NFL Mix Day 3: Rams could have lot of explosive choices at WR and RB

The Los Angeles Rams shall be wanting so as to add extra explosive playmakers on offense this offseason. That begins with the broad receiver and working again positions. On Saturday, the working backs and broad receivers examined on the NFL Mix and the 2 place teams placed on a present. For working backs, the typical 40-time at The Mix this yr was a 4.48. That’s the quickest working again group at The Mix since 2003. The broad receivers additionally impressed, recording essentially the most sub-4.4 40-yard dashes at The Mix since 2003.

If the Rams have been wanting so as to add velocity, they bought the proper draft class to do it in. Clearly, just a little an excessive amount of inventory generally will get positioned on the 40-time and a few of the drills in Indianapolis. Nonetheless, The Mix is supposed to verify what we see on tape, and that’s precisely what occurred on Saturday. Listed here are the highest gamers that stood out.

Iowa State Large Receiver Duo

All through your complete draft course of, the Iowa State duo at broad receiver in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel have caught my consideration. Coming into The Mix, NFL Community’s Daniel Jeremiah stated final week, “You look at Jaylin Noel from Iowa State who is going to put on a show at the combine. He is really, really explosive.”

The Iowa State broad receiver was explosive to say the least. Noel had the second-highest vertical amongst collaborating broad receivers regardless of being smaller and his 11’2 broad leap did lead all broad receivers. Noel might solely be 5’10, 194 kilos, however he’s a firecracker. Within the school soccer common season final yr, Noel ranked twelfth within the nation with 11 receptions of 20 or extra yards. On the Senior Bowl, he had the fourth most explosive efforts with 112. An explosive effort is outlined as “high” accelerations and “high” decelerations a participant achieves. Noel confirmed in Indianapolis what we noticed on tape. He is among the extra explosive broad receivers on this draft class.

Noel’s teammate Jayden Higgins quieted plenty of the questions round him as effectively. Higgins was by no means going to run the quickest 40-time as a much bigger broad receiver. Nonetheless, he ran a 4.47 and his high velocity of twenty-two.28 mph. Higgins was easy within the gauntlet and different place drills.

Jayden Higgins 40-time evaluation

NextGen Stats

Whereas he didn’t placed on fairly the present that Noel did, he had a formidable outing. There was some hope that at the very least certainly one of these two gamers might fall to the Rams at 90. Because it stands, it’s exhausting to see both of them making it previous the early portion of the third spherical.

RB Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech

There’s one working again that I’ve been pounding the desk for as an explosive choice for the Rams. That participant has been Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten. Tuten was a participant that was anticipated to run quick. I requested him on Friday what he was anticipating to run as he hit a 4.32 final offseason in accordance with Bruce Feldman. Tuten hit a 4.32 on Saturday at The Mix.

Whereas Tuten’s 40-time was quick, it was the opposite drills the place he actually impressed. He had the best vertical at 40.5’’ and his 10’10 broad leap was additionally within the top-five. The factor with Tuten is that he isn’t simply quick in road garments. This is among the quickest working backs within the draft. He had the quickest velocity at 19.75 mph on day two of follow in Cellular on the Senior Bowl. There shall be considerations about Tuten’s ball safety, however speaking with him on Friday, he owned it and known as it some extent of emphasis. Tuten is probably going nonetheless a day three choose, however he was one of many extra explosive working backs on Saturday.

WR Matthew Golden, Texas

The Rams met with Texas broad receiver Matthew Golden at The Mix and it might not be stunning to see them take him at twenty sixth general. Golden ran the quickest 40-time amongst broad receivers as the one participant to crack a 4.3 at an official 4.29. His 10-yard cut up was additionally the quickest at a 1.49.

Matthew Golden 40-time evaluation

NextGen Stats

Coming into the day, Texas broad receiver Isaiah Bond talked a giant sport that he was going to crack a 4.2. Bond didn’t come near that at a 4.4 and the quickest Texas broad receiver ended up being Golden. Once more, the Mix ought to verify what’s seen on movie. Golden ranked eighth in school soccer final yr in receptions of 20+ yards with 13. Out of these 13, seven have been contested. After Arizona’s Tet McMillan, the rating of that subsequent group of broad receivers is fairly wide-spread. Golden might begin to generate extra buzz because the second-best broad receiver on this class.

RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee

Sampson didn’t run the 40-yard sprint as some would have favored. This is among the quickest working backs within the draft and will have given Tuten a run as the most effective 40-time. Sampson didn’t run as he was coping with a hamstring. With that stated, he did take part within the place drills and seemed to be transferring fairly effectively. Sampson confirmed off his fast toes and good steadiness. His cuts have been sharp and he made fast selections. We’ll see if Sampson runs at his professional day, however the place drills have been easy and that’s arguably extra essential.

QB Kyle McCord, Syracuse

My opinion continues to be that if the Rams find yourself taking a quarterback on day three of the NFL draft, that participant must be Kyle McCord out of Syracuse. He is a superb match for the Sean McVay offense. Had he not thrown 5 interceptions towards Pitt, he is likely to be within the dialog with the second tier of quarterbacks akin to Jaxson Dart.

McCord was locked in throwing the soccer in Indianapolis. I’m unsure he missed a single certainly one of his deep-outs. He additionally appeared like the most effective quarterback on the Shrine Bowl. This week, McCord owned his dangerous first yr at Ohio State. Nonetheless, he went to Syracuse and out-dueled probably the most effective quarterback within the draft in Cam Ward this yr. In opposition to Miami, McCord had three touchdowns to go together with 380-yards and led a 21-0 comeback. That is the potential bridge quarterback and long-term backup that the Rams might have post-Stafford.

Different Notes and Quotes
The massive information popping out of The Mix on Saturday was clearly that the 49ers traded Deebo Samuel and his $21.7 million wage to the Washington Commanders for a fifth-round choose. That draft compensation is notable in relation to the Rams and Cooper Kupp. On condition that Kupp’s cap-hit is nearer to $30-million, it shouldn’t be anticipated for the Rams to get greater than a sixth.

NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport stated on Saturday, “The Los Angeles Rams star receiver, due $20 million–the Rams and Kupp himself have come out and said very clearly the Rams are intending to trade him and for sure there is going to be a marke. Really the question though is, is there enough interest to do a trade where (a) team will take on his full salary? If not, it certainly seems a possibility for the Rams would be cutting Cooper Kupp.”

Whereas we’re on the subject of broad receivers, Oregon’s Tez Johnson didn’t run what some anticipated. Johnson ran a 4.55 at 154 kilos No broad receiver at The Mix underneath 170 kilos since 2003 has ever run a slower 40. Now, the Rams don’t essentially care a couple of 40-time with broad receivers, however Johnson didn’t look quick in different drills both. With that stated, Johnson’s play-speed is far quicker. He did have the quickest 3-cone at 6.65 which is a testomony to his route-running. Johnson goes to test plenty of containers for the Rams which is able to convey severe Tutu Atwell vibes.
One in all my favourite interviews of the week was from Wisconsin offensive deal with, Jack Nelson. Nelson clearly had the Wisconsin connection that the Rams have focused previously. On Saturday, Nelson talked about two Rams tackles on the podium. Rob Havenstein went to a Wisconsin spring follow final yr and helped Nelson for over an hour after the follow. He additionally talked about Andrew Whitworth as a participant he has watched carefully on account of their related measurement and Nelson praised Whitworth’s method. Stated Nelson,

“He came and watched a spring practice. I was leaving and introduced myself. He actually worked a lot with me just on my set. I’ve gone through a bunch of coaches. From vertical setting to more on the 45 to really getting out there and pushing that angle. I was kind of in a weird spot with my set. I didn’t feel very confident in it and what I wanted to do, what I wanted it to look like. He really helped me. We took a ton of sets after. This was after spring practice which is two hours and we were there for another hour and a half. I’d take a set and he’d tell me what he thought, what helped him, different drills, what I should be thinking during that set. That helped me out a lot, especially my balance in that set. I feel like previous years I used to be a little wild getting out there and probably looked a little hectic. He really helped me be more calm, cool, collected in my set and just make it look easier.”

Superior reply from Wisconsin OT Jack Nelson.

Talked about two Rams – Rob Havenstein and Andrew Whitworth as two guys he likes. Havenstein helped him together with his go units after a spring follow final yr and was a giant fan of Whitworth’s sport.

May Rams draft one other Wisconsin OL? pic.twitter.com/QUZvy8v74S

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) March 1, 2025

The Rams might use a backup proper deal with to be the inheritor obvious for Havenstein. Whereas it didn’t work out with Logan Bruss, Nelson is a mid-round choice at deal with and appears to essentially have a robust mindset. The dangerous expertise with Bruss shouldn’t drive a destructive choice of Nelson.

Whereas Nelson was one my favourite interviews, my favourite quote of the weekend got here from LSU’s Miles Frazier. The Rams might use some guard depth. When describing his play fashion, Frazier stated,

I might say aggressive, nasty. I all the time attempt to search for fashion factors, so like additional effort factors once I’m downfield. I’m taking a look at actually decapitating any individual for actual. That’s simply my favourite factor to do.”

Signal me up.

LSU iOL Miles Frazier with the quote of the day when describing his play fashion.

“I’m looking to decapitate someone for real.” pic.twitter.com/jUS0BBAgqN

— Blaine Grisak (@bgrisakTST) March 1, 2025