Rams looking for red zone threats

by Ryan Van Bibber on May 26, 2010 9:00 AM CDT in 2010 St. Louis Rams offseason

Fans spit beer on their computer screens and pundits scratched their head when the St. Louis Rams made TE Michael Hoomanawanui, a blocking tight end nonetheless, the first pick of the fifth round. "Uh Oh" has a long way to go before the draft grades are rewritten but he made a nice play at OTAs today, pulling in a Sam Bradford ball with just one giant, soft hand.

With raw emotion about the draft now salved over a bit, I went back and looked at some more info on Uh Oh. The prescient 3k referenced him back in Feb. in a post featuring some names to keep an eye on at the Combine. I have to reprint 3k's quote here for the meta reference as much as the info it provides:

This is the kind of name that gives Van nightmares, and the kind of frame that gives CBs nightmares too. All thickness and no quickness, he's in a similar situation as John Jerry. Might be looked at as a FB, but does he have the mobility? Interesting guy to keep an eye on.

The first part is dead on, as is the rest of the info. I can't speak to Uh Oh much more than what the scouting reports say, but his hands are well thought of by lots of prospect watchers in addition to excellent blocking ability. Speed-wise, Uh Oh's 4.77 time in the 40 was only about a tenth of a second slower than the times posted by Gresham and Gronkowski (4.66 and 4.68 respectively). Still, he's not seen, for obvious reasons, as the complete package like those guys, but what he could very be, in addition to a blocker, is a useful red zone player.

You don't need many stats to quantify just how awful the Rams were in the red zone last year. When you score an average of 10.9 points per game, it's just assumed. Nevertheless, the Rams offense had a -59.3 percent DVOA in the red zone, worst in the league.

The Rams are acutally accumulating a decent complement of players who could be factors in the red zone. We talked about RB Chris Ogbonnaya yesterday, and a healthy group of receivers would give them several different looks.

Stay tuned, plenty of questions left to answer.

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Comments

Pete Holihan

Remember him anyone? He was only 237lb though, but similar height. The guy was not fast either yet he had quite a few good years for the Rams, and hands were REALLY good.

"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi

by VTramsFan on May 26, 2010 9:16 AM CDT reply actions

I remember Pete

No stats in front of me – but my memory remembers him catching everything thrown his way….

I should be working right now...

by gorams77 on May 26, 2010 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Yes you're right

He was always a target for Chris Everett (looking over shoulder)

Pete Holihan Career Sats: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoloPe00.htm

Jim Everett / Jim Rome scuffle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOVxitMy47c

"The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall." - Vince Lombardi

by VTramsFan on May 26, 2010 3:53 PM CDT up reply actions

i think fendi will be better

by Danteslion on May 26, 2010 9:32 AM CDT reply actions

but Fendi won't be used much in the red zone...

when Fendi comes in, defense will know Rams plan on passing…. but put in a slow beefy tight End, defense will think Run. It’ll be a surprise when he releases from his block and catches a fade over in the corner of the end zone.

I do look forward to Fendi playing though… he could add some excitement to the games if he works out. I heard on the radio the other day, the “H” man on 590 said they had Fendi working out with the wide recievers instead of the tight ends…. hmmm, sounds like he won’t be used for blocking.

by Rams Homer on May 26, 2010 12:10 PM CDT up reply actions

I think part of that is

he has played so very little, they want him to get intensive “hands” work. I would bet all the TE’s will be used for blocking, and any TE who is in the game will need to block just as any RB who is in the game will need to block.

by CoachConnors on May 26, 2010 12:39 PM CDT up reply actions

I think you have a very good point...

and more than likely, you are correct.

But, to be devils advocate, just because a guy is labeled as a Tight End, doesn’t mean you have to play him as a tight end. He does have Wide Reciever speed and obviously, would create a huge mis-match with the much shorter DB’s and Safety’s in the league.

by Rams Homer on May 26, 2010 12:50 PM CDT up reply actions

Questionable Pick

I for one considered this the biggest “head scratcher”.
I would like nothing more than to see UH-HO break the starting line up.
Holihan……..nice blast from the past.
Fendi is definitely more intriguing.
As long as they produce. That’s all that matters.

by ZamRam on May 26, 2010 12:14 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

Multiple "head scratchers"

but Johnson was probably the one I was most upset about….

I should be working right now...

by gorams77 on May 26, 2010 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Reminds me of who,

Jackie Smith of the old football Cards. Not fast but got the job done. Just get him the ball and watch him bull over those little defense backs.

by learning on May 26, 2010 3:30 PM CDT up reply actions

Round 5 is where fan speculation ends

And professionals begin. Let’s be honest, drafting guys you have heard of seems like a good idea to your average fan, but the 5th round and beyond comes down to actual scouting and talent evaluation. Somebody fought for this pick in the war room because they believed there was something there. We are not privy to that Information and are not In A position to judge a pick bad or good.
d

If you love something, set it free. If it doesn't come back, find it and kill it.

by gomer7 on May 26, 2010 12:39 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

Make's ya wish...

you could be in the war room as these guys are being discussed, bet there are some fun little arguements.

by Rams Homer on May 26, 2010 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Uh-Oh was a good choice. He will do very well in the passing game.

by rlf707 on May 26, 2010 2:16 PM CDT reply actions

"Uh Oh" has always displayed nice hands, but

I really wonder if he can get open consistantly enough to be a legitimate receiving threat. Fells has decent hands too, and can get once at least once in a great while when no on thinks he’s going to be targeted. But that’s not quite the same thing as being a receiving threat.

by CoachConnors on May 26, 2010 3:38 PM CDT reply actions

If he can catch, he'll help

Uh-Oh clearly isn’t going to be a great deep threat, but don’t you think he’ll be useful as a relief valve out in the flat, or sitting down underneath the zone? Or even as a decoy taking a LB up the field? If he has good hands and can catch underneath or on fades over the top, then the defense will have to pay attention to him.

by apack on May 26, 2010 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions

If you had someone like that, would you use him?

If he can get open, sure. And if he can’t, then no he won’t be taking LB’s anywhere. He was not a recieving threat in college. At all. I don’t think “decoy” has much value compared to what they already have in Fells, so I’ll be hoping he brings more to the Rams than what he showed in his college game.

oh sure, I understand a guy doesn’t need to have a lot of speed to be a receiving threat.
Likewise, deep speed means nothing on its own. For example, I watch Darrius Heyward-Bey running around not getting open every weekend, and he has all kinds of deep speed. But since he doesn’t get open, he is very ineffective, especially in the red zone.

by CoachConnors on May 26, 2010 6:43 PM CDT up reply actions