Real interest or red herrings, Rams Pre-Draft conference revisited

Okay, the 2024 NFL Draft and all of the signings after the draft are all behind the team, and we are pivoting to the future and the 2024 NFL season. But even as we turn to see what will be, there remains some residual value in exploring the steps that led up to the Rams draft and the strategy behind pre-draft efforts.

The Rams put both GM Les Snead and HC Sean McVay in front of the camera for a pre-draft press conference. You can view the 37-minute pre-draft presser, and I encourage you to do so. There is a far different set of impressions you can take away from this presser, particularly armed with the knowledge of who the Rams chose during and after the draft.

So what can you take away from the Rams draft strategy to what actually occurred in the draft?

Just to clarify, the detour by both Les Snead and Sean McVay referring to JW Jordan, and the fact that he used to say 'nothing to add.' JW Jordan was the Director of Draft Management for the LA Rams in 2018. When he said that he had nothing to add, he would stop there, and never add additional commentary.

We believe that the Rams did in fact attempt to trade up in Round 1, and the Rams rumors about trading up for TE Brock Bowers were probably correct. Did the Rams have any rookie quarterback in their sights in this draft? That's hard to say with any certainty because all the top-tier quarterbacks were off the board long before the Rams stepped up to make their 19th overall selection.

Keep in mind that the Rams were rumored to have attempted to trade up in the 2023 NFL Draft to add TE Dalton Kincaid. Ultimately, the team selected IOL Steve Avila with the 36th overall pick in the draft, and that has certainly fostered a significant focus and upgrade for the team's offensive line. It's not what the team planned to do, but how the team responded to the ebb and flow of the draft, that dictates the success of the rookie class.