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On Thursday, April 26, the St. Louis Rams will try to take their next step towards respectability by filling their roster through the 2012 NFL Draft. This is a year when the team must prioritize roster needs over wants. The Rams might love running back Trent Richardson, but they need a wide receiver and help on both the offensive and defensive lines.
This is a departure in strategy for me because I’ve written that the Rams should take Richardson if he’s available. However, there are so many holes on this roster that the team must fill them before going after a running back. That’s the only way the Rams will be able to contend in the NFL again.
Here’s a look at five players who would fill needs on the Rams’ roster for 2012:
Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
If there has been one thing the Rams have missed in the Sam Bradford era, it’s been a playmaking wide receiver. I’m not sold on his speed, and his attitude must improve, but Blackmon is the type of player who can change a game. He has a nose for the football that few receivers ever have, especially in the end zone. If Blackmon is still available, and the Rams don’t trade down from the sixth pick in the draft, this is probably the pick they will make.
Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
While Blackmon is believed by many experts to be the best receiver in this draft, I think Michael Floyd is a better fit for the Rams. What makes this idea even more appealing is that the Rams can probably trade down to get him. Floyd has the unique combination of size and speed that the team needs right now. Blackmon is talented, but he doesn’t have the burst running downfield that Floyd has. This is the pick I favor the Rams making, even if they can’t trade down to do it. I honestly believe he can develop into an elite receiver in St. Louis.
Fletcher Cox, DL, Mississippi State
The Rams were last in the NFL last season in rush defense. The Rams could solve that problem by drafting fast-rising defensive lineman Fletcher Cox. Currently ranked as the seventh best prospect in the 2012 NFL Draft, Cox is an outstanding run stopper who would bring athleticism and versatility to the Rams defense. The only problem is that St. Louis needs a wide receiver more than a defensive lineman. One possibility could include the Rams taking Cox and then making a trade to get back into the first round to draft Floyd or Texas A&M’s Stephen Hill.
Kevin Zeitler, OG, Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Kevin Zeitler is one of the best, if not the best, run blockers in this draft. His style would fit in perfectly with the offense head coach Jeff Fisher will run in St. Louis. Zeitler would also add talent to an offensive line that did little to protect Bradford in 2011. There’s a good chance the Rams take him with their first pick in the second round if he’s available.
Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State
I’m a Big Ten guy, so maybe some of my personal bias is getting in the way, but I think Jerel Worthy would be an outstanding pick for the Rams. According to scout Charlie Campbell, Worthy is a playmaker who can take over games. He also shoots the gap well. I saw these characteristics from Worthy all season, and I think he would be a great fit for a team that hasn’t had a true force on the interior defensive line in years.
Derek Ciapala has been a Rams fan since he was a child and the team was in Los Angeles. His favorite Rams moments include Flipper Anderson’s 336-yard receiving night against the Saints in 1989, and their miracle 1999 run to their first Super Bowl victory. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala.
(Originally published on Yahoo! Sports)
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On Thursday, April 26, the St. Louis Rams will try to take their next step towards respectability by filling their roster through the 2012 NFL Draft. This is a year when the team must prioritize roster needs over wants. The Rams might love running back Trent Richardson, but they need a wide receiver and help on both the offensive and defensive lines.
This is a departure in strategy for me because I’ve written that the Rams should take Richardson if he’s available. However, there are so many holes on this roster that the team must fill them before going after a running back. That’s the only way the Rams will be able to contend in the NFL again.
Here’s a look at five players who would fill needs on the Rams’ roster for 2012:
Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
If there has been one thing the Rams have missed in the Sam Bradford era, it’s been a playmaking wide receiver. I’m not sold on his speed, and his attitude must improve, but Blackmon is the type of player who can change a game. He has a nose for the football that few receivers ever have, especially in the end zone. If Blackmon is still available, and the Rams don’t trade down from the sixth pick in the draft, this is probably the pick they will make.
Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
While Blackmon is believed by many experts to be the best receiver in this draft, I think Michael Floyd is a better fit for the Rams. What makes this idea even more appealing is that the Rams can probably trade down to get him. Floyd has the unique combination of size and speed that the team needs right now. Blackmon is talented, but he doesn’t have the burst running downfield that Floyd has. This is the pick I favor the Rams making, even if they can’t trade down to do it. I honestly believe he can develop into an elite receiver in St. Louis.
Fletcher Cox, DL, Mississippi State
The Rams were last in the NFL last season in rush defense. The Rams could solve that problem by drafting fast-rising defensive lineman Fletcher Cox. Currently ranked as the seventh best prospect in the 2012 NFL Draft, Cox is an outstanding run stopper who would bring athleticism and versatility to the Rams defense. The only problem is that St. Louis needs a wide receiver more than a defensive lineman. One possibility could include the Rams taking Cox and then making a trade to get back into the first round to draft Floyd or Texas A&M’s Stephen Hill.
Kevin Zeitler, OG, Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Kevin Zeitler is one of the best, if not the best, run blockers in this draft. His style would fit in perfectly with the offense head coach Jeff Fisher will run in St. Louis. Zeitler would also add talent to an offensive line that did little to protect Bradford in 2011. There’s a good chance the Rams take him with their first pick in the second round if he’s available.
Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State
I’m a Big Ten guy, so maybe some of my personal bias is getting in the way, but I think Jerel Worthy would be an outstanding pick for the Rams. According to scout Charlie Campbell, Worthy is a playmaker who can take over games. He also shoots the gap well. I saw these characteristics from Worthy all season, and I think he would be a great fit for a team that hasn’t had a true force on the interior defensive line in years.
Derek Ciapala has been a Rams fan since he was a child and the team was in Los Angeles. His favorite Rams moments include Flipper Anderson’s 336-yard receiving night against the Saints in 1989, and their miracle 1999 run to their first Super Bowl victory. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala.
(Originally published on Yahoo! Sports)
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