Rams' Unconventional Draft Prep: Staying Ahead of the Game

0:00On April 29th, the Los Angeles Rams run their NFL draft prep in a totally different lane for most teams. General manager LesNeed and coach Sean McVeigh skipped the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis since 2020 and rarely hit pro days. They also skipped those official top 30 visits where teams fly prospects to their facilities. Instead of dealing with all that hassle, they evaluate players from a distance to keep things low-key. Top 30 visits mean juggling schedules across teams, risking player injuries from travel, and tipping off rivals about their targets. Public sightings could let another squad jump ahead in the draft order. Fans and analysts often wonder if the Rams slack on scouting, but nah, they grind just as hard. Their strategy hides interest so no one trades up to snag a guy they like at pick 55 or 65. This year, they set up 66 private visits, up from 61 last season. Scouting evaluators handle most meetings, not always the big bosses. They only did one top 30 recently for Kobe Turner in 2023 since he missed the Combine Medical's.

1:06Bottom line, the Rams prove you don't need the standard playbook to build winners. They craft their own path and stay ahead of the game.