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Defensive line is one area that the St. Louis Rams could skip in the NFL Draft. Yet we cannot be sure with head coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead calling the shots. Snead especially prefers to draft by best player available. It has worked in the past for the Rams with Robert Quinn or even last year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year winner in Aaron Donald.
One name that fits the Snead mold is Nebraska’s Randy Gregory. However, is the Cornhusker a good fit in St. Louis?
Pros: To say Gregory is a towering prospect is an understatement. He stands at 6’6 and weighs 240 pounds. He has the capability of being a 3-4 defensive end or a 4-3 outside linebacker. A perfect example of the type of player he can become in both defensive schemes is Miami Dolphins’ DE Dion Jordan or Denver Broncos’ LB Von Miller.
He has tremendous quickness that allows him to be more assertive with his swim moves and bull rushes. Gregory is extremely fast off the edges and has an incredible knack for shaking blockers. The combination of his hand placement, athleticism and his pursuit ability creates enough of a distraction to keep offenses on their toes. If that wasn’t enough, he’s extremely methodical with his approach to penetrating the line of scrimmage. He won’t attempt to bull rush a stronger, heavier offensive lineman, but Gregory won’t hesitate with a smaller guard. That kind of awareness is difficult to find in young defenders.
While Gregory is a bit raw, he has proven much in little amount of time in Nebraska. In just two seasons with the Cornhuskers, he picked up 120 tackles, 17.5 sacks, four pass deflections and two interceptions. Last season, he was a bit banged up and didn’t produce as much as he could have.
Cons: While his height may be a plus, Gregory needs to add much more muscle to his frame in order to compete in the NFL. As he sits right now, he isn’t likely to overpower many offensive lineman. In fact, if he can’t add the extra weight, he most likely will have to play as a 4-3 outside linebacker.
Run defense is also a cause for concern with him too. Gregory looks confused at times going against the run and doesn’t go where he should. Along with that, he mainly concentrates on tackling rather than attacking the football which is can be a good thing at times, but he isn’t likely to cause many fumbles. He also has an injury history, which could steer teams away if they feel that it can follow him into the NFL.
Bottom line: While it would be a shock to see Gregory fall to the Rams at the 10th pick, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities. The value would certainly be there, but there is a huge risk since the transition to a 4-3 outside linebacker would likely be much more difficult. Still, he does have the instincts and the athleticism to do it. Expect Snead and Fisher to pay close attention to him during his Pro Day.
Source: Sports-reference.com
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
2015, 2015 NFL Draft, Aaron Donald, Dion Jordan, featured, Jeff Fisher, Les Snead, NFL, Randy Gregory, Robert Quinn, St. Louis Rams, University of Nebraska, Von Miller
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Defensive line is one area that the St. Louis Rams could skip in the NFL Draft. Yet we cannot be sure with head coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead calling the shots. Snead especially prefers to draft by best player available. It has worked in the past for the Rams with Robert Quinn or even last year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year winner in Aaron Donald.
One name that fits the Snead mold is Nebraska’s Randy Gregory. However, is the Cornhusker a good fit in St. Louis?
Pros: To say Gregory is a towering prospect is an understatement. He stands at 6’6 and weighs 240 pounds. He has the capability of being a 3-4 defensive end or a 4-3 outside linebacker. A perfect example of the type of player he can become in both defensive schemes is Miami Dolphins’ DE Dion Jordan or Denver Broncos’ LB Von Miller.
He has tremendous quickness that allows him to be more assertive with his swim moves and bull rushes. Gregory is extremely fast off the edges and has an incredible knack for shaking blockers. The combination of his hand placement, athleticism and his pursuit ability creates enough of a distraction to keep offenses on their toes. If that wasn’t enough, he’s extremely methodical with his approach to penetrating the line of scrimmage. He won’t attempt to bull rush a stronger, heavier offensive lineman, but Gregory won’t hesitate with a smaller guard. That kind of awareness is difficult to find in young defenders.
While Gregory is a bit raw, he has proven much in little amount of time in Nebraska. In just two seasons with the Cornhuskers, he picked up 120 tackles, 17.5 sacks, four pass deflections and two interceptions. Last season, he was a bit banged up and didn’t produce as much as he could have.
Cons: While his height may be a plus, Gregory needs to add much more muscle to his frame in order to compete in the NFL. As he sits right now, he isn’t likely to overpower many offensive lineman. In fact, if he can’t add the extra weight, he most likely will have to play as a 4-3 outside linebacker.
Run defense is also a cause for concern with him too. Gregory looks confused at times going against the run and doesn’t go where he should. Along with that, he mainly concentrates on tackling rather than attacking the football which is can be a good thing at times, but he isn’t likely to cause many fumbles. He also has an injury history, which could steer teams away if they feel that it can follow him into the NFL.
Bottom line: While it would be a shock to see Gregory fall to the Rams at the 10th pick, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities. The value would certainly be there, but there is a huge risk since the transition to a 4-3 outside linebacker would likely be much more difficult. Still, he does have the instincts and the athleticism to do it. Expect Snead and Fisher to pay close attention to him during his Pro Day.
Source: Sports-reference.com
You can follow Johnny Gomez on Twitter @Johnny5not6. Be sure to follow Rams Talk on Twitter @TalkRams.
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