2012-2016- The Fisher Era

2016 NFL Draft: The Los Angeles Rams’ sixth round draft picks were all solid, but were any unnecessary?

The Los Angeles Rams selected three players in the sixth round and each can potentially be solid players. The question is were they right moves?

First up is South Carolina State TE Temarrick Hemingway, and I have to tell you that didn’t like this draft pick. That’s not to say Hemingway is a terrible player, because he does have some upside, but it’s more along the lines of wondering why the Rams drafted another tight end? Currently, the Rams have Lance Kendricks, Cory Harkey and now Tyler Higbee on the roster. Harkey does play fullback, but do the Rams actually plan to carry three tight ends plus Harkey on the roster?

Another thing that was upsetting is that the Rams have other needs. Adding more depth at guard, center, cornerback and safety should have been more pressing. It remains to be seen if Hemingway will make the roster, and I think that will come down to the whether or not the Rams believe he can catch the ball at mid-range consistently.

The Rams selected Kentucky ILB Josh Forrest. I don’t mind this pick at all, because I do think Forrest is underrated with a ton of upside. Truthfully, if he gets a little stronger and learns to securely wrap up on tackles, I believe he can be a solid contributor. At the very least, he can replace the recently departed special team specialist, Daren Bates. I think what intrigues me most about this pickup is that the aforementioned issues are fixable, and who better to coach him up than Gregg Williams? Arizona’s Scooby Wright was tempting, but his injury history does draw a bit of a concern. Keep an eye out for Forrest’s progression through the next couple of years.

The final piece to the Rams’ draft class was Southern Mississippi WR Michael Thomas. This is a solid pick. First off, the Rams traded away Chris Givens last year, which opened the need for Pharoh Cooper. The Rams still aren’t sure if Stedman Bailey can play after being shot in the head late last year. This is where Thomas comes in, because he has a relatively high ceiling. Thomas did drop the ball at times, but he also made some huge plays. He is a competitor and a playmakers, and if he can continue to play in that manner on the professional level, the Rams may have found a steal late in the sixth round.

All-in-all, the Rams picked up a solid draft class. My only questionable piece has to be Hemingway, but that’s not from a talent perspective. It’s still entirely possible that Hemingway earns the right to play on Sundays. Overall, the Rams made the most of their limited picks in this year’s draft.

You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.

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