Could any of these day 2 tight ends interest the Rams?

Would Theo Johnson or Ja’Tavion Sanders interest the Rams?

With rumors swirling before and after the first round of the draft that the Los Angeles Rams wanted to trade up for Brock Bowers if they could, the question to follow is whether or not Sean McVay has his eyes on any other tight ends in the draft. Especially because as we all know by now, the best tight ends in the NFL are rarely the best tight ends in the NFL draft.

Before we get to the remaining tight ends in the 2024 draft class, read these two scouting reports from the past:

H-back type who lacks the desired size for in-line blocking but certainly has the technique and willingness to do it. He has good hands and flashes an ability to challenge as a pass catcher on all three levels. (He) has the athleticism and blocking ability to become an effective move tight end if paired in the right system. NFL Comparison: Charles Clay

That’s the scouting report for George Kittle, a fifth round pick in 2017. PFF said he would be a very good TE2.

Suspended for an entire season for violating team rules. Only one season of production. Doesn’t have blazing speed. Not a tremendously explosive athlete. Doesn’t come out of his breaks all that well.

Those are the “weaknesses” for Travis Kelce, a third round pick in 2013. And what team today wouldn’t want their hands on Mark Andrews?

“He’s a great big slot receiver. That’s it. He won’t block at all so what do you have other than a big slot who is an average athlete? I gave him a Day 3 grade.” — AFC regional scout

Who is the best tight end in the 2024 draft? Hell if I know. It could be Bowers, but many say he’s not even the type of player we think of when we think of tight ends. The Rams have three picks on day two, will Snead and McVay target any of them?

L.A. know that Tyler Higbee isn’t going to be ready for training camp after tearing his ACL late in the season. Davis Allen, Hunter Long, and free agent Colby Parkinson should fill the room, but if the Rams were willing to get Bowers should we rule out Snead and McVay’s willingness to keep adding talent to a position of great value in the NFL IF you happen to get lucky on day two or three?

Dane Brugler TE rankings

1. Bowers, Georgia
2. Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas (2nd-3rd round)
3. Theo Johnson, Penn State (3rd)
4. Jared Wiley, TCU (3rd)
5. Cade Stover, Ohio State (3rd-4th)
6. Ben Sinnott, Kansas State (4th)
7. Tanner McLachlan, Arizona (4th-5th)
8. Tip Reiman, Illinois (4th-5th)
9. AJ Barner, Michigan (5th)
10. Jaheim Bell, Florida State (5th-6th)
11. Erick All, Iowa (5th-6th)

Ja’Tavon Sanders (6’4, 245 lbs, 4.69 40-yard dash, 1.60 10-yard split)

Of Sanders, Brugler wrote the following in his The Beast draft guide:

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Texas, Sanders was a multi-dimensional tight end in Sarkisian’s spread, RPO offense (62.1 percent of his career snaps came inline). He needed only two seasons to become the Longhorns all-time leader among tight ends in catches (99), and his 68.9 percent first-down/touchdown rate in 2023 is the best among the tight ends in this draft class. A true three-level receiving threat, Sanders has the athletic talent of a wide receiver and boxes out downfield to command the catch point (No. 2 among FBS tight ends with 12 catches of 20-plus yards in 2023, one behind Brock Bowers). Though he is a functional on-the-move blocker because of his range and pop, he needs to put more of a premium on leverage and positioning for him to survive as an NFL blocker. Overall, Sanders needs to become “more available” in his routes and improve his reliability as a blocker, but he is a smooth operator with dynamic talent before, during and after the catch. He projects as an F tight end (similar to Gerald Everett) with starting upside in the NFL.

Theo Johnson (6’6, 259 lbs, 4.57 40-yard dash, 1.61 10-yard split)

With Johnson, he’s got exceptional length and size, rare athleticism for 259 lbs.

SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Penn State, Johnson was a versatile tight end in former offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich’s RPO-based scheme, splitting his time between inline (47.9 percent), slot (38.8 percent) and wide (9.8 percent). A wide receiver in high school in Canada, he faced a steep transition moving to tight end at State College and didn’t have a 100-yard receiving performance in 45 college games (and reached 75 yards just once). But his production steadily climbed each season, and he led the Nittany Lions in touchdown grabs in 2023. Johnson is quick off the ball and builds his speed downfield, giving his quarterback a big tar get with his size, strong hands and athletic catch radius. As a blocker, he doesn’t embarrass himself but needs to better understand leverage and develop more of a glass-chewing mentality. Overall, Johnson has inconsistent college tape and production, but he has A-plus measurements and smooth athletic tools that could allow him to continue developing and become a better pro than college player. Although he is a work in progress, he is a worthy long-term investment for an NFL team.

Would the Rams target Sanders or Johnson with their second round pick? That seems maybe less likely than other positions, we know, but if the team is picking purely on draft grades and who is most likely to develop into an impact player then we have to agree that tight ends seem to carry the biggest bust factor and the biggest reward.