He would take Clemson cornerback
BY STEVE KORTE
News-Democrat
ST. LOUIS - Wide receiver and noted draftnik
Torry Holt has already decided on his choice for the St. Louis Rams' first-round pick in the 2006 NFL draft next weekend.
Holt thinks the Rams should take Clemson cornerback
Tye Hill with the 11th overall pick.
"I like the cornerbacks," Holt said. "Tye Hill is a good player. (South Carolina's) Jonathan Joseph is a good player. (Virginia Tech's) Jimmy Williams is a safety, to me.
Tye Hill is my pick."
Holt served as an analyst for ESPN's draft coverage last year, and he'll do the same this year.
"Over the last couple of weeks I've been studying and watching a lot of film," Holt said. "I've probably studied 300 to 400 to 500 guys at this point. I'm going to give the world my analysis on what I think is going to happen in the draft. It's challenging."
Another Rams player, free safety
Corey Chavous, will serve as a draft analyst for the NFL Network.
Men in red
There were eight players wearing red jerseys during the Rams' minicamp, signifying that it's hands-off those players during practice because they are recovering from injuries.
The quarterbacks wore red jerseys under former coach Mike Martz, but the quarterbacks donned gold jerseys under new coach Scott Linehan.
"I'm an old quarterback," Rams coach Scott Linehan said. "Red is like hands-off. Gold is like, 'Hey, it is a quarterback. Don't tackle him.' Treat them like gold, I don't know if that is it. I just like the color better.
"We had them in gold jerseys when I was in Minnesota and in college, so I just like that better."
The men in red were cornerback Jerametrius Butler, linebackers Dexter Coakley,
Brandon Chillar and Trev Faulk, guards Adam Timmerman, Andy McCollum and Claude Terrell and defensive tackle Jeremy Callahan.
Butler missed the entire 2005 season after suffering a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his knee on the first day of training camp.
"I put this helmet on, and it had been so long, it didn't fit anymore," Butler said. "I had to tell (Rams equipment manager) Todd Hewitt to take some air out of the helmet. It's good to be back."
Faulk said he hurt his back during the Rams' off-season conditioning program.
"I did it at the beginning of the off-season program, but it's been something that has been with me for a while," Faulk said. "It was kind of something that comes about from playing ball and banging.
"Hopefully, it will go away soon. It's just a little back condition."
Quick hits
• Linehan said he wasn't certain that running back Marshall Faulk, who has been excused from attending the Rams' minicamp because of a prior obligation, would be back this season until meeting with the 12-year NFL veteran about 10 days ago.
"He was adamant about his commitment to next year," Linehan said. "He didn't know me any better than I know him. If he is even contemplating not being here, I'd sure like to know so we can move on and treat this is the most respectful manner.
"He said, 'I'm hungrier this year than I have been in two or three years."'
• The Rams signed punter Andy Groom after a tryout Friday morning.
Groom, an Ohio State product, was with the Redskins for the first two games of the 2005 season before being replaced by Derrick Frost. He averaged 39 yards per punt on his 11 punts for the Redskins, including two punts inside the 20.
Linehan said Groom's arrival was no reflection on the performance of veteran punter Matt Turk. Linehan said Turk has been punting well, but the team wanted to take a look at Groom as a developmental prospect after watching him boom several punts on Friday morning.
• Wide receiver Brad Pyatt missed the afternoon practice because of back spasms
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