Devaney Breaks Down Late Picks
Here was his take on the bottom-of-the-draft guys:
Overall: “They were needs, they were good players that were on the board at the time. As you get down in the draft, everybody’s board kind of falls apart. You probably start reaching a little bit to fill a need. You try to stay close within a grade. These guys all have a chance. They will come in and compete.”
Brooks Foster, WR: “To be the third receiver on a team with two first-round (quality) picks is nothing to be ashamed of.”
Keith Null, QB: “This guy has size, he has arm strength. He moves around pretty good. He’s not a great athlete, but he has slide ability. He is a smart guy, all of those things.”
(Devaney isn’t a big Ryan Leaf fan, for obvious reasons, but he didn’t mind that Leaf was Null’s position coach. “We certainly didn’t hold it against him that Ryan was there,” Devaney said.)
Chris Ogbonnaya, RB: “He is a physical, slashing runner. He’ll fit what we’re trying to do. He is a downhill, power kind of guy.”
Steve Spagnuolo was pleased with the Foster addition. “He is a big wideout for us,” he said. “We feel fortunate to get him.”
No, no, the Rams aren’t on the prowl for a veteran WR.
“I don’t think anybody feels a strong neeed to go out and get a veteran guy,” Spagnuolo said.
Billy Devaney should legally changing his name to Silly Delusional.
not since George Boone teamed up with Billy Bidwill ahev we seen reaches and whiffs like this. Moving to LA as soon as the lease runs out…
wow, that’s the best he has to offer? Yeah, you’re going to get a couple of iffy players somewhere along the line, but I don’t think they managed even 2 picks with real upside potential. Terrible performance, shocking really, after all the off-season moves. I wonder what Spags is thinking after Devaney’s non-performance today.
cant expect to much in the late rounds check out the videos on nfl.com on these guys not to bad remember brady was in the 6 rd
I meant even 2 picks today…yesterday was fine.
My guess is many of the later picks today will be fill in players, 2nd and 3rd string guys. Can’t expect much this late, but recall Tom Brady in the 6th round. Many of these late round players probably won’t even make the team.Its too bad Devaney and company didn’t take an earlier WR. What we have at this point is a bunch of untested WR players. That could be a problem next season. We could have new WR players and a new starting QB by 2010.
I didn’t have a problem with the first 2 rounds but they lost me with the choice in round 3. I thought there were other players available that would have been a much better choice. I know they did not take the best player available. I thought they might reach in 3 or 4 for a QB or a RB.
I love how everyone is ripping Devaney. Who was Donnie Avery last year? The Rams took Avery over Devin Thomas and everyone bitched. Who was john Greco last year? Both are starters on the Rams. Just because you don’t know the player doesn’t mean he is a reach.
Mel Kiper’s highest rated player ever coming out of college was Reggie Bush and he ripped the Texans for not taking him. The Texans took Mario Williams who is now a pro bowler.
Mel Kiper and Todd McShay were never scouts for an NFL team. I could do what they do and so could you. They are just TV analyst.
I am trying to figure out what all the griping is about on this website. The Rams addressed need with every pick. They scored big with the first two picks, added solid role players in the mid rounds, and went for potential in the late rounds. Why are people already wanting to fire Devaney?
When you add this draft to re-signing Bartell and Atogwe, adding a starting center that will add leadership to the line, adding a true fullback, blocking tight end, and young wide receiver, and bringing in a stellar coaching staff, (not to mention ridding the team of some of the mistakes of the past) this has been a very good off season for a team that hasn’t had much to cheer about lately.
ram-a-lot, a big +1 there
Hey mathew and Ram-a-lot, you guys are a couple of yes men. Devaney had a chance to fill some needs with players who have a chance to make it with these picks and instead overreached to get guys who could have been picked much later or signed as a FA tomorrow.
Donnie Avery is a decent reciever but could have been drafted in the late 3rd of 4th round last year so he is a perfect example of how not to draft rather than an example of a ‘good’ pick. Even Laurianitis at was a reach at #35 with better ILBs on the board at the time. Rams could have traded down to get more picks and still have gotten him.
Null? Gimme a break. He will be Null and void in August after a couple of weeks in camp.