DT in the Draft

[msha]

There has been a lot of talk lately that if Bradford checks out healthy with no long term effect on his health, then the Rams will draft him. That would mean that we pass on Suh and McCoy. Should we then look to draft a DT in round 2 or 3, look for one in a bad FA group, or hope for good health and hope that Carriker can play in 2010? Here is a list of potential guys to draft in the 2nd or 3rd round:

• Dan Williams - 6'3 327 lbs - 70 tac, 9 tfl, 2.5 sacks
• Brian Price - 6'2 300 lbs - 48 tac, 23.5 tfl, 7 sacks, 2 ff
• Jared Odrick - 6'5 296 lbs - 43 tac, 11 tfl, 7 sacks, 1 block kick
• Terrence Cody - 6'5 355 lbs - 28 tac, 8 tfl, 2 block kicks
• Geno Atkins - 6'1 290 lbs - 36 tac, 10.5 tfl, 3 sacks, 1 ff, 1 block kick
• Tyson Alualu - 6'3 295 lbs - 63 tac, 10.5 tfl, 7.5 sacks, 1 ff
• Lamarr Houston - 57 tac, 16.5 tfl, 7 sacks

Williams and Price are projected as late 1st rounders but hopefully they can fall to the 2nd round. Williams and Cody are better suited for a 3-4 and Alualu played a 3-4 DE in college but is projected to make a transition to a 4-3 DT. What do you guys think?

[ManofGod]

Well number one I'd hate it if we passed on either Suh or McCoy, however since the NFL does not have a rookie salary cap (which is just plain stupid), it seems that the Rams will pick Bradford #1 so that they can justify spending that type of money.
With that being said, the scouts seem to be very impressed with Price, they say he could be a "sleeper" in this years draft.

[Nick]

Williams is not going to make it out of the first round. I probably had him going too low in my last mock draft when I projected him to San Diego. Maybe Price or Odrick falls; I don't think Price will, but Odrick might. I think the Rams would rather have a penetrator than a big blob like Cody.

Thus I'd say Atkins and Houston in the third are probably more likely candidates than the others being there in the second, though again, there's a chance Odrick is available.

So do you pull the trigger on Odrick in the second, or Atkins/Houston in the third? Maybe, but at that point, I think the value is going to be close for a lot of guys. It's going to depend what else is on the board, but they should certainly be in the discussions.

[RockinRam]

I would prefer to get Odrick in the second round. Odrick might be going in the top 30, but I think he may drop to us.

To me, Odrick is what we're missing at DT. We already have a run stuffing, hole jamming, fat blub in Clifton Ryan. But Ryan is no pass rusher.

Odrick on the other hand, is a great interior pass rusher, who plays even better when paired with a big NT that takes up double teams, allowing Odrick to play 1 on 1 with an interior lineman. Although he is solid against the run, it is something he can improve on, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Consistently dominated in the Senior Bowl.

[Warner4prez]

If Odrick isn't around (he'd be THE steal of the draft at 33) my guy is Arthur Jones. Supposedly he's a great personality guy, seems to have great play recognition and is rather quick for a DT, he chased down a RB something like 10 or 15 yards down field for the tackle. If it weren't for a knee injury he'd probably go in the early 2nd.