Chris Long is gone. What then?

**HUbison** · #1 (**permalink**) -07-04-2008

As per the idea of SWFCRAM, let's do a poll with the assumption that Chris Long is gone. And let's limit it to the remaining 75% of the Four Horsemen.

Who ya got?

**AvengerRam** · #2 (**permalink**) -07-04-2008

That really is the question, is it not? Chris Long has been the Clan's top choice in every poll. Take him out of the equation, and it gets more interesting.

I'm sticking with Gholston. I think pass rush is far and away the biggest need, and Gholston his the potential to be an immediate impact player.

Jake Long is next on my list. He would be a safe pick who would pay dividends for years.

Dorsey is last on my list. I still think he could be a "man, I can't believe we passed on him" player, but he does not fill a primary need and his injury intrigue can't be completely overlooked.

*Mooselini* · #3 (**permalink**) -07-04-2008

I say Vernon Gholston. We need a DE bad, and Gholston is the next best available behind Chris Long.

I'm all for Long, but he may be gone. Gholston will fill our IMMEDIATE NEED of a DE unlike the other two options.

**HUbison** · #4 (**permalink**) -07-04-2008

Of those 3, Jake Long has the highest reward-to-risk ratio. No doubt about that.

Of those 3, Glenn Dorsey is probably the best player. Little doubt about that.

However.......drafting Long does nothing for our pass rush, and fall off from Long to an OT in the 2nd isn't as great as from Gholston to 2nd round DE. As well, drafting Dorsey creates a log jam at UT where we have talent, and does little to help our exterior pass rush.

Therefore, I'm going with Gholston. I'm not a gambler, so this one puckers my butthole (easy there, fortuniner, it's just an expression; my sphincter is not constricted beyond the normal amount); but if, that is IF Gholston can bring it day in and day out........he will bring a dynamic quality to our Defense that will take over where Little left off.

*SWFCRAM* · #5 (**permalink**) -07-04-2008

I worry that Gholston has the highest risk of being a bust out of the three and we can't afford to miss on this pick - it would be catastrophic for years to come with the amount of money we'll be paying out.
Dorsey - using round one picks on the same position two years running doesn't make sense when the consensus is that Carricker was a success. His injury concerns have to be taken into consideration at the present time too. I'm also not sure why people think he'll get more sacks a season in the pro's than he did in college.
So Jake got the vote for me. A safe choice for years to come and I'm sure he'll give Barron stiff competition for that RT spot immediately. With the re-signing of James Hall we can draft a speed rusher lower down, and maybe see what next year brings.

*39thebeast* · #6 (**permalink**) -07-04-2008

I got Long. He is going to be a great player wherever he plays as a rookie wheter it is guard or Tackle and wherever he ends up playing as a pro whether it is Left or Right Tackle. He is going to be the future and immedeatly make one of our biggest weakness into one of our strongest assests. I know SJ and Bulger would love this pick and they could have pro bowl years respectively because of it

wheter its

LT- Pace
LG- Bell
C- Setterstrom/ Incognito
RG- Barron/ Incognito
RT- Long

or

LT- Pace
LG- Bell
C- Incognito/ Setterstrom
RG- Long
RT- Barron

*39thebeast* · #7 (**permalink**) -07-04-2008

A big Goose egg for Dorsey, wow I thought he had more fans

*Tony Soprano* · #8 (**permalink**) -07-04-2008

.
Jake Long makes the Pro-Bowl at Right Tackle. Few people would complain about a Pro-Bowl player, but he doesn't seem to be the 'sexy' pick.

I think Gholston is the player that could be Boom or Bust. I think he's the one with the highest risk to reward IMO - of this group.

The Rams are under the microscope - are they going to be willing to take
another interior Defense lineman - and Dorsey?

**txramsfan** · #9 (**permalink**) -07-04-2008

Chris Douglas-Roberts or Derrick Rose.

Oh, you mean football....Dorsey

*Tony Soprano* · #10 (**permalink**) -07-04-2008

.
If past years are any gauge, there won't be any problem finding a place for J. Long, Barron, etc. to play. Pace is on his last legs anyway.

**txramsfan** · #11 (**permalink**) -08-04-2008

It will be Jake Long....according to Jim Thomas. Which is who I thought it would be. However, Dorsey would be nice

*TekeRam* · #12 (**permalink**) -08-04-2008

You know, I really hate this question because of my constant raging internal battle between Long and Gholston.

I have to stay with Jake Long only because I can't see him failing at the next level. While he may not be as athletic as Joe Thomas, he has proven himself at LT and proved at the combine that he can play LT in the NFL. Might he have issues with some speed rushers? Sure, but that's what speed rushers are paid for. Double teams and shifting protections can help that if he needs it, but I have to imagine that for the most part he won't need it.

How many of the hall of fame tackles gave up only two sacks in their whole collegiate career? How many tackles ever have given up only that many? He is the definition of consistent.

As for Gholston, I would love to pick him, but the value isn't quite there at #2 to me and he's very much in my mind a bust or hall of fame guy. He's gotten this far on his natural abilities, but hasn't developed much as a football player. What will happen to him when he goes against pro bowl tackles who know how to get leverage on him and tactics to get him off balance? Will he step up and become a hall of famer? Or will he get frustrated and become another top 10 bust? I know we need a pass rush, but we can grab a couple lower in the draft and let them sit behind Little and Hall for a year and then start, and then grab another next year high in the draft.

*Rambos* · #13 (**permalink**) -08-04-2008

Jake Long....

*Dominating D* · #14 (**permalink**) -08-04-2008

Dorsey will be the best defensive player on the board. Although not a big need we can rotate and develop a stud in the middle for years to come. I say get this guy and give Adam a shot on the outside.....

Go Rams

*Fortuninerhater* · #15 (**permalink**) -08-04-2008

I'll take Gholston no matter who's on or off the board.

I believe we can live with the guys we have on the O-line provided they remain healthy, for at least another year. But we cannot fool ourselves into believing a 33 year old Little, coming off a season ending injury and a 31 year old James Hall will solve our most glaring need, a pass rush.

There'll most certainly be speed rushers to be had later in the draft if we do select Jake, but none with the upside that Gholston posseses.