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.
SOUNDS LIKE A COMPLETE COPOUT! “…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…” That’s a comment of a loser… I’m sorry. You don’t hear Bill Bellichek talking about rounds 3-7 like it’s no big deal to reach or boo hoo the board starts falling apart. What kind of comment is that? That’s an excuse and unacceptable. Could you imagine Lombardi or any other WINNER making a comment like that? I mean that’s like showing up late to a job interview and making an excuse that traffic was bad…
quit crying and start supporting the rams go rams
KMac dont let that door hit you in the behind on your way off the bandwagon and out the door. Wont miss ya.
A WINNER acts as if EVERY pick is the most important pick no matter the round…not to make excuses about the board falling apart.
Seahawks take the franchise tag off Leroy Hill! Do you think the Rams have the guts to go after him?????? I doubt it….. It might cost them a buck or two……
KMac, listen up. Being cynical is not actually smart. You say that Avery could have been had later, but what are you basing that on? The opinions of guys like Mike Mayock, Todd McShay, and Mel Kiper? I listened to these guys talk for two days, and they have virtually no idea what teams are going to actually draft. They give opinions while the teams are on the clock, and then the team inevitably goes a totally different way. You think many of the “experts” saw Jacksonville drafting two OTs with their first two picks? This idea that you know when these guys are going to be taken is absurd. In addition, it doesn’t do a damn bit of good if you are drafting “late” in a round.
The Rams’ scouts put their board together. There weren’t many big CBs available in this draft, and they play in a division where big WRs live. This guy is athletic, strong, and he’s a sure tackler. Those are things that don’t exist on the Rams’ roster outside of Ron Bartell. If they felt like he was going to be taken late in the 3rd round, then they had to take him when they did or trade down. Just because there were guys you would have rather had doesn’t make them better. This team has 4 DEs and there were no sure-fire WRs still on the board. Those were the positions that there was a rush on in that round.
By all accounts, this was a relatively weak draft. The Rams were able to improve their OLine and their LB core. They added a talented CB to compete against the likes of Justin King and Tye Hill. They added a big, quick, physical DT to add to the rotation with Carriker and Ryan. The QB pick doesn’t look smart, but maybe there is something better there.
Just because I don’t write these kids off before they play doesn’t make me a “yes man.” I don’t even know what the hell that’s supposed to mean. Ultimately, as a fan, it’s much more fun to look forward to watching these guys grow than what it is to piss and moan like I’m some expert on what it takes to translate college skills to pro skills. If that kind of self-egrandizing is important to you, then knock yourself out. I personally have a three-year rule when evaluating anything in the NFL. If by the 2011 season all of these guys are gone; Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton, John Greco, et al have washed out; and this coaching staff has proven itself unready; then I’ll be right there calling for the Rams to try a different direction.
I’m sure a lot of you guys will be at cheerleader tryouts.
Go Rams go!
Gimme a break.
Blind faith and hero worship has caused a lot of trouble throughout history. Supporting your team does not mean you have to agree with everything they do.
The Rams stepped in it. Doesn’t mean you have to as well.
(Be sure to keep those legs and pits shaved for the tryouts.)
We should all listen to Kmac. Clearly, a man who manages a Staples for a living (or whatever he does) knows a heckuva LOT more than a respected, highly-compensated football man like Billy Devaney.
What’s wrong with you people??
KMac,
I understand people who listen to Todd McShay and Mel Kiper along with other draft idiots that run around and say the sky like when the Rams drafted Donnie Avery over Devon Thomas last year. Kiper and McShay also, loved our Jon Alston, Claude Wroten and Domic Byrd picks. And when the Rams picked Jason Shivers with the fifth pick in the 2004 draft, Kiper who rated him as second round pick proclaimed that the pick was the steal of the draft. Shivers never made the team.
The draft is a crap shoot after the first round and you need to rely on your scouts in order to assess talent that translates to your offensive or defensive schemes.
Devaney did a great job last year picking players that fit our offensive and defensive schemes. We had 6 players from last years draft that started from us last year and 5 that will probably be full time starters next year.
Frank - surely you don’t think that Billy Delusional is a respected football man just because he is highly compensated. There is no direct correlation between salary and competence. Silly Devaney is just another example of this.
By the way, do you know the man at Staples? Could you hook me up? I’d love to work there. It’d be great. You, me, Ram-a-lot, matthew… we could get together in the warehouse and practice our cheers.
Go you big strong Ramses, go!