The Los Angeles Rams don’t have a choice in the first round and they traded their own third (we presume, although it might be a compensatory choice) for Matthew Stafford, but they must still be busy on the second day of the draft. NFL.com recruiting analyst Chad Reuter posted a simulation of three rounds on Monday and designed the Rams to fill the cornerback, defensive and tackle needs with his three choices for LA.
Reuter just commented on his first round choices, but here are his three choices designed for the Rams:
2 (57): Aaron Robinson, CB, UCB
3 (101): Chris Rumph II, Edge, Duke
3 (104): D’Ante Smith, OT, ECU
A little more in each choice:
Aaron Robinson, CB, UCF
The Draft Network had the following to say about Robinson:
A 4-star recruit who originally pledged to Alabama, Aaron Robinson was transferred to UCF and became the slotback cornerback in 2019 and 2020 for the Knights. Although he has some experience in wide games, his best fit at the next level is probably in the slot. Robinson is a versatile defender who can work both in male coverage and in the zone and he will make the defense run better with his ability to fill and defend the D-gap. Overall, he is a physical player with fast feet and sufficient athleticism. The concerns with Robinson at the next level are his modest cover instincts, normal ball skills and proving that the tackler he was in 2020 is what he will be advancing and not the inconsistent finisher he was in 2019. Robinson has the ability to become a highlight in the NFL slots, but he will need to become more confident of himself on the cover and play the game at better angles.
Sayre Bedinger of NFLMocks.com called Robinson “a unique weapon”
What makes Robinson so fascinating compared to other cornerbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft class is the fact that he has a lot of experience playing both inside and out as a nickel cornerback.
It’s rare for the guys who come to the NFL to have such a good tape in both places, but Robinson definitely does.
At 1.80 m, 193 pounds, Robinson’s body type shout outside corner in the NFL, but its effectiveness in slot machines and playing with tight man coverage makes it a fascinating option for NFL teams today.
In the NFL now, there is an increasing number of “big slot” wide receiver / tight end hybrid types. There are few teams that can handle players like Travis Kelce and Darren Waller with their combination of size, speed, route knowledge and strong hands.
Could Robinson be a potential answer?
Most slot machines in the NFL are not six feet tall and 193 pounds. Some of the best slot corners are less than 5ft-11 and the reason they are limited to the slot function is the fact that they are not sized to match those big “X” receivers on the next level.
There are some exceptions, obviously, but for the NFL teams now, Robinson may be a type of new prototype.
Chris Rumph II, Edge, Duke
Rumph has been mentioned as a potential first round pick in the past. Will he increase his draft stock for this range in April? Here is an interview with Rumph on The Draft Network about Rumph being “undersized” for his position.
Enrolling in the program as a member of the 2017 recruiting class, he was a slim six-foot-six-foot defensive side who was labeled as far from being a contributor of any kind at the next level ….
Using his father’s own experience and motivation, Rumph II is now considered one of the most explosive, disturbing and exciting final defensive perspectives in the country. Gaining the respect of his colleagues, the Blue Devils defensive side was voted as a preseason of the First-Team All-ACC selection after a 2019 season, where he collected 47 tackles, 13.5 loss tackles, 11 hurried quarterbacks And 6.5 sacks.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports said the following about Rumph, who he ranked as the eighth best contender before the 2020 college football season:
Listed at 6-4 pounds and 235 pounds, gaining weight is a must for Rumph when he enters the NFL, but I don’t think he needs to be significantly heavier to succeed in today’s NFL, which prioritizes speed and quickness over size and strength . Also, I expect Duke to use Rumph more often (just 409 snapshots last year) and in a more translatable way this season. In 2019, he used to line up outside the ball like a traditional linebacker, so moments before the snap comes close to the line over an internal gap and destroys anyone trying to block it. Name a quick pass movement and Rumph blocks it, loads it and is ready to be implanted. He quickly reads the advantage of an offensive attacker and hits in a flash. Rumph, just a second-year redshirt from last year, is fast, plays with an uninterrupted engine and has long arms, all leading to a considerable attack radius.
Rumph posted eight bags and 11.5 TFL in 2020.
D’Ante Smith, OT, East Carolina
Smith played only at the opening of the season in 2020, before leaving out the rest of the season with an undisclosed injury.
The 1.80m and 274lbs player has ideal arm length and good feet for an offensive NFL striker, but he will likely have to add weight to stay on the next level. He played most of his career in the 280-290 pound range in ECU, but reached less than 275 earlier this summer. Training to reach the 300 pound level and maintain his athletic ability will be vital for him to get a big shot at the professional level, especially coming out of a season when he played just one game. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. currently lists Smith in ninth overall on his 2021 draft eligible offensive tackle board.
The Draft Network doesn’t see Smith as ready to start in 2021, but a project worth developing for some team later in the draft.
D’Ante Smith was East Carolina’s first left tackle in 2018 and 2019. He was supposed to start in the third year in 2020, but an undisclosed injury limited him to just one game. Smith is lean and athletic and has good mobility, use of hands and length. Where Smith needs to improve is in weight distribution, body control, contact balance and functional strength. He also needs to complete his chart to help him stay more effective at the point of attack. There is a call for development with Smith, but there is a remarkable job to be done. His best fit comes in a West Coast attack, where he can quickly set and avoid deeper sets of passes and in a zone blocking race scheme where his modest power can be mitigated and mobility enhanced. There should be no expectations that he will start on Sundays early in his career, but he can compete for a starting role in the third year, if he develops.