Random Ramsdom: Which Rams won/lost from NFL Draft results?

Los Angeles Rams News and Links for 5/10/23

Winners and losers from Rams’ 2023 draft (RamsWire)

“There were a number of different ways the Los Angeles Rams could’ve gone in the draft, needing help at so many different positions. They decided to address the trenches, beginning the draft by taking an offensive lineman at No. 36 overall.

Their approach tells us a little bit about how they viewed their roster, from the pass-rush group to the offensive line. Some incumbent players got a vote of confidence based on the Rams’ picks, while others will be fighting for their spots on the depth chart.

Here are Los Angeles’ winners and losers from the 2023 draft.”

NFL Insider Reveals Rams Process That Lead to Drafting QB Stetson Bennett (SportsIllustrated)

Photo by Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images

“The Los Angeles Rams’ selection of quarterback Stetson Bennett was one of the most talked about in the later rounds of the draft.

Despite Bennett’s accomplishments with the Georgia Bulldogs, many had concerns about him as an NFL prospect. The main knocks on him were his small size, standing at just 5-11 and 190 pounds, and his character, largely stemming from an arrest for public intoxication in January. Some even predicted the two-time national champion would go undrafted due to these concerns.

The Rams disagreed, though, enough to take him with the No. 128 pick in the draft. Now, a recent ESPN article has shed some light onto the process behind L.A.’s decision to take Bennett, a decision general manager Les Snead was heavily involved in.

“Snead was intrigued by the quarterback early in the pre-draft process, and did a lot of legwork leading up to taking Bennett in the fourth round — higher than many teams expected,” ESPN writes. “Based on talent, the selection was not a reach: Some teams had Bennett ranked as QB6 based on the tape. Character/maturity concerns were on file for many teams, but one league exec pointed out the Rams aren’t afraid to bet on players they believe in and look ‘more at the wiring, the look in their eye’ than other risk-averse teams might.”

Los Angeles Rams sign Turtle Creek firefighter as undrafted free agent (CBSNews)

“The Woodland Hills High School football team has put more than a half dozen of its players into the NFL and they’re about to add another. Mike McAllister, a firefighter from Turtle Creek, will soon join that list.”

2023 Free Agency: John Wolford signs with Bucs (TheRams.com)

Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images

“John Wolford is Tampa Bay-bound.

The former Rams backup quarterback signed with the Buccaneers on Tuesday, the club announced.

Originally arriving in Los Angeles in 2019 after a season with the Arizona Hotshots of the defunct Alliance of American Football, Wolford spent his first season in L.A. on its practice squad before serving as the backup to Jared Goff (2020) then Matthew Stafford (2021 and 2022). Across those three seasons, he completed 58.7 percent of his pass attempts for 626 yards with one touchdown against five interceptions while starting in four of the seven games he appeared in.”

WATCH: Rams Punter Ethan Evans Shows Off Impressive Weight Room Feats (SportsIllustrated)

“When the Los Angeles Rams selected punter Ethan Evans with the No. 223 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, not many knew his name. It’s hard to get recognition as a punter to begin with, but especially so when playing at Wingate, a Division II school. In fact, Evans was one of only two Division II players taken in this year’s draft.

Evans’ name should become more familiar to NFL fans soon, though. For one, he’ll likely play a big role for the Rams as he’s the only punter on their roster right now. For two, the rookie punter boasts some impressive strength.”

This LA Rams roster has the making of a very good team, someday (RamblinFan)

“Restocking an NFL roster has a bit of science to it, a bit of art to it, and a lot of luck to it. As such, the challenge of the matter is that regardless of the ocean of data available from the Rams data analytics team, affectionately known as the Nerd’s Nest, it’s still pretty much a shot in the dark.

That is not to say to chuck the data to the closet. Nor is this a “data rules” petition. It’s just that the forces that impact the success, durability, communication, and chemistry necessary to propel any NFL to win the NFL Championship in any given NFL season is greater than the sum of individual players.

The challenge of building that type of roster is that so many chances have to ‘hit’ simultaneously. Not only must everyone be healthy and remain so over a 17-game regular season gauntlet, but the team must emerge from the regular season with enough momentum and confidence to mow down up to four very competitive NFL teams in consecutive fashion. And the process of building that team starts nearly a year earlier.”