With the 14th pick in the 2011 Draft, the Rams select Robert Quinn, DE, UNC

[Truth]

I'm ok with the pick. We certainly could use help with the pass rush. I'm a little concerned with his run defense. I'm hoping we'll be able to work on that. I really would like to see the DT position adressed. Overall, good pick. On to round 2. There are still some intriguing players available.

[sosa39rams]

What a solid pick. The best DE in the draft dropped to us. This kid is going to be something special. Didn't even mention him and Chris Long on the same defensive line.

[GROUND DOG 39]

Not many people called this pick and I reckon the Rams were surprised to see Quinn there at 14 and got themselves a speedy enforcer in the front 7. Spags is starting to build up his talent on the DL.

[rams_man13]

I can honestly say I am THRILLED with this pick. Quinn is an explosive, elite pass rusher who was one of my top 7 prospects. To get him at 14 is amazing. He's been compared to Julius Peppers in that he is a big body with great speed and burst. I think he and Long are perfect compliments. I'm very happy that we have young, talented book ends on both the O and D lines for the foreseeable future. Football is won in the trenches.

I think our draft will go OLB and RB in the next two rounds in some order, and then OG and FS in the 4th and 5th. Our 7th rounders is where we'll grab some ST talent and developmental players. Maybe something like: Mason Foster OLB, Kendall Hunter RB, John Moffitt OG and Robert Sands FS.

We'll look for Barry Cofeild in FA (with a very solid chance of signing him assuming he actually does hit the market and is not tendered) and maybe bring in Rice (although I don't think McDaniels needs a true WR1 as his offense is based on having a lot of options on the field and finding the open one).

Things continue to look up.

Welcome to St. Louis Mr. Quinn.

[Alec22]

Awesome. Love it.

[r8rh8rmike]

Love the pick! Great start to the draft. When I worry about the health issues, I think about Lance Armstrong and what he did after going through brain surgery for a tumor. This kid is obviously a battler and the fact that he fought through a life threatening illness to become a top college defensive player speaks volumes IMO. All things considered, I don't think we could have done any better with the pick.

[fliptalianstallion]

BTW, I only bashed on him taking Bradford because I didn't like how he built the team for him, when we KNEW we needed a QB, and IMO the BEST QB since Peyton Manning was coming in Bradford (and he was staying in school for another year). I've always loved Bradford, but didn't like the situation he was brought in, with the WR Corps. Because of that, I still feel Suh should have been the pick. There is still a lack of foresight by Billy D, for that, straight up. I'm really really curious what happens now in round 2 with the Baldwin now off the board. Grrrrr!

Well I understand your view of the situation during the time of hindsight but it's just you've overexaggerated during that time and let your emotions run rampant but now that it's in the past, lets move forward to seeing some good Rams football. I think we have a shot in getting Torrey Smith in the 2nd, he has elite speed, solid hands, and is smooth in changing direction without significant loss in speed, though his route running is questionable, I can see him molding it well under McDaniels's leash.

Anyways, I really love the pick on Quinn. I was absolutely speechless in getting this top notch pass rusher and our D-line should show some elements of the Fearsome Foursome. His tumor really helped shaped his character and molded perfectly into becoming the talented, humble, player for years to come. The only concerns I have for him is how he's going to react to the run-game and hopefully that tumor doesn't get anywhere to the point of endangering his life. I can see it now, the Lance Armstrong of football.

[C-Mob 71]

Something I haven't seen brought up, the kid is TWENTY YEARS OLD!
And I thought I was young
He has an extremely high ceiling, heck he hasn't even fully grown into his body.

We just nabbed the best pass rusher in the draft and people are still complaining?
I guess if Sam Bradford can't make you happy, then nothing will. Poor guys.

[fliptalianstallion]

Something I haven't seen brought up, the kid is TWENTY YEARS OLD!
And I thought I was young
He has an extremely high ceiling, heck he hasn't even fully grown into his body.

We just nabbed the best pass rusher in the draft and people are still complaining?
I guess if Sam Bradford can't make you happy, then nothing will. Poor guys.

Heck I'm not complaining, just concerned about the kid. His tumor may be benign but that can still be dangerous if it makes contact with vital organs, which is near his brain. I hope he can remove that through surgery.

[C-Mob 71]

Heck I'm not complaining, just concerned about the kid. His tumor may be benign but that can still be dangerous if it makes contact with vital organs, which is near his brain. I hope he can remove that through surgery.

That wasn't directed at you Flip, it is valid to be worried about the tumor, but I have faith that people who are a lot smarter than me checked him out and cleared him to play. If the Rams doctors were worried at all he would have been placed on the DND list, where it looks like his counterpart, Daquon Bowers, might have ended up.

[Richbert88]

Robert Quinn goes to St. Louis Rams with 14th pick in NFL Draft

By Doug Farrar

Pros: Gets off the snap with impressive speed (especially for his size at 6-foot-5, 268 pounds) and employs the full array of pass-rush moves — can use a rip move while getting outside a tackle, move quickly into his arc, get low on his turn, and close to the quarterback. Relentless once he gets started, especially with his explosiveness. Good upper-body strength allows him to avoid being ridden out of plays — pass or run — by stronger blockers. Closes inside the tackle pretty well, though he needs to develop better footwork and angle fakes. Can bull-rush the strongest blockers at times.

In short-yardage situations, Quinn has a good head for avoiding overpursuit, instead watching the quarterback and potentially either stopping a sneak or batting a ball down. He's not a one-trick pony. When Quinn loops inside at a wider angle, he overwhelms weaker guards and centers, easily splitting double-teams. In a short area, he can also blast by the guard's outside shoulder. Slides off blockers quickly to make run tackles in the backfield; it's very important to note that Quinn can do more than just pressure the quarterback.

Cons: When he's playing wide off the snap, it's easy to box him out because Quinn doesn't re-set in short spaces the way the best pass rushers do. He seems intent on staying on one track. Doesn't have a spin move per se, though again, the potential is there for Quinn to mess people up if he develops one.

What he brings to the team: Many of the technique gaps Quinn presented in 2009 most likely would have been solved in 2010, had he been able to play and receive coaching. Now, the questions surrounding his NFL potential are twofold: it's not only about how he looks more than a year past his last gameday snaps, but also whether he's developed any new moves that he can show off in Indianapolis and at his pro day.

We all have opinions about a system that makes millions of dollars off the efforts of its athletes and can end a collegiate career after a kid accepts $5,000 in gifts, but Robert Quinn can't worry about that. He's got to prove that he's not just the player people saw in 2008 and 2009, but has developed in a year of working out away from the day-to-day discipline players have in a team setting. If he can do that, Quinn could very well be one of the top ends in the game over time.

Is it the right pick? To be blunt, it's a ridiculous steal, and every team in the NFC West just thought long and hard about their offensive tackle situation. Putting Chris Long(notes) and Robert Quinn alongside each other might just be illegal.

I love the bit at the end.

[Bar-bq]

So now we add the character risks? Awesome. Yes, I know we need help on the line, he has all this fabulous upside, and the wideouts were long gone, but I've become very tired with the "swing for the fences" draft strategy that doesn't hit nearly as often as it should.

I'd rather we played it safe and went with Liuget.

No! What a complete surprise! Who could possibly have guessed that Peoria wouldn't be happy with the Rams' pick? Stop the freakin' presses.

[sosa39rams]

I don't understand some people. Before this draft I don't think there was one mock draft with us taking Robert Quinn...the reason for this was because we all thought he was too good to drop to 14. He is the best pass rusher in the DRAFT! He is 20 years old and only can go up from here. He is a terrific person and a hard worker. The only question anyone should have is the tumor and it was cleared. I think this was the best thing that could happen to us...yes even better than Julio dropping. This is a blessing in disguise.

I guess some people will never be pleased.

[fliptalianstallion]

So now we add the character risks? Awesome. Yes, I know we need help on the line, he has all this fabulous upside, and the wideouts were long gone, but I've become very tired with the "swing for the fences" draft strategy that doesn't hit nearly as often as it should.

I'd rather we played it safe and went with Liuget.

**Plays the "What if" Machine to see reaction of getting Corey Liuget**

Well we risk getting a guy who's draft stock rose out of nowhere and lacks acceleration for providing containment as a five-technique. To think we could've gotten Ryan Kerrigan and made him a hybrid DE/LB.

What's more to say?

[Azul e Oro]

And what happens if Selvie comes on strong as we hope he will ? That's a wicked rotation for our QB/OL-weak NFCW rivals to deal with. Nullify their strength (good/high ceiling WR/TEs) by pummelling their weakness before he can get them the ball.

I have no problem with the bending of 4P for Quinn. It's shameful,imo, to scapegoat these kids for the unscrupulous behavior of agents or whatever cynical parasites, never mind the huge amounts of money college ball generates for the schools.

The cancer story is more inspirational than worrisome to me. Hard not to trust The Rams med evaluation team after Bradford's every-snap season, isn't it?