fans recognized the need to invest in the inside linebacker position, few anticipated that fill coming in the form of the South Carolina Gamecock, Ernest Jones. The Rams ignored the fact that both Jabril Cox and Baron Browning were on the board, and went after the less highly regarded Jones. Looking back at the time, Cox has simply not delivered to his draft profile potential, while Baron Browning’s instincts for the position were unanimously called into question.
No such questions formed around Jones’ instincts.

Ultimately, Ernest Jones has proven so far to be better than either player. In just seven starts and a lot of rotational work before that, he has recorded 61 tackles, two interceptions for 50 yards worth of returns, four deflected passes, and even one quarterback sack. While he has allowed 32 of 43 passes targeting his receiver to find their mark, his 7.1 yards per completion is a solid stat.

Jones owns the middle of the football field and has ever since he started his first game in Week 8 against the Houston Texans. His debut was a solid nine tackles, two QB hits, and an interception with a 19-yard return.

By drafting Jones, the Rams transformed the position which made fans squirm a bit in their chairs into the position it is truly meant to be. Fans sit on the edge of their seats with Ernest Jones on the football field.  And it may have been that infusion of excitement into the position that had languished for so long in the Rams’ defensive scheme that has brought renewed interest into filling the role with elite talent.

Though a rookie, and sometimes injured, Ernest Jones delivered across the board.

Draft Grade: A+