Originally Posted by
AvengerRam
Here is my first Rams draft board for the 2011 draft. The ranking is for the Rams, not necessarily the order in which the listed players will be selected. Some of the players listed are underclassmen who have not yet declared, but I expect that they all will do so eventually.
1. A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
If Green has a good pre-draft campaign (workouts, interviews, etc.), he will likely be long gone before the Rams make their selection at No. 14. If, however, he should "stumble" and drop to the Rams, I'd take him in a heartbeat. From day 1, he will be a mismatch for the vast majority of NFL DBs.
2. Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
If Bowers were to somehow drop to the Rams, I would take him over every WR other than Green (in part because I believe there will be some very good WR options when the Rams make their second pick at No. 46). Bowers would be a terror in Spagnuolo's system, and would be a long-term bookend for Chris Long.
3. Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
The big question for me is whether Nick Fairley is a nasty (but disciplined) player, or a dirty player. Either way, he is a disruptive force from the DT spot. James Laurinaitis would love to play behind this guy, and Fairley would get his share of behind the line hits.
4. Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
Two things really intrigue me about Jones. The first is his size (6'4, 220) and the second is his productivity in a run oriented offense. I would not be surprised if Jones is a better as a pro than he was in college (and he certainly was no slouch in college).
5. Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
Blackmon produced eye-popping numbers this year. Some might argue that these numbers are skewed by Oklahoma State's system and the Big 12 defenses, but I think its notable that Dez Bryant, who came from the same system, was able to hit the ground running and produce in the NFL. Some have tagged Blackmon with the "Diva" label, but I think that issue can be addressed in Combine interviews. Nothing wrong with a bit of swagger, as long as its team oriented.
6. Patrick Peterson, DB, LSU
If my top two DEs and the "Big 3" WRs are all gone, the Rams should go to pure BPA (other than QB) mode. I think Peterson is a clear Blue Chip prospect, and has the size and speed to play any postion in the defensive backfield.
7. Adrian Clayborn, DE/DT, Iowa
Clayborn is a big DE who could slide inside on passing downs. His sack production went down from 2009 to 2010 as he saw frequent double-teams. He's not as dynamic or explosive a player as some of the other DE prospects, but I think he'd have a very positive impact on the defense.
8. Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
Another big corner who could play some safety, Amukamara would be a very good value at pick No. 14. The fact that he was able to distinguish himself in the pass-happy Big 12 is a big plus in my book.
9. Allen Bailey, DE/DT, Miami
There isn't a clear concensus on Bailey's draft position. From a potential standpoint, he's a top 10 prospect. From a production standpoint, he's probably a late first round pick. Perhaps with a bit of homerism, I have him ranked higher than many.
10. Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
Some see Heyward as more of a 3-4 DE, but I think he could fit the "Justin Tuck role" in Spags' defense. In the short run, he could supplant Gary Gibson at DT, and in the long run, he could replace James Hall.
