How are those Rookies Doing? Mid-Season Edition

[JMG5]

Any know anything about John Ross? Dude ran a fast 40 and I haven't heard anything since? Same with a lot of the WR that were taken early as well.

[Jlowe22]

10 minutes ago, JMG5 said:

Any know anything about John Ross? Dude ran a fast 40 and I haven't heard anything since? Same with a lot of the WR that were taken early as well.

I think he's been injured.  I also heard a Bengals fan complaining that MArvin Lewis wouldn't play him after he returned from injury.

[ET80]

55 minutes ago, domepatrol91 said:

We’re not stopping anyone from talking about other rookies. Were talking about our rookies in this thread, which is exactly what it’s for.

Yup. 

[jrry32]

29 minutes ago, tyler735 said:

Same with Tavon Austin ?. Sorry couldn't resist, but in all seriousness it's true anything can happen seen a lot of rookies break out, but never replicate that level of success in future seasons.

Difference is that I'm not hyping up the Rams rookies as the best in the class. Lattimore deserves to be in the top 5. The other two do not. And I liked both Ramzcyk and Kamara. Ramzcyk should have been a top 10 pick in my book.

[sammymvpknight]

1 hour ago, jrry32 said:

The point went over your head.

Yes, all of the previously mentioned players can regress...would you like to update you on their progress, including regression. You’re sounding a bit salty right now. 

[jrry32]

1 minute ago, sammymvpknight said:

Yes, all of the previously mentioned players can regress...would you like to update you on their progress, including regression. You’re sounding a bit salty right now. 

Yea, I'm sure anyone who challenges your inflated opinions is "salty" in your book. Take a step back, look at some of the other rookies around the NFL, and think a bit more rationally. The top 4 rookies in the NFL this year are (imo):

1. Deshaun Watson

2. Marshon Lattimore

3. Kareem Hunt

4. Leonard Fournette

After that, it's close enough that you can argue a number of guys at #5. Have you watched enough of Jamal Adams, Myles Garrett, Evan Engram, or Tre'Davious White to say that Alvin Kamara should definitely be picked over them?

[sammymvpknight]

When did I say that Kamara was in my top 5? But really...who cares. Is there really a big difference between all of the healthy top RBs this year (Fournette, Hunt, Kamara)? They are all really good...all are helping their teams win games. You’re the one who’s nitpicking someone’s ranking because you’re jealy about the Saints insane draft class...and don’t want to see 3 within the top 10.

[tyler735]

49 minutes ago, jrry32 said:

Difference is that I'm not hyping up the Rams rookies as the best in the class. Lattimore deserves to be in the top 5. The other two do not. And I liked both Ramzcyk and Kamara. Ramzcyk should have been a top 10 pick in my book.

As you shouldn't be as the Rams have no rookies anywhere near that caliber. Lattimore has pretty much been the consensus top rookie so far this season. I agree with you on Ramczyk. I think he's done a good job and has a bright future, but I don't think he's a top 5 rookie at this point. That said, Kamara certainly has a good case for being top 5 at this time. I don't see how you could so strongly say that Kamara doesn't. At worst he is interchangeable with a few guys around the top 5 at this point. Could that change..Absolutely, but based off what he's done so far, he's in the top 5 conversation.

[.Buzz]

So far I'm pretty happy with the Jaguars draft.

Fournette has shown everything we had hoped for. Hopefully he can be a go this week against CLE, although I'd be cool sitting him out with Ivory/Yeldon picking up the slack.

Cam Robinson has shown huge flashes of being a very good LT long-term. Has been battling an ankle injury and had a down game against Ingram/Bosa (although they'd do that to most any OT's), but I really believe we got our franchise LT for the next decade with Robinson.

Smoot has been blocked behind guys like Calais, Ngakoue, Fowler, etc. but he's finally starting to push for PT and got a good chunk last week and flashed a few times. Really excited to see what he ends up being. From what I heard in TC Calais has really taken him under his wing.

Dede is finally getting activated this week. Not expecting him to come in and be a savior in the passing game as he's missed the first 9 games in his rookie season and it's not like many other rookie WR's are dominating out of the gate besides Juju, but man did he look great in the preseason. 

Overall, this class has the makings of a very, very good one if they develop properly. Seeing the flashes you want to see from these guys.

[ET80]

Deshaun Watson - His season was cut short, but the verdict is in; He's arguably the most dynamic QB in franchise history, and he has a long and bright future as the face of the Texans. His return is the most anticipated return in Houston, even over JJ Watt.

Zach Cunningham - His coverage skills were his calling card, but he looks a bit lost in coverage at time. He's improving and is pretty stout against the run as well. He has earned the starting ILB spot that Brian Cushing vacated after his suspension.

D'onta Freeman - Looked good in preseason, had a strong performance against the Titans this year, but really hasn't been used. He remains as a clear secondary option behind Lamar Miller.

Julie'n Davenport - He was a project coming into the season, and it shows. He's seem time in as an "#6 OL" to provide max protection for Watson, and didn't really disappoint, but didn't really impress. Davenport is now getting snaps at LT in a platoon with Chris Clark, and he's really showing that he's not ready. Maybe he'll improve, but as of now he's very overmatched and overwhelmed.

Carlos Watkins - He's earned more PT due to injuries on the DL, and Watkins looks pretty good. He doesn't fall for misdirection and play fakes, closes in on the ball carrier very well. He's not exactly the most athletic guy out there, so he's not finishing plays up, but there's something worthy of note here.

Treston Decoud - In a sieve of a secondary, he can't get onto the field on any way. The team has brought in street FAs who have passed him up, so he might be a miss of a pick.

Kyle Fuller - Kind of same as above; Bad unit, but can't see the field. He's behind C Nick Martin, who is the lone bright spot on the OL. This being said, he's not good enough to transition to G and give our current OGs a challenge. 

Dylan Cole - Undrafted, Cole looked like a gamer early on, outperforming Cunningham at the ILB spot and showing versatility in the front seven as well as a reliable presence on ST. He had a hamstring injury that is taking time to heal, but he's quite the find.

Chris Thompson - Another UDFA, Thompson has been a great find for ST play. He's an above average return man, and has a feel as a gunner on kickoff and punt teams. That alone will keep him employed in the league for a very long time.

[Soko]

1 hour ago, sammymvpknight said:

Is there really a big difference between all of the healthy top RBs this year (Fournette, Hunt, Kamara)? 

Yes.

[titans0021]

I'm not going to hit on the entire draft, but I'll at least touch on the notable picks.

1. Corey Davis - It's been a rough year. Hurt his hamstring on the second day of camp, came back to quickly and tweaked it in Week 2. Sat out the next six weeks and only came back a couple weeks ago. When he's been on the field, he's flashed tremendous body control and an incredible knack for making plays on the sideline. Routes need to be crisper and he needs to show more fight on the ball. Don't want to say that it will be a wasted year, but it's been tough since Mariota missed most of the offseason work with the leg injury and then Davis missed all of camp. Two never really got a chance to gel.

2. Adoree Jackson - Looked really, really rough to start the season. Came in as a fairly raw player and we saw a lot of that early. With that said, he seems to be getting better every week, to the point that LeBeau had him following Antonio Brown quite a bit on Thursday night (something that is pretty rare in our defense). Seemed like any time Brown found himself matched up on anyone other than Adoree, he feasted. Obviously he also beat Adoree a couple times, but he held his own better than he really had any right to. Flashes explosiveness in the return game and has even added an extra dynamic playing a few offensive snaps the last few weeks. He was the pick most Titans fans really didn't like, but he's the one I'm most optimistic about moving forward.

3. Taywan Taylor - Had a great camp and a real encouraging preseason. Just hasn't seen the field a ton, and when he has, it's primarily been in a gadget role. Has flashed some good things, but we simply haven't seen enough to really know what we have. Next year should give us a better idea, as I expect Davis and Matthews to be on the outside with Taylor getting the majority of the slot reps.

4. Jonnu Smith - Backup tight end. Getting a lot of reps, but not a ton of targets. Has shown some incredibly impressive athleticism and looks to be a better blocker than anticipated. From Day 1 he was drawing Delanie Walker comparisons. Have been encouraged by how he looks, but not playing a huge role right now.

5. Jayon Brown - He's been good. Really good. Came in as an undersized backer that didn't test incredibly well at the combine, but his game has translated very well. Almost a pure coverage linebacker, he's been really cutting into Avery Williamson's reps as the season has gone on. As a fan of a team that has been routinely torched by running backs and tight ends in the passing game, Brown has been a really big addition.

Everyone else hasn't really done much worth noting this year.

[sammymvpknight]

24 minutes ago, Yin-Yang said:

Yes.

Then you’re not watching hard enough. They are all fantastic, top 10 RBs.

[sammymvpknight]

19 minutes ago, titans0021 said:

I'm not going to hit on the entire draft, but I'll at least touch on the notable picks.

1. Corey Davis - It's been a rough year. Hurt his hamstring on the second day of camp, came back to quickly and tweaked it in Week 2. Sat out the next six weeks and only came back a couple weeks ago. When he's been on the field, he's flashed tremendous body control and an incredible knack for making plays on the sideline. Routes need to be crisper and he needs to show more fight on the ball. Don't want to say that it will be a wasted year, but it's been tough since Mariota missed most of the offseason work with the leg injury and then Davis missed all of camp. Two never really got a chance to gel.

2. Adoree Jackson - Looked really, really rough to start the season. Came in as a fairly raw player and we saw a lot of that early. With that said, he seems to be getting better every week, to the point that LeBeau had him following Antonio Brown quite a bit on Thursday night (something that is pretty rare in our defense). Seemed like any time Brown found himself matched up on anyone other than Adoree, he feasted. Obviously he also beat Adoree a couple times, but he held his own better than he really had any right to. Flashes explosiveness in the return game and has even added an extra dynamic playing a few offensive snaps the last few weeks. He was the pick most Titans fans really didn't like, but he's the one I'm most optimistic about moving forward.

3. Taywan Taylor - Had a great camp and a real encouraging preseason. Just hasn't seen the field a ton, and when he has, it's primarily been in a gadget role. Has flashed some good things, but we simply haven't seen enough to really know what we have. Next year should give us a better idea, as I expect Davis and Matthews to be on the outside with Taylor getting the majority of the slot reps.

4. Jonnu Smith - Backup tight end. Getting a lot of reps, but not a ton of targets. Has shown some incredibly impressive athleticism and looks to be a better blocker than anticipated. From Day 1 he was drawing Delanie Walker comparisons. Have been encouraged by how he looks, but not playing a huge role right now.

5. Jayon Brown - He's been good. Really good. Came in as an undersized backer that didn't test incredibly well at the combine, but his game has translated very well. Almost a pure coverage linebacker, he's been really cutting into Avery Williamson's reps as the season has gone on. As a fan of a team that has been routinely torched by running backs and tight ends in the passing game, Brown has been a really big addition.

Everyone else hasn't really done much worth noting this year.

Am I crazy in believing that Taylor might be your 2nd best WR? Why aren’t they trying to get that guy on the field more?

[jrry32]

1 hour ago, tyler735 said:

As you shouldn't be as the Rams have no rookies anywhere near that caliber. Lattimore has pretty much been the consensus top rookie so far this season. I agree with you on Ramczyk. I think he's done a good job and has a bright future, but I don't think he's a top 5 rookie at this point. That said, Kamara certainly has a good case for being top 5 at this time. I don't see how you could so strongly say that Kamara doesn't. At worst he is interchangeable with a few guys around the top 5 at this point. Could that change..Absolutely, but based off what he's done so far, he's in the top 5 conversation.

Says the man who hasn't seen Cooper Kupp play. I feel amazing about our rookie class, as do the other Rams fans. But we're sitting back and enjoying everything that's going well right now instead of trying to force all our talented young players down people's throats. 

Kamara is an afterthought on a great offense. Hunt and Fournette are having more impressive years imo. Kamara's case for being top 5 really isn't that strong unless you start removing injured players.

35 minutes ago, Yin-Yang said:

Yes.

Thank you.