Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan had the following exchange on NFL radio

[RamWraith]

Pat Kirwan and Tim Ryan had the following exchange on NFL radio this afternoon


Kirwan: Donny Avery....I know a lot of guys said, Wow, the first WR off the board...because that's what no one expected.

Ryan: You made the comparison to Torry Holt...and I think he brings some Issac Bruce stuff to the table too. In that offense, where they are right now, with Bennett out on one side, Holt on the other......Saunders had Hakim when he was in St.Louis before....do you need to think of that in this offense now with Donny Avery......3.91 short shuttle...in and out of the breaks in a heartbeat.

Kirwan: Yeah, he can fly.

Kirwan: Devaney was on the show Sunday and said, "Look we knew what we wanted for our offense and the traits we were looking for, and so maybe you don't have Avery #1 on your board as the top WR... well we did... for what we wanted to do."

Kirwan: By the way, they had every WR available to them, and they were looking for something.

Kirwan: And what were they looking for? For someone to start in the slot. When you run 4.34 in the 40... and 3.91 short shuttle, and here's the number that's off the charts: #1 in the NFL this year-- the guy ran 6.30 in the three cone drill. 6.30!!

Ryan: He's going to chew the slot to pieces.

Kirwan: His pivot route....if you can run a 3 cone like that.....If you play inside leverage he's going to be outside until you go out there, then he's going to go back the other way....that's the 3rd cone...right past you. But here's what else he has...and why you can justify the pick.....even though every $9.99 magazine didn't have him as the top WR

Ryan: Return ability.

Kirwan: Right...and how about this number....you start 44 games in college....now remember-- the guy everyone says was the top WR--Devin Thomas. Right?

Ryan: One year wonder

Kirwan: 12 starts

Kirwan 12 starts vs. 44 starts in college. Do you know how many receptions Avery had in college? 210 receptions.

Kirwan: I love when the NFL surprises all the preditors, the radio show guys like us, the tv guys. When Devaney was on NFL radio as a host last year, he was always quick to say, "Say what you want, do what you want, I'm telling you what were going to do." Devaney knew what they wanted to do and I'm sure they were tickled to death Avery was there.

[Fat Pang]

Great post 'Wraith, a little more there to consider and weigh against Adam Schein and the like who seem to think a single original 2nd round pick devalues the whole Rams draft.

Time will tell but I see him contributing in his first season. Not every 2nd round pick will be able to say that at the end of the coming season.

I don't understand why media-types bang on about following your draft board and then when someone does they jump all over them.

[laram0]

That's great stuff. Avery could be the sleeper pick of the draft to eveyone except our RAMS.

[general counsel]

This post should be required reading for any real rams fan who considers himself educated and intellegent. Read this and then tell me that avery would have been available in round 3 and that the pick was a "reach."

there is nothing in life more dangerous that a little knowledge.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[TheBritishRam]

Great post, i wasn't aware of the fact Avery had almost four times as many starts as Thomas. I love this pick more and more everyday

[txramsfan]

Well guys, I'm listing a few people right now who I thought would be great selections for the Rams just to be disappointed.

1. Damione Lewis
2. Jimmy Kennedy
3. Ron Bartell
4. Eddie Kennison

I'm holding judgement on everyone until a few years from now. I can hope everyone turns out great, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Ramer]

I agree, I think Avery is going to be the sleeper of the draft. When we picked him at number 2, I was pretty upset. However, the more I read about him the more excited I am we drafted him.

[shower beers]

Good information to read about. I'll have to say I'm coming around a bit myself.

Just hope that the hype monster doesn't follow him around, being taken ahead of so many big name WRs.

[moloch41]

I'm willing to give Avery the benefit of the doubt because I believe in Saunders and I think he knows what he's looking for, but I really have no faith in Linny- so if it was him making the pick, I would be questioning it more.

[Rambos]

I think Avery will be very productive early much like Hakim was. Hakim did so well as the slot guy with the Rams, Avery will start out in the slot but in a few years he could become the number one or two guy, where Hakim could not.

TX was it Eddie Kennison or the Rams that disappointed. I thought Kennison went on and played well in KC.

My biggest disappointment of any player on this roster is Wroten.

[Mooselini]

I know the Rams see something in him. I was expecting him to be the #2 receiver, but it looks like he'll be #3, the slot receiver. Which isn't bad at all.

[txramsfan]

I think Avery will be very productive early much like Hakim was. Hakim did so well as the slot guy with the Rams, Avery will start out in the slot but in a few years he could become the number one or two guy, where Hakim could not.

TX was it Eddie Kennison or the Rams that disappointed. I thought Kennison went on and played well in KC.

My biggest disappointment of any player on this roster is Wroten.

Kennison didn't play well for the Rams but the Chiefs seem to have made him at least an adequate receiver. He never did play like a 1st round draft pick but maybe that wasn't his fault.

[general counsel]

Any relation to Steve Avery, braves pitching phenom?

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[moklerman]

I'm calling BS. This is all just fluff and rationalization. The pick was a reach. Period. Saunders has had the likes of Dante Hall, Randel El and Santana Moss and none have been particularly effective in making his pass offense strike fear in defensive backfields.

He may or may not turn out to be a good player for the Rams but where they picked him and who they passed on is the issue. All it really looks like is that the Rams couldn't hold their water and reached for a player that they built up in their imaginations.

[Fargo Ram Fan]

I dont think his number of starts/stats/speed are any kind of imagination. From what I understand it was Henry Ellards personal 'hands on' evaluation of this kid which tipped the scales. Im not sure where you get that this pick is based on "imagination".