10 takeaways from my week at the Senior Bowl from a Rams perspective

What should the Rams take away from the Senior Bowl?

The Senior Bowl has concluded with players finishing three days of practice in front of NFL coaches and executives. While the Los Angeles Rams famously don’t go to these events, I made the trip to Mobile and wrote about my experience below. Here are my 10 takeaways from the Senior Bowl.

1. Lot of quality in the trenches

The position groups that really stood out at the Senior Bowl were the ones in the trenches. Along the offensive line, Joshua Connerly Jr. showed why he’s probably a first round pick while Grey Zabel probably slingshotted himself as a high day two pick. That doesn’t mention Ozzy Trapilo, Miles Frazier, Jonah Savaiinaea or Anthony Belton. The Rams at the very least are going to need to draft a tackle to give themselves a future at the position and provide depth. They will have options.

On the defensive side is where the quality was especially impressive. Darious Alexander from Toledo stole the show, but there were plenty of stars in that position group. TJ Sanders had a good week as well as Deone Walker. Cam Jackson, Aeneas Peebles, and Ty Robinson also stood out in practices. The Rams could use some depth here or a gap-eating nose tackle. Someone like Robinson would make a lot of sense.

2. Jaxson Dart is the quarterback Rams should want

I remain skeptical that the Rams draft a quarterback. They remain in a competitive position and it makes more sense in a weaker quarterback class to supplement other areas of the roster than force an heir for Matthew Stafford. The Rams would be better off hoping they can get two years out of Stafford and waiting until 2026.

However, if the Rams do go quarterback, Dart is the one they should throw a dart at during the draft. Pun intended. He has the talent and tools to be successful and provides some mobility. Dart was the clear best quarterback in Mobile and the arm talent was evident. He needs to improve some of his decision-making and some of his mechanics which is why Dart needs to sit for a year.

3. Rams will have choice of coverage linebackers

One of the priorities of the offseason will need to be adding a coverage linebacker next to Omar Speights that can still hold their own in the run game. Speights showed that he is a solid player against the run. Adding a plus-coverage player that doesn’t get blown up against the run is a very big need on the defense.

The good news is that the Rams should have a choice of players to choose from in the draft. There were a few of those players at the Senior Bowl. Jeffrey Bassa from Oregon had a really good week along with Shemar James from Florida. Eugene Asante and Cody Lindenberg are coverage options as well. The Rams don’t value the linebacker position, but they need to find a complementary piece next to Speights.

4. Jeffrey Bassa instantly became one of my favorite players of this class

From the first day of practices, Bassa became someone who immediately grabbed my attention. While he did make plenty of plays defensively, it was his leadership that really stood out. He directed traffic before the play to ensure the defense was on the same page prior to the snap. What’s even more important is that he is exactly what the Rams need and fits what they typically look for at the linebacker position. His prior experience at safety was evident.

Bassa brings a leadership quality that the Rams lacked at the linebacker position after Ernest Jones was traded. He was one of the more impressive players that I talked to after practices. The Oregon linebacker is going to be one of ‘my guys’ throughout the draft process and likely someone that frequently ends up in my mock drafts.

5. Elijah Arroyo a good ‘Plan B’ at tight end

The Rams are going to need to address the tight end position this offseason. Hunter Long is a free agent and it’s hard to know what the Rams can expect from Tyler Higbee moving forward. When Higbee returned from injury, he became a primary receiving option in the offense. However, it also feels like the Rams can and should upgrade at that spot. Davis Allen didn’t take the jump that many expected him to take in 2024 while Colby Parkinson was nearly invisible in the offense.

Tight end will be a popular choice for the Rams in the first round, especially given their past interest in Dalton Kincaid and Brock Bowers. If the Rams miss out on the first two guys, Elijah Arroyo was the most impressive tight end at the Senior Bowl and would be a great fit. He’s an impressive athlete who poses a serious threat as a receiver.

6. Jack Bech feels like a Rams receiver, but watch Iowa State duo

Watching Jack Bech all week and it was hard not to see him as a Rams wide receiver. It would be unfair to give him the Cooper Kupp or Puka Nacua comparison. They are somewhat different style of players. However, the mentality that they play with is very similar. The physicality in the run game as a blocker was very reminiscent of Kupp and Nacua.

With that said, keep an eye on the two Iowa State wide receivers. Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins are two guys that the Rams coaching staff will have some familiarity with due to the Nate Scheelhaase connection. Outside of that though, these are two really good route runners and players who understand coverages. Higgins especially is a student of the game and is alignment versatile.

7. Rams may need to go cornerback early

Players like Quincy Riley and Azareye’h Thomas each had good weeks. However, typically there are third or fourth round cornerbacks that can be inserted as starters as rookies. That may not completely be the case in this class. That doesn’t mean there aren’t good cornerbacks. Upton Stout should provide good depth.

Still, the Rams need a quality starter on the outside next year. The best place to do that will probably be in the first round. Adding a true cornerback that can be trusted on the outside is a major piece that is missing on the defense.

8. Nate Scheelhaase’s time might not be now, but it’s coming

Based on what I heard down in Mobile talking to people around the league, Nate Scheelhaase may not get hired this year, but his time is coming. It still remains more likely that the Rams lose Nick Caley over Scheelhaase this year. However, Scheelhaase is someone that the league views very highly and is seen as a bright, young mind in the NFL. I also talked with both Iowa State wide receivers and they spoke highly of him as well.

Ideally, the Rams are able to keep Scheelhaase this year and look to promote him into Caley’s spot. However, it won’t be long before Scheelhaase is poached and gets an opportunity elsewhere. He’ll be a name to watch over the next few coaching cycles.

9. Cooper Kupp won’t be back on his current deal

Aside from the buzz around Scheelhaase, I tried to get what the overall feeling was around Cooper Kupp and his future on the Rams. It wasn’t much that wasn’t already known. Kupp may be done in Los Angeles, but not done with football. The Rams love Kupp and want to have him back, but it’s very unlikely that he returns on his current deal. Those conversations are likely happening or will take place really soon.

This is the decision that isn’t going to come easy for Kupp or the Rams. There’s no reason for Kupp to take less. He earned his contract. However, it also doesn’t make sense for the Rams to pay him close to $30-million. Kupp would also likely be relegated to a smaller role if he does return. This is going to be a situation to monitor over the coming weeks.

10. Southern hospitality is real

Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Mobile. It was great to connect with a lot of different people at the national media level. Living on the east coast, any Uber ride might be a quiet 20-minute drive. In Mobile, everybody was talking and tried to get to know you a little bit. I had dinner at Felix’s Fish Camp on Wednesday night and the waitress was very kind and recommended a fantastic meal. The following night, I got some great sports bar recommendations.

The Senior Bowl was a great experience and pushed me outside of my comfort zone a little bit. I feel like I became a better journalist after my week in Mobile and learned a lot just watching football with others who know more. We’ll see how many of these players end up in a Rams uniform.