The "experts" say...

[itsguud]

I have been all over the web in the last couple of weeks looking at mock drafts; trying to find info on the kids entering the draft. The one common thing I am seeing in all the mock draft predictions, is that the Rams will take a CB becasue this is where our most 'dire' need is. I don't understand I though we needed DL's not DB's?

[AvengerRam]

I've seen very few mocks that don't have the Rams taking a front 7 player. Most have the Rams selecting Okoye, Carriker, C.Johnson, Willis or Posluszny.

[Jonze]

Well, Pat Kirwan on NFL.com has the Rams picking CB Leon Hall. Mmm, don't like that...

13. St. Louis: Leon Hall, CB, Michigan -- Lots of debate on the Rams pick this weekend by club executives studying this everyday. It may not be Hall, but it should be a cornerback.

[laram0]

What's Kirwan smokin" ?

DE or DT....

[Nick]

My impression is that some analysts don't feel as good about our secondary, particularly Fahkir Brown, as most Rams fans do. Brown is an adequate starter who will likely be much better with a pass rush, but I don't think he'll ever be more than a solid #1 corner. Most analysts probably aren't aware of how well Ron Bartell played in the nickel to close out last year either.

[itsguud]

My impression is that some analysts don't feel as good about our secondary, particularly Fahkir Brown, as most Rams fans do. Brown is an adequate starter who will likely be much better with a pass rush, but I don't think he'll ever be more than a solid #1 corner. Most analysts probably aren't aware of how well Ron Bartell played in the nickel to close out last year either.

I have to agree with the "experts" however on this. I don't see Brown being a viable option for us. I really wasn't impressed at all, by him last year, more depressed actually. As for Bartell I think he is good, but I'm not sure if he has starter potential. He did good against bad teams, as far as I am concerned. I don't know perhaps they are on to something, these "experts". I think we'd be better off trading for a good DT/DE and drafting a good CB/LB. And actually then I would still want an LB frist... I just confused myself....:x

[Goldenfleece]

I suspect a lot of people only do cursory glances at teams' depth charts since they're trying to determine needs for every team in the NFL. They probably see recognizable names like Little and Glover on the D-line plus the hole at end sort of addressed by Hall. At linebacker, Witherspoon and Tinoisamoa are somewhat well known, but none of our corners have really made names for themselves. Outside of St. Louis, Chavous is probably the only guy in the secondary anyone knows much about. I'll bet a lot of the draft analysts don't even bother to look up our last couple of drafts to see that our no. 1 pick last year was a corner. That alone makes it pretty unlikely we'd draft another one in the first round this year. If we were going to draft for any position in the secondary in the first round, I think it'd be a strong safety who plays the run well.

[tomahawk247]

i think this is more of a case of 'experts' not paying close attention to a team and how they play, rather then it being us as Rams fans overrating the players we have in the secondary

[laram0]

i think this is more of a case of 'experts' not paying close attention to a team and how they play, rather then it being us as Rams fans overrating the players we have in the secondary

F. Brown:
14 games
67 tackles
1 sack
3 int's
2 forced fumbles
10 passes defensed

As Nick said, solid at worst. With a pass rush who knows?

[jjigga3000]

F. Brown is a good CB. But what I think most people forget is That in order for a Defensive back to be good you have to have a good core of DB's playing as a whole. Because with the recievers now a days. I don't care who the DB is if they don't have a good support team, they are getting burned.

We have a good crop of young DB's with the exeption of Chavous. For being injured a few games I think Fahkir was great. What makes the DB's even better is your front four being able to put pressure on the QB, and forcing mistakes. If we get a good Run Stuffer and Pass Rusher. Hall is a good upgrade on the R side. With a good Interior Lineman. That will take away from the Double teams on Little.

Remember people we had +14 differential in takeaways. So our defense is not bad. They were just horrible against the run. We fix that and with our Offense we'll be fine.

[tomahawk247]

if we draft a DB first round, its going to be a safety, one who can later take over at starter from Chavous

We just drafted a first round CB, and we have more obvious holes elsewhere on the D, so i just cant see it

[HUbison]

I'd be highly surprised if our first pick is anything other than a defensive front-7 player.

[RamsFan16]

Or maybe he knows that the Rams plan on moving Atogwe to Strong Safety and Bartell to FS?

[MauiRam]

My impression is that some analysts don't feel as good about our secondary, particularly Fahkir Brown, as most Rams fans do. Brown is an adequate starter who will likely be much better with a pass rush, but I don't think he'll ever be more than a solid #1 corner. Most analysts probably aren't aware of how well Ron Bartell played in the nickel to close out last year either.

One thing about Fakir that I really like is when he covers a WR there are no "gimmes". Fakir doesn't give opposing receivers a 10 yd cushion like some of our other dbs have in the past. Brown is physical and makes opposing WRs earn their catches. I can't and don't want to remember how many times I have watched our db's playing way off their man allowing opposing teams to march down the field with apparent impunity. Fakir is going to draw some flags now and then, (I thought he got away with more than a few last year actually) but at least he is in there fighting every play -- giving it his all. I'll never know for sure of course, but I suspect that is the main reason that Jim Haslett lobbied the Rams to bring him in. There is no quit in this guy ...

[keith m. klink]

not only do the coaches love brown, but as a defensive backfield, the other db's believe he is the best one of them. i don't understand why everyone wants him gone now, he is very physical and good cover. we just got rid of fisher, and butler will not be a starter, and now everyone wants brown and chavous out after just signing 5-year contracts, and saying we should have paid the money for clements and draft this kid and that kid. yah they are great college players , but they are just that, college players right now, and if we revamped the whole defense with all these kid's , you would just crap.