It looks like the LA Rams chose a great NFL Draft for late picks

The LA Rams select for the first time at the 104th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. At one point, the Rams were both the last team to pick for the first time, and the least-valued draft picks arsenal for the upcoming draft. But thanks to a rather aggressive off-season, the least value (Per Tankathon.com) now goes to the Miami Dolphins.

The Rams are undoubtedly trendsetters in the NFL right now, as many teams have adopted their more aggressive approach to roster building.  But while other teams have a feel of playing some NFL version of Simon Says or Follow the Leader, there are subtle differences in the methods of the LA Rams front office that suggests that they have a master plan for this offseason.

Even as the LA Rams had traded their early-round picks, the team seemed to keep an eye on the number of picks in this upcoming draft. Right now the Rams have eight such picks, and that is a nice volume of newly selected rookies to add to the roster.  But as only one of two NFL teams without a single Top-100 pick, how impactful can the Rams draft be this year?

Don’t discount the LA Rams draft so quickly, urges Mike Florio and Chris Simms on one of the latest episodes of Peter King’s Football Morning in America.

In their latest broadcast, the article assembled 12 NFL GMs/coaches/and personnel executives to discuss the qualities and characteristics of the 2022 NFL Draft. The consensus? Yes, this one will be wild and wacky. The impact of COVID-19 compelled many young prospects to return to collegiate football and enter the 2022 NFL Draft.  Now, what does this all mean?

The drop-off in talent from the Top-10 to the rest of the draft is steep and material. That’s good news for the Rams in that they are not necessarily missing out on a game-changer rookie by having traded away the 32nd and 64th overall picks in this draft. In fact, they may have been wise to do so, as the pay scale for rookies still pays a premium to early selections out of the draft.

The consensus is that so many good receivers in the draft that many teams will wait to select one. That could be very good news if the LA Rams have their hearts set on drafting a receiver. Who am I kidding? They could draft multiple receivers, again.

The consensus from this group is that cornerbacks are thin. That runs in the exact opposite direction of our early depth analysis of this draft, as cornerbacks were rated as the third deepest position of this draft.  How can that be? The Pro Football Talk article is skewed towards teams looking at the early rounds. As is the case with several positions, few prospects in this draft class have the unquestioned profiles of being NFL ready.  That actually benefits the Rams somewhat, as the obscurity over who are the standout defensive backs gives the always-prepared Rams draft team an advantage over other teams.

In the end, the consensus of the 2022 NFL Draft is all over the place from early in round one. That lack of agreement creates a greater chance for quality players to slip to the Rams in later rounds.  Stay tuned, as we’ll be heating up our draft coverage over the next two weeks.