Tag: Tutu Atwell

2021 NFL Draft: NFC West Roundup from rounds 2 and 3

The NFC West was busy on day 2 of the draft, accounting for 7 total picks in rounds 2 and 3 for the Seahawks, 49ers, Rams, and Cardinals.

The Seattle Seahawks had just one pick on the second day of the 2021 NFL draft, selecting WR D’Wayne Eskridge at no. 56 overall, but the rest of the division stayed busy throughout rounds two and three. Here’s a quick look at the latest non-Seahawk additions to the NFC West:

San Francisco 49ers

Round 2, Pick 48: G Aaron Banks, Notre Dame

Round 3, Pick 88: RB Trey Sermon, Ohio State

Round 3, Pick 102: CB Ambry Thomas, Michigan

The 49ers traded down in the second round and filled a need at guard with the massive Aaron Banks (6-foot-6, 330 pounds), then traded both of their fourth-round picks to the Los Angeles Rams in order to select running back Trey Sermon, who famously rushed for 331 yards in the 2020 Big 10 Championship game.

With their compensatory third-round pick, the 49ers acquired ball-hawk cornerback and return specialist Ambry Thomas, who should immediately compete for starting special-teams duties and develop behind starting corners Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley.

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Chad Johnson endorses Tutu Atwell pick: He’s a ‘sight to see’ in person

Chad Johnson seems to like the Rams’ selection of Tutu Atwell at No. 57 overall.

There are a lot of Rams fans who have been left scratching their heads about Los Angeles picking 155-pound Tutu Atwell with the 57th overall pick in the draft, but perhaps a six-time Pro Bowler can help them understand.

Chad Johnson tweeted on Day 2 of the draft that he thinks it was a good pick after watching Atwell play in person. He says seeing him move on film is one thing, but watching him live on the field is “a sight to see.”

Obviously, Sean McVay really likes the pick, but Johnson expects the coach to love Atwell once the Rams get on the field and the rookie starts to run routes.

Atwell has excellent speed (4.32) and though he’s way undersized at only 5-foot-9, he can still carve out a role as a gadget player and downfield threat for the Rams.

Immediately, he’s a backup to DeSean Jackson and possibly a punt returner, but down the road, he could take over Jackson’s role after learning from him for a year.

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2021 NFL draft: Biggest surprises of Day 2

Check out the biggest surprises from Day 2 of the 2021 NFL draft

The 2021 NFL draft started off with a bang on Thursday, and Friday’s Day 2 action certainly didn’t disappoint as its successor.

With plenty of notable prospects coming off the board, a run on quarterbacks and 11 cornerbacks being selected, Rounds 2 and 3 provided for some interesting twists and turns as the picks continued to roll in.

Now that the second day of the draft has concluded, let’s take a look at some of the biggest surprises of Day 2 of the 2021 NFL draft:

Watch highlights of Tutu Atwell, the Rams’ new big-play weapon

Tutu Atwell joins the Rams as their new speed threat at wide receiver, bringing 4.32 speed to the offense.

Adding speed on offense was a major priority for the Los Angeles Rams this offseason and they wasted no time bringing in a big-play threat in the draft.

With their first pick of draft weekend, the Rams took wide receiver Tutu Atwell out of Louisville, a dynamic playmaker with breakaway speed and short-area quickness.

He scored 21 touchdowns in three seasons at Louisville and holds the single-season receiving record for the Cardinals, which he set in 2019 with 1,272 yards. His highlight reel is quite impressive, showcasing his 4.32 speed and ability to stretch the field vertically.

Take a look at his highlights from the 2020 season, which will give you a feel for his speed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWL5Xez7bKI

Watch: Tutu Atwell gets draft call from Rams coach Sean McVay

Tutu Atwell and Sean McVay were both fired up about joining forces in Los Angeles.

One of the best moments any football player will experience comes on draft day when they get a call from either a head coach, general manager or owner, letting them know that they’ve made it to the NFL.

Tutu Atwell got that feeling on Friday night when the Los Angeles Rams selected him 57th overall in the second round. The small and speedy receiver gives Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford another weapon on offense, even if he won’t be asked to start right away.

McVay let Atwell know he’s going to be a Ram, sharing the good news on the phone after Los Angeles sent in its second-round pick. Listen to the call from McVay below.

Grading the Rams’ Day 2 picks, Tutu Atwell and Ernest Jones

Were the Rams wise to add a wide receiver at No. 57? Was Ernest Jones the right pick in Round 3?

Les Snead and the Los Angeles Rams entered Day 2 of the 2021 NFL draft with three picks in their pocket. At the start of Round 2, Snead teased a potential move to acquire an additional pick by trading back. But while the Rams did wind up moving down the board, they finished the night with only two selections.

And with those two selections, they left a lot of fans scratching their heads. First, they added a speedy receiver in Tutu Atwell at pick 57, a shocking pick in the eyes of most analysts, given Atwell’s size and projection as a Day 3 pick for some.

Then, they filled a need by taking linebacker Ernest Jones at No. 103, 15 picks after they traded their 88th overall selection to the 49ers. Jones will hopefully contribute right away on defense, but in the third round, it may have been a bit early for him to go.

So let’s get into the grades of Atwell and Jones on Day 2 of the draft.

Instant analysis: Rams forego need with luxury pick of WR Tutu Atwell

The Los Angeles Rams didn’t need a wide receiver, but Tutu Atwell’s speed was too good for them to pass up, apparently.

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Les Snead has never been one to draft for need, and he certainly didn’t reach to fill a hole in the second round of the draft on Friday night. Instead, he and Sean McVay made a luxury pick at No. 57 overall, selecting Louisville wide receiver Tutu Atwell.

For a team that already has Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson and DeSean Jackson, the selection of Atwell comes as a major surprise. But if you’ve seen the Rams draft in the last four years, it shouldn’t be much of a shock.

This was a luxury pick, but at the same time, it was a reach. That may sound like an oxymoron in Draft Land, but it’s true. The Rams drafted Atwell earlier than just about everyone expected, even though he didn’t fill a position of need – certainly not one of their three biggest needs.

What makes this selection somewhat frustrating is that the Rams had plenty of solid options on the board. They could’ve taken a center like Creed Humphrey, Quinn Meinerz or Josh Myers. They could’ve added a linebacker such as Nick Bolton, Pete Werner or Jabril Cox. Heck, even Joseph Ossai was available. Cornerbacks Ifeatu Melifonwu, Elijah Molden and Aaron Robinson were all there, too.

But rather than drafting a player with a good chance to play a meaningful role in 2021 and beyond, they took someone who will almost certainly play limited snaps and have to battle for playing time behind four very talented wide receivers.

McVay will find ways to get Atwell the ball. He was clearly fed up with the Rams’ lack of downfield passing last season and their absence of speed on offense. They didn’t sign Jackson and draft Atwell to be Ferraris who are kept in the garage.

McVay will use Atwell on deep shots, jet sweeps, punt returns, screens and possibly even handoffs out of the backfield. It’s just a question of whether a player who fills those roles was really needed when looking over the current construction of the Rams’ roster.

If Jackson gets hurt, as he often does, Atwell’s role will grow. But it’s hard to find a big role for the rookie on paper right now, especially considering McVay struggled to get Tavon Austin the ball much in 2017, their only year together.

Perhaps Snead and McVay will prove the doubters wrong, but this was a questionable pick.

Chargers trade back, stockpile both sides of ball in latest four-round mock draft

Chargers WIre’s Gavino Borquez releases his latest four-round mock for Los Angeles.

The Chargers have the No. 13 overall selection in this year’s draft, but there’s the possibility of the thought of moving back and acquiring more picks via trade with a quarterback-needy team could intrigue.

In this case, the Bears, who could be looking to take their quarterback of the future, choose to move up seven spots to get their guy. In return, Los Angeles gets their first, third and fifth-round picks.

Let’s take a look at how the Bolts’ draft shakes up after trading back in my latest four-round projection.

Eagles NFL Draft: 5 WR prospects that excel at getting yards after the catch

Tutu Atwell and Jaylen Waddle would be great NFL draft prospects for the Eagles who excel at getting yards after the catch

The Eagles have a problem when it comes to explosive plays from the wide receiver position, but the 2021 NFL draft class could help alleviate some of that pain.

In 2020 per PFF, Philadelphia ranked 30th in yards after the catch, 24th in missed tackles forced while getting open at the lowest rate in the league (54%).

A remedy for that pain would be drafting wideouts that flourish at producing yards after the catch.

Two guys Philadelphia passed on in previous drafts, the 49ers’ Deebo Samuel and Titans’ A.J. Brown are two of the league’s best at adding yards above expectation regardless of the target depth and they’ve become two of the top YAC monsters in the NFL.

Here are 5 2021 prospects that can help the Eagles solve the YAC problem.

11 Ideal NFL draft prospects for the Eagles after free agency moves

Tutu Atwell and Greg Newsome are two ideal NFL Draft prospects for the Eagles to consider

We’re 17-days away from the start of the 2021 NFL Draft and as reports surface about the Eagles plans at quarterback, the team has 11 total picks to help improve the roster.

With Nick Sirianni, Shane Steichen, and Jonathan Gannon in place as the head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators, the Eagles have some idea of the identity they want going forward.

We know all the big named NFL draft prospects, but a few under-the-radar prospects would be the ideal fits for the Eagles at all levels of the selection process.

We’ve identified a few ideal prospects.