The Los Angeles Rams got back to work in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft when the selected South Carolina State TE Temarrick Hemingway (177th overall), Kentucky ILB Josh Forrest (190th overall) and Southern Mississippi WR Michael Thomas (206th overall) on Saturday, April 30. All three picks addressed needs on the roster.
Hemingway is the second tight end added by the Rams in this year’s draft. He is a bit leaner and quicker than Western Kentucky’s Tyler Higbee. Hemingway is also a little more elusive, but his slimmer frame makes him ineffective as a blocker. On top of that, he wasn’t much of a mid-to-deep range receiver. In four years with the Bulldogs, Hemingway earned 93 receptions, for 1,056 yards and seven touchdowns.
Forrest is an extremely athletic linebacker, who was used in many different ways by Kentucky. He has great instincts and an eye for the football. The biggest knock on Forrest is that he needs to add some muscle and improve his tackling technique. Still, he managed to earn 232 tackles, 4.5 sacks and five interceptions in four years at Kentucky. He is likely going to provide much-needed depth and may be an asset for the special teams.
Thomas has plenty of upside if he keeps up his confidence up. It’s a little harder to evaluate him since he only has one year as a starter at Southern Mississippi as a JUCO transfer. Thomas isn’t the fastest player out there, but he is explosive enough to make defenders regret underestimating his speed. He stands at 6’1” and plays much taller than he is due to his willingness to aggressively pursue the football. He needs to work on creating separation from defensive backs. Thomas can develop into a steal, and he showed flashes of that potential last season when he recorded 1,391 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.
Source: Si.com, Sports-reference.com
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