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

Throughout the 2021 NFL season, there was a growing concern over the LA Rams ‘vision’ for the team and the fact that they drafted for that vision in the 2021 NFL Draft. The problem is, that the team was in the throes of losing some key NFL talent, and needed to hit on some of those players drafted. If that failed to gain any traction then the plan out for the 2021 Draft class was to add the type of athleticism and unique skillsets to simply reload the depth chart with future NFL players.

The Rams certainly accomplished that in 2020, when the team seemed to have added players who could contribute both on offense and defense somewhat immediately. But the Rams skidded off that track in 2021 so far.

Thankfully, we did a deep dive dissection of the LA Rams 2021 Draft class, but now is a golden opportunity to revisit that draft class, and see how effective the team was in meeting present and future needs.

Let’s recap the draft picks eventually exercised by the LA Rams team.

1. Round 2, pick 57     –    WR Tutu Atwell (IR)
2. Round 3, pick 103   –    ILB Ernest Jones (midseason starter)
3. Round 4, pick 117   –    DT Bobby Brown III (low usage)
4. Round 4, pick 130  –     DB Robert Rochell (Starter/IR)
5. Round 4, pick 141   –    TE/WR Jacob Harris (IR)
6. Round 5, pick 174   –    DE Earnest Brown IV (Practice squad)
7. Round 7, pick 233   –    RB Jake Funk (returning from IR)
8. Round 7, pick 249   –    WR Ben Skowronek (Rotational contributor)
9. Round 7, pick 252   –    OLB Chris Garrett (Bench reserve)

It was a fairly diverse group, but keep in mind that the LA Rams had some players coming back from their 2020 roster, whether active 53-man or off the practice squad, presuming to compete for a larger role in 2021. Players like WR Trishton Jackson, DT Michael Hoecht, LB Christian Rozeboom, and more.

Overlaying who was returning with the players who the team drafted, fans and draftniks had a legitimate reason for confusion and concerns. It didn’t make sense. It was as though the Rams did not draft to any given strategy other than letting their eye be caught by some ‘shiny bauble’ and insisting upon having a player like that.

Some progress, some more patience

Given this list a quick overview, I can see that defensive players did, in fact, end up contributing for the most part after all. While somewhat limited at times, defensive rookies like Ernest Jones, Robert Rochell, Chris Garrett, and Bobby Brown had all seen some playing time in their rookie seasons, albeit on various levels.

Only Earnest Brown IV had been relegated to the team’s practice squad, as much as the competition for a roster spot than any of his own shortcomings. Coach Eric Henderson wants his players who make the football field to be ultimately prepared for what they’ll face. I think Earnest Brown makes significant progress this year. Blind faith in the second-year defensive end? More like a proven track record of one of the best positional coaches in the NFL.

But it’s that offensive side of the football that seems to be a bit more challenging. The Rams seemed to load up on offensive weapons that were limited to special teams’ play. That is not to say that offensive rookies did not end up playing a smattering of 10-20 offensive plays, but there did not seem to be much traction on any of the four players chosen.

Did the problem begin in 2020 with the addition of rookie tight end Brycen Hopkins? After all, he is a player who has been on the team’s roster for two years but failed to contribute on offense until Super Bowl LVI.  His four catches of four passes thrown his way gained 47 yards and helped the Rams move the chains under incredible pressure. Is Hopkins ready for NFL play now? Or was that a one-off game, and he will fall to anonymity again?

So there are plenty of opportunities awaiting each of these players in 2022?

Now, let’s place the 2021 NFL Draft class under the microscope. All of the original draft assessments can be found in LA Rams NFL Draft 2021: A deep-dive dissection of all selections by Jay Blucher. The revised projections are based on what we know today.

Round 2, pick 57

When the LA Rams waited until the 57th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, the anticipation had built among the fanbase to the point of a near frenzy. This was the team’s first pick of the 2021 Draft class, and as such has as much significance to the team in terms of the prospect selected as it did in terms of symbolic team direction. Would this player help on offense or defense? Would this player add a new dimension to the playbook? Or would the player simply reinforce what the team already did? Depth or starter?

It’s pretty obvious that a good guess for the LA Rams is that they go for an offensive skill player early and often. But this year was hoped to be, expected to be, different. The LA Rams were so loaded from the 2020 Draft class that the team had red-shirted Trishton Jackson and carried J.J. Koskie on the practice squad. With a team drafting to fill projected roster vacancies, the expectation at this pick was to go either offensive lineman or linebacker.

Our original assessment

This is how we looked at the Rams’ first selection:

"We’ve also heard Atwell could be used on punt and kickoff returns but he didn’t do very much of that at Louisville, so there would be a learning curve to become proficient at that skill for the NFL. Of course, he’s McVay’s Lamborghini. His G-6 Learjet. Envisioned to take the top off the opposing defense, create space for the other receivers and force the defense to defend every inch of the field. Too bad he’s just 5-foot-9 because that doesn’t equate to very much vertical stretch. He’s got the horizontal axis covered, though. For as the experts so often say, you can’t coach speed. And Atwell’s a legitimate blazer. The NFL field is 100 yards long and 53.333 yards wide. Speed and height are the only two ways to expand it. Surely, as the Rams watched two other speedy WRs in Elijah Moore and D’Wayne Eskridge come off the board earlier, then Atwell became more attractive to them… Draft Grade: B-"

Of course, now we have the benefit of the LA Rams’ first season with the player.

Our revised assessment

The selection of a small but speedy wide receiver whose projected value was Day 3 was a puzzler, that’s for sure. Who makes these decisions? Is it a personnel department random selection of their “best player on the board”? Or is this more likely a case of the coaching staff, courtesy of the head coach, giving the command of “I want this guy” in a manner that resembles that of a child at the candy stand of a checkout counter?

It was asserted in the original assessment that the LA Rams had 5-foot-9 185-pound wide receiver Elijah Moore targeted. He was drafted earlier in Round 2 by the New York Jets and has put up 43 catches from 77 targets for 538 yards and five touchdowns, good enough for a respectable rookie score of 70.8 from Pro Football Focus.com.  Or it may have been about losing D’Wayne Eskridge to the Seattle Seahawks at 56, a selection that has not delivered very well. He’s put up just 10 of 20 catches for 64 yards and one touchdown.

This was not about the best player available. It was not even about the best player on the LA Rams Draft Board. This was a player selected for a role that was predetermined, a role at special teams that Atwell was unsuitable to fill, and fixating upon filling that role at the expense of improving the overall team. Perhaps the sense at the time was that newly arrived veteran quarterback. Matthew Stafford, needed fast receivers to stretch the field. After swinging and missing with veteran DeSean Jackson and rookie Tutu Atwell, that theory can be put to rest.

This is not to say that the Rams must “hit” on each pick. But the swing and a whiff at their first and most important pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, at least in terms of the 2021 NFL Season impact, was a setback. The Rams chose a prospect who was earmarked for special teams with no special teams background. Meanwhile, an offensive center prospect named Creed Humphrey was still there on the board, a position the LA Rams desperately needed to fill. Just ask any LA Rams fan. Seriously? It still disappoints to think about it.

Draft Grade: D+

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+

Round 4, pick 117

The LA Rams remained on the defensive side of the ball with their next pick, and that made plenty of sense. The Rams’ defensive line had lost some veteran talent, and the team had not invested much in the group by way of the NFL Draft.  That all changed with the 2021 NFL Draft, as the front office would add not just one, but two defensive linemen, to the roster.

It was a needed investment. The Rams had lost DE Morgan Fox via free agency and traded away Michael Brockers for salary cap circumstances. Coach Henderson can coach up players, but even Jesus needed jugs of water to transform into wine. Henny needs talented prospects to develop into NFL players.

Our original assessment

"Armed with a hungry heart to smash, shed and tackle, Brown is a very accomplished and dangerous interior defensive lineman. In fact, Brown (6.21 grade per NFL.com) managed 5.5 quarterback sacks in just nine games in 2020. When you play in the South Eastern Conference (SEC), you’re doing more than just playing against the top collegiate competition. You’re playing with the Big Dawgs, the minor leagues of the NFL. Brown was named first-team All-SEC. And when Brown balled out in the SEC, he got himself drafted. The Rams just snagged one of the top four-rated defensive tackles in the entire draft. He’s the envisioned replacement (upgrade?) for the now-departed Michael Brockers. And this one has the stamp of approval from new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who seems to have a particular penchant for the combination of beefiness and length. And for reasons that have everything to do with leverage, Brown has 34 3/4 inch pythons. Draft Grade: A"

Our revised assessment

While there was a lot of thunder from the arrival of defensive lineman, Bobby Brown III, the rain never seemed to fall. Of course, a rookie’s chances of earning significant playing time for a Super Bowl Champion roster are simply not very favorable, and the Rams’ surge in performance from both A’Shawn Robinson and Greg Gaines made the chance even more remote.

Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing an estimated 325 pounds (the LA Rams website transposed the 3 and the 2 for 235 pounds?), Brown did see limited action on the football field, both in special teams play on coverage units, and in a smattering of defensive snaps.

A fourth-round line of scrimmage player should make significant strides in his off-season, particularly when playing for the LA Rams. I believe that he will stick to that development track, and become far more integrated into the rotation for the 2022 rotation.

Originally, we believed Brown would find a way onto the football field. Unfortunately, his role never seemed to grow past special teams contributor in 2021. So his development will take a bit more time. We still hold out hope for a solid starter.

Draft Grade: B-

Round 4, pick 130

The LA Rams entered the 2021 NFL Draft having lost two starting defensive backs in Troy Hill and John Johnson III, both of whom had signed on with the Cleveland Browns. To address the roster depth needs, the front office embraced a quality over quantity strategy. To be honest, this young man did deliver to expectations.

Did he grow? His draft profile had him at just 6-foot-0 and 193-pounds, but the LA Rams’ official roster lists him at 6-foot-2 and 195-pounds. We’ll go with the revised bio. As a rookie, he had five starts and was active in the secondary rotation. At least until he fell to injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Our original assessment

"…the 6-foot-0 193-pound cornerback from the University of Central Arkansas Bears, Robert Rochell. If ever there was a young man out of college who appeared to be destined to line up with Jalen Ramsey, Robert Rochell (6.25 grade per NFL.com) is the guy. First-team all-conference and a Senior Bowl standout that made all the coaches’ eyeballs in attendance that day in Mobile, Alabama pop. So much upside here. So polished. So smooth. He glides. Rochell also addresses a critical need of the Rams. Athletic, long, excellent closing speed, scheme versatility – checks all the boxes for what you look for in a stud cornerback. He could see the field immediately as the Rams’ nickel back and to counter all the five-wide sets the team will undoubtedly encounter from NFC West opponents. He could be groomed along slowly, but his undeniable skills and talent will probably force the issue and put him on the field quickly. Oh, what a secondary tandem to deploy in Ramsey & Rochell. (Has nice alliteration, too.) Love, love, love this pick! Draft Grade: A++"

Our revised assessment

If not for injuries, we may have a better-revised assessment here. He played as well as anyone not named Jalen Ramsey in the Rams secondary, and he was definitely a bit more physical than I thought he would be. In 234 defensive snaps, he recorded 14 tackles, four deflected passes, and one interception.

He was young and is still on his learning curve, but I believe that he showed enough in his rookie season to project him as the CB2 across from Ramsey in Darious Williams’ absence. Rochell has incredible speed, height, and leaping ability, and now, he is piling up NFL experience to boot.

The need is certainly there for Rochell to step up. If he is able to do so, that would allow the Rams to feature David Long Jr. as the CB3, a role that he is better equipped to handle. It will also allow the Rams to draft more talented, but perhaps more raw, prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft.

I expect Rochell to come through this year. Perhaps not to emerge as a star defensive back, but at least as a solid performer.

Draft Grade: A-

Round 4, pick 141

The LA Rams never seem to be in short supply for wide receivers to begin an NFL season. But in the same breath, they never seem to be able to turn up a chance to add another to the roster. The only challenge to that strategy is durability. In short, the Rams did not seem to land durable players in the 2021 Draft class.

That’s quite a shame because the scenario for heroics out of rookie TE/WR Jacob Harris could not have been set up any better. The Rams’ receiver depth became more and more depleted the further the team advanced in the playoffs. Imagine the euphoria if Jacob Harris had a hand in that game-winning drive?

Original Assessment

"With the 141st pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, the LA Rams selected an amazingly raw but talented and athletic tight end/wide receiver from the University of Central Florida Knights, Jacob Harris. The 6-foot-5 219-pound Harris (6.00 grade per NFL.com) is so incredibly gifted, that the Rams could do almost anything with this young man on the offense. Throw a rock in any direction. Like a utility fielder in baseball. The trick is to focus that wide spectrum of potentialities on one or two things he would be best at, for now. Add on other ways of using him once those are mastered. Think moldable clay that hardens. He can contribute immediately on special teams because he was rated as the No. 1 special teams coverage guy in this draft. Say goodbye to opposing teams’ offenses starting drives from a shortened field on kickoffs and punts, Rams Fans. He runs a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and will get down the field on special teams with a quickness to hem the other teams’ return, man, in, well, quickly. Here’s an amazing statistic about Harris: he averaged 20.1 yards per catch in college. Big chunks make McVay’s high-octane offense roar down the field. Another WR arrow for the Rams’ offense’s quiver of options. A different flavor of WR. I shall dub thee McVay’s WR Flavor of the Week. Draft Grade: B-"

Revised Assessment

Drafting raw but talented players was certainly a pattern that developed in the 2021 NFL Draft, but the results of the draft have been a bit difficult to gauge so far. Reports out of OTAs, training camp, and even preseason games seemed right on track with what we expected to see from the Rams rookies. In the case of Jacob Harris, reports were glowingly positive.

But when the team suited up for games, Harris barely showed up for the offense, despite two games that were so lopsided that the Rams sat both the offensive and defensive starters for the fourth quarter of two games.

There are no warning signs or flags on Harris. He simply arrived raw and never cracked the lineup. Perhaps even more confusing is that with the advances of WR Ben Skowronek and TE Kendall Blanton in 2021, there is no obvious path for Harris to warrant significant playing time in 2022 right now, either.  So will he get more playing time?  I think so. But I’m less certain of it this year than one year ago. A pick that seemed to be more than then it does now.

Draft Grade: C+

Round 5: No. 174

The plan for the LA Rams to add talented depth to the defensive line continued into the fifth round with the addition of Earnest Brown IV.  It was a solid effort to replace the production of two NFL veterans in the rotation. If not immediately, at some point in the future.

At 6-foot-5 and a robust 270-pounds, he’s got plenty of versatility. Perhaps learning all of the different spots on the defensive line takes time? The Rams continue to have a pattern of redshirting rookies. In all honesty, I like the fact that young players are not thrown into the deep end of the NFL pool until they are capable of swimming.

Original Assessment

"It was a solid pick, as the LA Rams had lost both Michael Brockers and Morgan Fox in the off-season. Earnest Brown IV (5.80 grade per NFL.com) will be immediate competition for Morgan Fox’s vacated role. Brown was the tenth-ranked defensive end in the draft, and an equivalently ranked player who the Rams had shown interest in, Iowa’s Chauncey Golston, was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round. “I’m the happiest man alive right now. You don’t understand.” –Earnest Brown is pretty happy to be joining the LA Rams — Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) May 1, 2021 He’s versatile, too. Lined up everywhere on the defensive line in college. Tall, long, and heavy. Sets the edge. Has to be another Raheem-Morris-influenced pick, because he fits the prototype. (read: 34 1/2 inch arm levers) Sexy pick? Nah. Headliner pick? Nah again. Just a blue-collar mentality of rolling up his sleeves and going to work. Sacking the quarterback is just one of many things that an edge player must do. What about setting the edge? Brown is top-notch at that seldom discussed skill. What about stopping the run, or shedding blockers? All solid. The LA Rams believe they can help him get to the quarterback. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris believes that he can help get the LA Rams to the Super Bowl. Draft Grade: B Revised Assessment The fact that Ernest Brown IV remained on the practice squad through the 2021 NFL season is not alarming. The team’s defensive front was stacked a year ago and remains one of the deepest areas on the roster going into the 2022 season. Unfortunately, much like the inside linebacker position in 2021, the 2023 offseason will be a different story, as a number of contracts expire simultaneously. So the hope is that Brown will make significant strides this year as far as playing time. I think that is rather likely, as he certainly has the best defensive line coach in the NFL urging him to reach his optimal football self. Brown simply landed on an NFL team with a lot of talent stacked on the depth chart above him. With the roster opening up with the loss of Sebastian Joseph Day and the need for more pressure on quarterbacks, Brown will have a better chance of making the roster this year. I think he does at least that, and if he does well at special teams, perhaps more. Draft Grade: C Next: Round 7: No. 233 Mandatory Credit: John Gutierrez-USA TODAY Sports Round 7: No. 233 The LA Rams were apparently unable to resist offensive weapons in the 2021 NFL Draft, partly due to the fact that so many also excelled at special teams. That was an area that the team most certainly wanted to improve upon last year, and managed to do so. Funk was likely added to the roster for his special teams’ forte, but over the course of the 2021 NFL season, he had the chance to do more. When the opportunity came to deliver on the offense, he was unable to do so. I get it. He was a rookie, had fewer opportunities to work in the Rams’ offense due to the depth at running back early in the season, and it’s a pretty tough situation, particularly in light of the fact that the entire rushing attack regressed last year. Original Assessment Jake Funk (5.69 grade per NFL.com) was certainly more than just a running back. He is another staunchly athletic player addition who has so very much to add beyond rushing with the football… Can you have too much of a good thing? If it’s a fifth running back addition to the Rams’ now-pass-centric offense? Perhaps. He might be a 100% special teams pick because he’s a special teams ace in college. He can even return kicks. Funk and Harris are in the same category: immediate special teams impact. Super athletic, he’s got insane lateral quickness and strength with a low center of gravity, He’s built like a brick, or maybe a cinder block. Bonafide freak, even at 205 pounds. He once ran for 221 yards in a single game against Minnesota. Funk was simply unstoppable on that day. Surely, that was the flash that dazzled scouts’ eyes. Paired with measurables that are top-tier of the charts – 4.43 40-yd dash; 38” vertical leap; 10’2” broad jump; 22 reps on the bench. Raw talent, moldable clay, big up-side. Draft Grade: C+ Revised Assessment The LA Rams will have a lot of returning running backs for the 2022 NFL season, and right now it’s truly anyone’s guess as to how the season will shake out. For his part, Funk did show up on special teams last year, and that could be an edge he holds as everyone jockeys for a position in 2022. The Rams will have plenty of players, but none are free of concerns regarding injuries and recovery. Feature back Cam Akers suffered a devastating injury in 2021. While he returned to the active roster in record time, his production did nothing to answer questions as to whether he can handle the load this year. For that matter, Funk will need to earn a spot on this team once more. Is he up for the challenge? We’ll soon discover the answer to that question. Draft Grade: C+ Next: Round 7: No. 249 Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports Round 7: No. 249 The LA Rams did not enter the 2021 NFL Draft with a perceived need for more wide receivers, and yet somehow managed to emerge with two rookie receivers. The Rams tried two new receiver strategies in the process. Rather than stick with their route-running menu, the team added secondary straining speed in Tutu Atwell. But the team also added a receiver whose specialty was wrestling for contested catches. That seemed to be the ticket, didn’t it? The next two players added to the receiver room: Odell Beckham Jr. and Allen Robinson, both specialize in hauling in contested catches. Because the Rams receivers were pounded mercilessly by injuries, Ben Skowronek rose quickly through the ranks to land playing time on offense both during the regular season and in the playoffs. Original Assessment With the 249th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, the LA Rams selected the 6-foot-3 220-pound ball-catcher from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ben Skowronek. And in doing so, Ben Skowronek (5.86 grade per NFL.com) becomes just the latest in the Rams collection of new weapons for new QB Stafford. Surely, it was all the insane contested 50-50 catches this receiver managed to haul in while playing for the Fighting Irish this year that caught their eyes and compelled this particular pick. Tall, long, huge wingspan and sure-handed. Can play special teams. Maybe even a little fullback for the Rams. McVay can line him up in a Gerald-Everett kinda role. Let him crack some heads, bust a few seams. This kid loves the contact, lives for the contact, revels in the contact, and is a devastatingly excellent blocker. If he can get even one hand on the ball, he comes down with it. Not a bad option to squirrel away for your new QB. He might just be Johnny Mundt 2.0 Draft Grade: B- Revised Assessment While Skowronek earned playing time, his 50 percent catch rate in the regular season, and 33 percent catch rate in the playoffs, guarantee nothing for 2022. The 6-foot-3 224-pound wide receiver does all of the right things on offense, with that one exception of catching the football. But that one thing is pretty important. With the arrival of WR Allen Robinson, Skowronek will likely be relegated to a backup receiver/special teams player role. I believe that could prove to be very beneficial to his long-term NFL future. Meanwhile, he will continue to be a key special teams contributor, needed receiver depth, and talented young performance that will continue to develop for the team’s future. Draft Grade: B Next: Round 7, pick 252 Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Round 7, pick 252 The hope for rookie outside linebacker Chris Garrett to show up in a rotational role for the team’s defense in 2021 appeared to be on track from OTAs through preseason games. But when the season hit, and the Rams were suddenly extremely thin at health OLBs to rotate into the game, Chris Garrett was not one of the players tapped. And that was a bit of a mild surprise, and it should not have been. Garrett was one of the last handful of players drafted, a rookie who had almost surreal collegiate production, but who was never truly tested by draft caliber opponents. That lack of stiff competition seemed to be addressed when Garrett performed well in preseason games.  He played four defensive snaps and six special team snaps. Original Assessment Garrett turned 28 college games into 36.5 quarterback sacks, 166 tackles, nine passes defended, 15 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and one blocked kick/punt. He is just a fun player to watch. Of course, he’ll need to power up to do anything similar in the NFL. But he’s a-ripping and a-twitching to get after the QB like a racehorse at the starting gate. He gets off the line incredibly fast. There’s a slang term in drag racing known as a holeshot, or a holeshot win. That’s when a racer with an e.t. slower than that of his opponent wins an ­eliminations round because he had a ­better reaction time, or left the starting line first. Garrett is that future hole-shot win specialist for the Rams. He just flat out beats his man. I just can’t quite get this statistic out of my mind, because it’s worth repeating: 36.5 sacks in 28 games. Yes, it came against Division 2 opponents. But he looked like a man-beast out there playing against boys. He destroyed. He pounces like a gazelle about to feed at the only watering hole to be found for miles. Pressuring the other team’s QB matters. It just does. I’m of the opinion you can never have too much pass rush. (WRs? Perhaps.) Draft Grade: A- Revised Assessment The LA Rams truly need significant progress out of second-year player Chris Garrett. Will he deliver? The Rams had lost rotational players Samsun Ebukam, Derek Rivers, Justin Lawler, and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo in the past two seasons. Their veteran acquisition, FA Von Miller, remained for five months. Right now the Rams are down to Leonard Floyd, Justin Hollins, Terrell Lewis, and Chris Garrett. While the Rams will need more depth at the position, the team would love to see Garrett earn a rotational role on defense. Is it fair to expect a former seventh-round rookie to take such a significant step forward in just his second NFL season? Perhaps not. But the decisions made by the LA Rams front office, to re-sign offensive linemen but witness the depletion at outside linebacker without making any steps to bolster the roster depth were not made in a vacuum. The Rams’ front office has a plan, and it seems as though they are counting on big things out of Chris Garrett. We’ll see… Draft Grade: C+ Summary The aftermath of the LA Rams’ 2021 NFL Draft is not as much about disappointment as it is about the reality of bringing aboard rather raw players. Raw players, however athletically gifted, require a significant investment of coaching, time, and patience, to realize their true NFL potential. Perhaps it was the significant development of so many undrafted and late-round prospects previously that raised our expectations too high. We revisited our original draft assessments, not out of the belief that the players somehow are not developing according to plan, but rather because they are adhering a little more closely to a patient and steady development track. It seems as though the Rams can expect two members of their 2021 rookie draft class to start, or at least compete for starting time in Ernest Jones and Robert Rochell. That’s a rather good return. But the reviews draft grades, mainly downward, now reflect the hiccups along the way for many players – whether battling through injuries or the lack of progress to earn playing time. Many of the players from 2021 will play huge roles in 2022. But rather than be outstanding rookie prospects, they will be expected to be contributors in their second season. Hot Rams dream mock draft: The perfect haul for LA in 2022 Read now >> “I’m the happiest man alive right now. You don’t understand.” –Earnest Brown is pretty happy to be joining the LA Rams — Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) May 1, 2021Jake Funk (5.69 grade per NFL.com) was certainly more than just a running back. He is another staunchly athletic player addition who has so very much to add beyond rushing with the football… Can you have too much of a good thing? If it’s a fifth running back addition to the Rams’ now-pass-centric offense? Perhaps. He might be a 100% special teams pick because he’s a special teams ace in college. He can even return kicks. Funk and Harris are in the same category: immediate special teams impact. Super athletic, he’s got insane lateral quickness and strength with a low center of gravity, He’s built like a brick, or maybe a cinder block. Bonafide freak, even at 205 pounds. He once ran for 221 yards in a single game against Minnesota. Funk was simply unstoppable on that day. Surely, that was the flash that dazzled scouts’ eyes. Paired with measurables that are top-tier of the charts – 4.43 40-yd dash; 38” vertical leap; 10’2” broad jump; 22 reps on the bench. Raw talent, moldable clay, big up-side. Draft Grade: C+With the 249th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, the LA Rams selected the 6-foot-3 220-pound ball-catcher from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Ben Skowronek. And in doing so, Ben Skowronek (5.86 grade per NFL.com) becomes just the latest in the Rams collection of new weapons for new QB Stafford. Surely, it was all the insane contested 50-50 catches this receiver managed to haul in while playing for the Fighting Irish this year that caught their eyes and compelled this particular pick. Tall, long, huge wingspan and sure-handed. Can play special teams. Maybe even a little fullback for the Rams. McVay can line him up in a Gerald-Everett kinda role. Let him crack some heads, bust a few seams. This kid loves the contact, lives for the contact, revels in the contact, and is a devastatingly excellent blocker. If he can get even one hand on the ball, he comes down with it. Not a bad option to squirrel away for your new QB. He might just be Johnny Mundt 2.0 Draft Grade: B-Garrett turned 28 college games into 36.5 quarterback sacks, 166 tackles, nine passes defended, 15 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and one blocked kick/punt. He is just a fun player to watch. Of course, he’ll need to power up to do anything similar in the NFL. But he’s a-ripping and a-twitching to get after the QB like a racehorse at the starting gate. He gets off the line incredibly fast. There’s a slang term in drag racing known as a holeshot, or a holeshot win. That’s when a racer with an e.t. slower than that of his opponent wins an ­eliminations round because he had a ­better reaction time, or left the starting line first. Garrett is that future hole-shot win specialist for the Rams. He just flat out beats his man. I just can’t quite get this statistic out of my mind, because it’s worth repeating: 36.5 sacks in 28 games. Yes, it came against Division 2 opponents. But he looked like a man-beast out there playing against boys. He destroyed. He pounces like a gazelle about to feed at the only watering hole to be found for miles. Pressuring the other team’s QB matters. It just does. I’m of the opinion you can never have too much pass rush. (WRs? Perhaps.) Draft Grade: A-"