Turf Show Times
How did the Rams crop of rookies perform in college last year?
The Los Angeles Rams draft haul received glowing reviews by analysts. Some of that may be from Los Angeles’s ability to turn their 26th overall pick into the 46th overall pick + 2026 first rounder (from Atlanta). At the same time, Los Angeles just did a solid job of solidifying depth across the roster. They grabbed players that fit their style of play and that were productive in college. How productive? Here’s how Pro Football Focus (PFF) graded each player in the College Football 2024 season.
2024 PFF grade: 73.9
In his final season at Eugene, Ferguson posted a solid grade. It was more so boosted by his hands; considering his 77.0 receiving grade. He was dinged a little bit with his blocking which will be something he will need to improve upon at the next level. Adding strength and showing more physicality in the trenches will be imperative that he can validate his second round value.
2024 PFF grade: 91.2
Stewart was the highest graded player by PFF that the Rams selected over the weekend. Stewart posted a whopping 27.7% pass-rush win rate and a 92.3 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2024. Against true pass sets, he was even better...
2024 PFF grade: 81.5
Across four seasons at Auburn, Hunter was the definition of consistent. His rushing grades never dropped below 82.4. In his final year, he forced 59 missed tackles while moving the chains on the ground 68 times. LA needed to improve their explosiveness on offense and Hunter provides that type of change of pace in the run game.
2024 PFF grade: 65.0
Hamilton had the lowest grade of all the Rams draftees but a 65.0 is still in the light green (slightly above average) grading scale. He was particularly impressive against Iowa; earning a 91.3 game grade. Hamilton was highlighted for his ability to bring down ballcarriers when they came his way as evidenced by his 7% missed tackle rate.
2024 PFF grade: 87.2
Paul earned positive marks for his versatility in run-defense and pass-rush; with 84.6 and 84.0 grades respectively.
2024 PFF grade: 69.7
Mumpfield also provides Los Angeles with some versatility. He was particularly impressive in contested-catch situations - hauling in those passes at a 60.0% rate. His lower grade is probably due to a poor performance against Clemson where he received a 50.2 overall grade. He was held to 5 receptions for 58 yards in that game.
Overall, PFF reacted favorably to the Rams draft class; giving the organization a “B+”. We’ll see if the rookies can live up to the collective grade over the next four years!
