Prior to the start of the draft, there were a number of reports that the Los Angeles Rams were trying to find a trade partner to get to the top of the draft.
According to NFL insider Dianna Russini, the Rams wanted to trade for a top 10 pick and the player they were after was not a quarterback.
This was the report from Russini that came just a few hours ahead of the draft…
As for who the Rams were trying to get, it sounds like their target may have been Georgia tight end Brock Bowers.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said this week that the Rams were aggressively trying to pull off a trade until Bowers was drafted by the Raiders. According to Rapoport, the Rams and Colts were among a group of teams that were seemingly trying to trade up for Bowers.
It’s a compliment to the Raiders’ draft that they were able to get a player so highly coveted by other teams, but it’s also notable that an offensive mastermind like Sean McVay was the head coach presumably trying to make massive move to get Bowers.
Tight end might not have been the Raiders’ greatest position of need, but there’s no question that Bowers has as much potential as anyone in this year’s draft class.
For the Raiders to pass on an offensive tackle and the top cornerback on their draft board, it’s a safe assumption that GM Tom Telesco and company view Bowers as a generational talent at the tight end position.