This DT class kinda sucks

[Country]

This in my opinion is a weak defenseive tackle draft, especially considering where the Rams are picking.

the top guys are,

DT Alan Branch, no chance at him.

DT Amobi Okoye, undersized and again probably no chance at him.

DT Quinn Pitcock, not very good ie. BCS Championship.

DT Tank Tyler, has not looked good at the senior bowla nd had attitude concerns.

DT Justin Harrel, coming off a major injury.

[Nick]

I think Tyler and Harrell are options. Maybe late round guys like Paul Soliai and Quintin Echols as well. But I agree this isn't really a great class in terms of what we're looking for.

On top of that, consider playing the hindsight game and ask yourself what would have happened if the Rams had simply drafted Haloti Ngata @ 11th overall last year. You'd be down Tye Hill and Claude Wroten, but you'd also have the big space eater to operate in front of Witherspoon.

Food for thought.

[smizzhfx]

hindsight is 20/20... but i love hill.

[Country]

Originally Posted by Nick

I think Tyler and Harrell are options. Maybe late round guys like Paul Soliai and Quintin Echols as well. But I agree this isn't really a great class in terms of what we're looking for.

On top of that, consider playing the hindsight game and ask yourself what would have happened if the Rams had simply drafted Haloti Ngata @ 11th overall last year. You'd be down Tye Hill and Claude Wroten, but you'd also have the big space eater to operate in front of Witherspoon.

Food for thought.

I probably would have draft Ngata if I could go back. I love hill but that big but in front of the LBs we might be in the playoffs.

[HUbison]

On top of that, consider playing the hindsight game and ask yourself what would have happened if the Rams had simply drafted Haloti Ngata @ 11th overall last year. You'd be down Tye Hill and Claude Wroten, but you'd also have the big space eater to operate in front of Witherspoon.

That would be interesting to see. Ironically, the Ravens are using him in the "Seymour" position as a 3-4 DE.

[BIG-BLUE]

On top of that, consider playing the hindsight game and ask yourself what would have happened if the Rams had simply drafted Haloti Ngata @ 11th overall last year. You'd be down Tye Hill and Claude Wroten, but you'd also have the big space eater to operate in front of Witherspoon.

I really wanted Ngata in a Rams uniform. This is the 1st mistake imho by Linehan & Co. I would have taken this Ngata over Hill any day, Now I sure Hill will be a fine corner in the NFL. But the real need was at DT & still is. With this years class of DT looking weak behind Branch in the draft all we can hope for is to pickup one in FA & maybe draft another one who might develop in a couple of years. Keep your fingers crossed because if we dont get a DT to dominate the middle will be looking at a repeat of the past couple of years with running backs torching us.

[keith m. klink]

i'm not so sure that we can't get someone a little later. we don't want kennedy , and he is hopefully gone. so maybe were looking at glover and wroten to start? there is some big stuffers out there. harrell isn't a bad injury that isn't healed. he looks real good.ryan mcbean and brandon mebane , both are big and run a 5.10. antonio johnson 6"3 ,300 and a 4.95. paul soliai 6"4 , 335 and runs a 5.05, a stout stan doughty 6"1 but a strong 331 . we can find some real players if we look past the top 2-3 players everyone talks about. 7th rd hedgecock , fitzpatrick, SETTERSTROM. there there, just gotta look.

[smizzhfx]

You can't really say we should have taken Ngata because Linehan thought he was adressing the DT problem by bringing in La'Roi Glover.

[keith m. klink]

that is correct , and a good point. they had it in mind that an improvement by kennedy and the signing of glover, and the veteran fisk would do well , and then the drafting of wroten , but some castles look strong , but are made of sand . with kennedy , you didn't know if you were getting captain krunch or frosted flakes .

[knobs27]

dont forget Brandon Mebane as a possible 2nd rounder.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by keith m. klink

ryan mcbean and brandon mebane , both are big and run a 5.10. antonio johnson 6"3 ,300 and a 4.95. paul soliai 6"4 , 335 and runs a 5.05

I'm not sure forty time is the best thing to be pointing towards when talking about later round DTs that could fill our needs.

[keith m. klink]

that might be true, but if a 300-315 pound lineman can move that bus down the road at5.00 instead of 5.80 he usually can turn that into power and quickness. a speedy 300 pounder i think, is better than a slow lumbering 300 lder.just my take on it.

[mcpeepants232003]

I think the bigger mistake may have been letting Pickett go and signing Glover. I like the Hill pick but maybe if we draft Ngata we give Bartell a chance earlier. Either way with Brown and Fishers injury we would of got a healthy doe of Butler and that would not of been a good thing.

[Nick]

Originally Posted by keith m. klink

that might be true, but if a 300-315 pound lineman can move that bus down the road at5.00 instead of 5.80 he usually can turn that into power and quickness. a speedy 300 pounder i think, is better than a slow lumbering 300 lder.just my take on it.

With our need at nose tackle, I don't think looking for a speedy (by comparison) 300 pounder helps us as much as looking for a slightly slower 320+ pounder. We need a guy to take up space and hold the line, and for that role I would much rather sacrifice straight line speed for size and bulk.

[BIG-BLUE]

Originally Posted by smizzhfx

You can't really say we should have taken Ngata because Linehan thought he was adressing the DT problem by bringing in La'Roi Glover.

The Glover signing was addressing one of the needs at the tackle position, But in no way was it adressing what this team needed the most, A true dominating Nose tackle.

Now you can argue that the staff liked what they saw in Kennedy early on, But as the season went on its obvious that Kennedy is not the answer. Kenndey is nothing more than a sloid backup in this league.

As i stated last year if the nose tackle is left as is we will get torched again by the lack of having no run defense

Again not drafting Ngata was the 1st mistake by Linehan & co. I support the Linehan staff, but i stick by my opinion that Ngata should have been drafted over Hill & Wroten