Best Rams Draft Class Since 2000?

[argpdt]

I was wondering which Rams draft class, since the 2000 NFL draft, people think was the best overall. It is probably too early to really evaluate the 2005 class, but I have them listed anyway.

I am leaning towards the 2003 class myself.



2005 Draft
1 19(19) Alex Barron OT Florida St.
2 18(50) Ron Bartell CB Howard
3 2(66) Oshiomogho Atogwe S Stanford
3 17(81) Richie Incognito C Nebraska
4 16(117) Jerome Carter S Florida St.
4 33(134) Claude Terrell OG New Mexico
5 8(144) Jerome Collins TE Notre Dame
6 18(192) Dante Ridgeway WR Ball St.
6 36(210) Reggie Hodges P Ball St.
7 36(250) Ryan Fitzpatrick QB Harvard
7 37(251) Madison Hedgecock TE North Carolina

2004 Draft
1 24(24) Steven Jackson* RB Oregon St.
3 28(91) Tony Hargrove* DE Georgia Tech
4 34(130) Brandon Chillar OLB UCLA
5 26(158) Jason Shivers* S Arizona St.
6 36(201) Jeff Smoker QB Michigan St.
7 36(237) Erik Jensen TE Iowa
7 37(238) Larry Turner OT E. Kentucky

2003 Draft
1 12(12) Jimmy Kennedy DT Penn St.
2 11(43) Pisa Tinoisamoa OLB Hawaii
3 10(74) Kevin Curtis WR Utah St.
4 9(106) Shaun McDonald* WR Arizona St.
4 10(107) DeJuan Groce CB Nebraska
5 13(148) Dan Curley TE E. Washington
5 35(170) Shane Walton CB Notre Dame
5 37(172) Kevin Garrett CB SMU
6 11(184) Scott Tercero OG California
7 37(251) Scott Shanle OLB Nebraska
7 40(254) Richard Angulo TE Western New Mexico

2002 Draft
1 31 Robert Thomas ILB UCLA
2 64 Travis Fisher CB Central Florida
3 84 Lamar Gordon HB North Dakota St.
3 95 Eric Crouch WR Nebraska
4 130 Travis Scott OG Arizona St.
5 167 Courtland Bullard OLB Ohio St.
6 205 Steve Bellisari QB Ohio St.
7 243 Chris Massey C Marshall

2001 Draft
1 12 Damione Lewis DT Miami (FL)
1 20 Adam Archuleta S Arizona St.
1 29 Ryan Pickett DT Ohio St.
2 42 Tommy Polley OLB Florida St.
3 83 Brian Allen OLB Florida St.
4 116 Milton Wynn WR Washington St.
4 129 Brandon Manumaleuna TE Arizona
5 145 Jerametrius Butler CB Kansas St.
6 197 Francis St. Paul WR Northern Arizona

2000 Draft
1 31 Trung Canidate HB Arizona
2 62 Jacoby Shepherd CB Oklahoma St.
3 94 John St. Clair C Virginia
4 104 Kaulana Noa OG Hawaii
5 139 Brian Young DE Texas-El Paso
6 198 Matt Bowen S Iowa
7 220 Andrew Kline OG San Diego St.

[Milan]

I say that they picked the best in 2001, followed by 2003 and then 2004. Who knows, maybe our 2005 picks might be future Leonard Little's or Torry Holt's.

[RamJackson39]

It's really amazing how few of those guys are still with the team.

I'm leaning toward 2005. These rookies are contirbuting and playing very well.

*I cant believe that we drafted Damione Lewis at #12. Wow.

[MauiRam]

Class of 2005 all the way! Especially if O.J. and Carter step it up next year.
:football:

[ramhard]

I think for a draft to be considered one of your bests, it needs a least one bonifide star and some surprising down low of solid starters. For this reason I discount all up to 2004, as no real stars there. Only in 2004 do you get a potential star in Jackson but only limited below, so the hope is for 2005.

And I know people are going to try to brand Arch, Curtis, or Pisa as stars but Arch is likely to not be resigned - so that takes him out of the star category, and Pisa while solid does not alter anything on D, Pickett and Kennedy have had flashes but neither are stars, Curtis has been great and is the closest I think to star potential.

Looking at this shows why the Rams talent level has dropped.

[ramsbruce]

I say that they picked the best in 2002

:O :O :O

Our 2002 draft was a joke. All we have from that draft is Fisher. Any draft with Eric Crouch at WR in it is a joke.

[HUbison]

:O :O :O

Our 2002 draft was a joke. All we have from that draft is Fisher. Any draft with Eric Crouch at WR in it is a joke.

Don't forget Massey.

[Milan]

:O :O :O

Our 2002 draft was a joke. All we have from that draft is Fisher. Any draft with Eric Crouch at WR in it is a joke.

Oh sorry I meant 2001 . Typo.

[STLRAMSFAN]

One thing that jumps out at me is 6 years 8 first round picks 0 ProBowlers.
2003 is the best so far.
2004 and 2005 are to early to predict but there was no good second choice. I will hope for 2005 as second best even though we all tend to get a little carried away with the hype and think higher then what it might be.

[ramsbruce]

Oh sorry I meant 2001 . Typo.

Whew LOL I was worried there for a while.

[HUbison]

It's always tough to gauge the success of a draft, but for some the reason the downfall of a draft is always easy to see........can anyone say 2000? If we were to break it down by starter, non-starter, or gone, it goes like this:

2005: 3 starters, 5 non-starters, 3 gone
2004: 2 starters, 2 non-starters, 3 gone
2003: 3 starters, 2 non-starters, 6 gone
2002: 1 starter, 1 non-starter, 6 gone
2001: 4 starters, 1 non-starter, 4 gone
2000: 0 starters, 0 non-starters, 7 gone

Total: 13 starters, 11 non-starters, 29 gone

[HUbison]

It always amaze me what a roll of the dice drafts always are. Take for example, Mel Kiper. This guy's only job is to evaluate players in the draft. That's it, that's his whole reason for existence. Yet, he doesn't always get it right either. In 2004, he said the Rams had the steals of the draft with Jeff Smoker and Jason Shivers. In 2001, he said William Green and Antonio Bryant were the best skill players on the board. In 2000, he said the best TE was Arthur Love and the best OT was Brandon Winey.

If a guy whose reason for being is the draft can't always get it right, it should come as no surprise that NFL teams who have a whole lot more going on seem to swing and miss more often than not.

[txramsfan]

How can anyone discount 2003? Four out of the top five picks are starters.