Getty T.Y. Hilton and Trumaine Johnson during their September 10, 2017 game in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Rams are officially two weeks away from turning to the NFL draft to finally address countless needy areas.
It’s either by gut feeling or by analytics that will determine who becomes a new member of the “Rams House.” But questions continue to arise on who would fall to No. 36 to L.A.
ESPN released a new analytics predictor on Friday, April 14 and with it, came the percentage of which players facing the highest probability of being available to the Rams. And the one prospect with the highest percentage of going 36th overall? Tyler Scott of Cincinnati calculated at 95% — a speedy 4.44 wide receiver who’s drawn comparisons to Pro Bowler T.Y. Hilton.
Reasons for T.Y. Hilton Comparisons
A projected second-rounder getting compared to a four-time Pro Bowler has to be a glistening remark for that prospect — and for the team seeking a weapon like Hilton.
Draft expert Lance Zierlein of nfl.com dove into the reasons behind the correlation between the Bearcats wide receiver and Hilton.
“While the comparison to T.Y. Hilton might raise some eyebrows, Scott is a similar player in body type, speed and versatility,” Zierlein began in his evaluation. “With just two seasons of starting experience at receiver, his route running and ball skills are almost certain to continue to improve and become less of an issue for him in the future.”
What made Hilton revered and dangerous for the Colts was coming equipped with 4.34 speed. While Scott is 10 seconds slower than Hilton, the Bearcat still made his own set of dynamic plays for a Group of 5 program that became a College Football Playoff contender the last two seasons.
“He has the speed and shiftiness to uncover on all three levels. Also, he offers jet sweep and receiver screen value,” Zierlein said.
The latter offering has got to be appealing for Sean McVay, Mike LaFleur and company as the Rams are known to hit teams with handoffs to receivers — a la Cooper Kupp and in the past, Robert Woods and Brandon Powell.
But what weaknesses does Scott have that’s causing him to fall out of the first round?
“A smallish frame and lack of hand strength are likely to continue to plague him on contested catches, though,” Zierlein wrote.
But, in the end: “Scott is an ascending talent whose versatility and playmaking talent create an easily projectable upside as a good starting slot receiver early in his career.”
Next Highest Available Prospect, per ESPN Draft Predictor
So who followed Scott in this ESPN model?
The prospect with the second-highest chance of landing at 36th overall to the Rams: D.J. Turner of Michigan.
The lightning-quick cornerback best known for running a 4.26 40-yard dash time has long been a projection to the Rams. Especially for a team needing to replace Jalen Ramsey following the March trade to the Miami Dolphins.
The Rams were even predicted to nab Turner through this projected method: Move up in the draft and swap with the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 31 to claim the Wolverine by Pro Football Network.