Rams' Les Snead ran into a glitch during Day 2 of NFL draft

Rams’ Les Snead ran into a glitch during Day 2 of NFL draft

Rams general manager Les Snead speaks during a press conference at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis on Feb. 25.

Staff Writer

April 25, 2020 Updated 7:57 AM PT

The first virtual draft in NFL history went off without a major problem for the Rams but it did include a glitch on Friday.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rams had spent weeks using online technology for meetings and other pre-draft business. The Rams navigated their way and “hadn’t had trouble at all,” general manager Les Snead said.

But about 10 picks before the Rams made their first choice in the second round, internet service went out at Snead’s Malibu home.

“It was gone,” Snead said. “It was wiped out.”

Joked coach Sean McVay: “I think he probably almost lost his mind and put his hand through a screen before we picked.”

Jeff Graves, the Rams’ manager of information technology, was on site at Snead’s home. Graves had set up systems and multiple backups at the homes of Snead, McVay, chief operating officer Kevin Demoff and vice president Tony Pastoors.

Snead credited Graves for fixing the problem during a 30-minute time frame.

“I don’t know how he did it, but I did find out that there was a truck at the end of the night parked outside of my house pumping, I guess, service to us,” Snead said.

Snead went on to select four players during the second and third rounds — running back Cam Akers, receiver Van Jefferson, outside linebacker Terrell Lewis and safety Terrell Burgess.