Day one: Smizz's thoughts.

[smizzhfx]

1. Adam Carriker

I'm not a ecstatic about this pick but I think it was the right move in the situation that we were in. With all the other big name DEs off the board and Okoye long-gone, he was probably our best option on the board. He should come in and contribute from day one, being an immediate upgrade to our line.

2. Brian Leonard

I do not like this pick. A back-up running back is a need that could be adressed much later on in the draft and should not have been a priority on day one, let alone in the second round. I think Linehan screwed up by passing on Eric Wright. Let's just hope Wade can contribute in the same way Wright would have.

3. Johnathon Wade

Honestly, I don't know too much about this guy. I think if we had of taken Wright in the second round we would have adressed the CB need much more efficiently. The Dante Hall trade really came back to bite us in the form of Tank Tyler. I think Tyler would have been fantastic value in the 3rd round and had we not swapped with KC we would have been able to nab him.

Overall, I have to say I'm a little dissapointed. I really didn't think the offense needed any kind of consideration on day one. I think we should have made some kind of deal to move up and snatch Alan Branch when he slipped into the second round. I've heard nothing about any kind of Jenkins deal so all-in-all I have to say this first day was less than impressive. We came out with no real upgrade at the NT spot.

However, I trust Linehan & Co. and hope to god he proves me wrong.:r

What are your guy's thoughts?

[BigGameMN]

I don't like it. I would have went Revis, Kalil, and then found a way to get Tyler. It was all right there for us but then again they don't pay me to do this stuff.

[Milan]

Originally Posted by smizzhfx

1. Adam Carriker

I'm not a ecstatic about this pick but I think it was the right move in the situation that we were in. With all the other big name DEs off the board and Okoye long-gone, he was probably our best option on the board. He should come in and contribute from day one, being an immediate upgrade to our line.

2. Brian Leonard

I do not like this pick. A back-up running back is a need that could be adressed much later on in the draft and should not have been a priority on day one, let alone in the second round. I think Linehan screwed up by passing on Eric Wright. Let's just hope Wade can contribute in the same way Wright would have.

3. Johnathon Wade

Honestly, I don't know too much about this guy. I think if we had of taken Wright in the second round we would have adressed the CB need much more efficiently. The Dante Hall trade really came back to bite us in the form of Tank Tyler. I think Tyler would have been fantastic value in the 3rd round and had we not swapped with KC we would have been able to nab him.

Overall, I have to say I'm a little dissapointed. I really didn't think the offense needed any kind of consideration on day one. I think we should have made some kind of deal to move up and snatch Alan Branch when he slipped into the second round. I've heard nothing about any kind of Jenkins deal so all-in-all I have to say this first day was less than impressive. We came out with no real upgrade at the NT spot.

However, I trust Linehan & Co. and hope to god he proves me wrong.:r

What are your guy's thoughts?

Brian Leonard is a Fullback. I doubt we put him at backup Halfback.

He'll excel at his position.

[BigGameMN]

Originally Posted by Milan

Brian Leonard is a Fullback. I doubt we put him at backup Halfback.

He'll excel at his position.

He might play a little FB but he'll mostly play HB. Just look at how Linehan ran Miami's offense. Linehan wants a 2 back attack and now he's got it. I think the ratio will be something like 70/30 with Jackson the 70 of course.

[GreatestShow99]

With the exception of Carriker, the Rams have once again set themselves back a couple of years while San Fran and Arizona got stronger.

[Rambos]

With the exception of Carriker, the Rams have once again set themselves back a couple of years while San Fran and Arizona got stronger.

Who would you have taken in rounds 2 and 3?

[GreatestShow99]

Kahli and Tank Tyler

[ramsbruce]

Originally Posted by Milan

Brian Leonard is a Fullback. I doubt we put him at backup Halfback.

He'll excel at his position.

He's played plenty of halfback and that's the main reason why we drafted him to backup Jackson. It's just a bonus that he could play some FB if need be.

[AvengerRam]

Originally Posted by GreatestShow99

Kahli and Tank Tyler

So, we would have been better off taking a player who might not beat out Romberg (people forget that Romberg was once the best center in college too) and a player with major character issues.

[general counsel]

first of all, we didnt pass on tank tyler in round 3, he was gone. Second, i agree on the character issues. Who needs the aggrevation and risk. Third, he wouldnt have done a thing to help this year. Why would anyone think that a rookie at that spot would be better than jimmy kennedy.

second, i wish people would stop ignoring the impact of drafting guys that are going to help on special teams. I dont want tye hill on special teams anymore, he is our stud starting corner. wade will be an excellent special teams guy. He is a high character kid and he has all the physical tools. that counts for a lot with me. Would i have rather have had charles johnson? Sure, i hope dante hall has a great year for us and i think he will. If we had gotten johson, i would be thrilled to death, at this point, i am fine with it anyway. we dont even know if the coaches would have taken johnson over wade.

carriker was an excellent pick. Leonard is a fine player, he is better than most backups and he will get enough touches to keep jackson from killing himself. I dont want jackson to have over 400 touches like larry johnson. that is really going to hurt the future of this team and if a better quality running back helps protect jackson, that means an awful lot to me.

Do we still have pass rush issues. Sure. Guys, we werent going to fix everything wrong with the defense on day one or day one and two of the draft. We have taken positive steps to improve the team as a whole. thats all you can do. you cant control what other teams do, especially those with more picks than us going in.

If we win this year its going to be because we have an incredibly dominant offense and a defense that was good enough, rather than great. I am looking for improved special teams as a key area for us as well, and i think that the draft helped address that. Leonard, with his attitude, is really going to contribute in that regard,

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[RamWraith]

AGREE GC!!

All the guys we took are guys that are going to step in and help this team today. There are already a lot of pieces in place to be a good team, and we have a window of opportunity that is closing. We have addressed a lot of needs this off-season, now it is time some of the others pieces step up to the plate. This team must rely on some of the youth to mature. Players like Kennedy, Wroten, Chillar, Hill, Otgwa, Brown all hold the keys.

I am excited this year. Look at the offense that we will be fielding!! WOW.

One thing to remember I think in all this that people are really forgetting. IF we would have signed Jenkins the likelihood of re-signing Bulger this off-season gets slimmer. If we wrap Bulger long term, don't you think this off-season should be consider a pretty big success. Maybe it is better to look at the entire off-season rather than just the draft.

[smizzhfx]

I agree with you guy's for the most part, I just don't think finding a backup to Jackson on the 1st day was a real priority. With guy's like Michael Bush and Antonio Pittman still on the board, I think we could have locked one up in the 4th round, or at least the 3rd. Passing on Eric Wright was a mistake.

I realize we did not technically pass up on Tank Tyler but Kansas City took him with our pick. If we had not swapped thirds he would still have been on the board. In my opinion, the 3rd round would have been amazing value for arguably the #2 or #3 defensive tackle in the draft, character issues or not. It's worth the risk at that point.

[Keenum]

I like the pick of Wade. He has all of the tools to be great, but he has not been playing CB very long (was a WR for some time at Tennessee) and his technique is the number one thing in question. I am confident that our defensive staff can drill the position into him. After that, I know he has all of the skills to take him the rest of the way. Also has some good speed.

[RealRam]

So far (day one), so good! Very satisfied with two of three selections. :r

a. Extremely happy with the acquisition of Carriker, he will probably be an immediate impact player and thus an upgrade for our defense.

b. Leonard. I really look forward to the plans that Coach Linehan and OC Olsen will come up with working this hardnose RB into the Jax attack.

c. Wade. Should be fine with plenty of coaching to blend him into ST and eventually a CB. I think his speed merits and justifies his selection.

[RebelYell]

Originally Posted by GreatestShow99

Kahli and Tank Tyler

Wow. You would prefer drafting a third center for the team? It's rare when someone announces that depth at center is a main priority for a team.

Tank Tyler has massive character issues and the Rams appear to making a serious effort to avoid those guys if possible. And why draft a DT in the first and third round? Are you just dumping Glover, Wroten and Kennedy? Since Kennedy's contract is already on the books at this point, it's doubtful they will cut him at this point. You really want five DTs that bad? And everyone thinks he so much more massive than Carriker and an instant nose tackle. He's short and 15 lbs heavier. Not exactly a massive difference. Carriker has already pretty much been declared our NT with Wroten and Glover splitting time on the other side.