Steven Jackson
(On what he’d think if the Rams drafted Alabama RB Trent Richardson)
“The Rams are going to do what’s best for the Rams. I understand that. It’s a business. All I can do is through my own lessons, replacing another legend, is try to be there for the young guy. If he’s receptive, I’ll try to help him and do the world for him. If not, he’s just got to compete, and I’m not backing down.”
(On if he would pound the table for Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon)
“I believe Blackmon is an unbelievable talent. I think he adds another weapon, especially for Sam (Bradford). We’ve all been talking about Sam and what he could do, the tools that he has, but for us to see what he’s fully capable of and see him blossom, we have to definitely give him weapons on the outside.”
(On what he thinks about people discounting Blackmon’s speed)
“I think arguably, and I hate to say this on the record but I will, I think arguably the best receiver in football is Larry Fitzgerald, and he’s not a blazer. I think once you’re a football player, those things that you do in shorts really don’t mean anything. It just shows that you’re in shape and you can work out really good. But once you’re in the line of duty and you’re on the football field, it’s about as a football player, are you instinctive? Can you make plays?”
Von Miller
Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon — "He's the real deal Holyfield. He can play the X, Y or Z. As a defense, you've got to always keep your eyes on him. Not only that, but he can go up and catch the ball. Runs the whole route tree, you have to double-team that guy on every play."
Texas A&M RB Cyrus Gray — "He's always been known for being fast," said Miller, who was Gray's teammate both in college and at DeSoto (Texas) High School — the two have known each other since eighth grade. "He can be a great third-down back in the NFL. He can do it all as both a runner and a receiver. His versatility is amazing."
Nolan Nawrocki
“You don’t expect nose tackles to be good pass rushers, but (Washington’s) Alameda Ta’amu can really push the pocket. You’d like him to refine his hand placement and be more consistent, but he is strong, and he knocks (blockers) off the ball as well as anyone in the draft. He’ll be a good player in the league.”
“(Iowa State OT) Kelechi Osemele is intelligent and might be able to convince a coach for 2-3 days at an all-star game that he is a good guy, but when you are around him too long, you realize he is full of it. I think he’ll be a right tackle in the league, not a left.”
“(Boise State RB) Doug Martin is a tough one to figure out if you look at this year vs. last year. In 2010, he looks like a surefire late first-rounder. If you watch 2011, there are games where he looks like nothing more than a free agent. I don’t see what everyone else is (seeing) on this year’s tape. If you get the player you see last year, you’d be pretty happy. If you get the 2011 version, you might be disappointed.”
“(LSU DT) Michael Brockers is big, strong and athletic. He just does not get great push in the middle. … To me, he is bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I liked his interview.”
“(Michigan State DT) Jerel Worthy is a con guy. I think that will hurt him. He was the most distracted interview we had. He was all over the place. You get excited by some of the flashes on tape — he’s a ‘wow’ player. But he don’t get it. Someone might take him in the first, but you would feel a lot better getting him in the second.”
“I don’t think (Midwestern State OG) Amini Silatolu is a first (-rounder). I would not take him before the second. He has some issues that you can’t hide in (our town).”
“(Oregon RB) LaMichael James ran too fast to get out of the second (round). I don’t think he will. We would strongly consider (drafting him) if he’s there.”
Alameda Ta'amu
Washington DT Ta'amu Alameda tells @TimRyan99 & @patkirwancbs that he believes the #Rams will choose him in the 2nd Round
Rotoworld
-One NFC executive told Yahoo Sports that he wouldn't use a top-ten pick on Alabama RB Trent Richardson because the NFL no longer features running backs. The exec conceded that he "loves" Richardson and called him "a great football player," comparing Richardson to former No. 1 overall pick George Rogers. "If you're asking me if I'd take him in the top-10 picks, the answer is no. Not the way the game is played today," said the executive. "It kind of hurts me to say it, but that's just reality. ... It's not a running back league anymore."
-According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd is among the players the Vikings are "strongly debating" with the third overall pick. Matt Kalil, Morris Claiborne, and Justin Blackmon are also reported to be in the mix. While Schefter has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt, it's fair to wonder if his Vikings sources are being honest or simply continuing their efforts to drum up interest in the No. 3 pick. Floyd is a longshot to go off the board in the first half-dozen picks.
-According to ESPN's Mel Kiper and TFY Draft Insider, Illinois WR A.J. Jenkins' draft stock is steadily on the rise. TFY Draft Insider believes Jenkins could enter the second round, with the Rams jumping all over him if still available in the early third. Kiper actually has Jenkins going to Jacksonville at No. 38 overall in his most recent mock. Rotoworld's Josh Norris gives the inside-outside threat high marks for catch radius and making difficult grabs in traffic.
-Sources tell Sporting News' Russ Lande that NFL teams are not nearly as high on Iowa OT
Riley Reiff as the media, and that Reiff could fall "toward the bottom of the first round" or even into the second. It would be a fall similar to Reiff's former Iowa teammate Bryan Bulaga, who was widely projected as a top-ten or even top-five pick before the Packers stole him at No. 23. (Bulaga is now one of the league's premier right tackles.) Per Lande, NFL teams question Reiff's athleticism, and it's no secret he has relatively short arms. We're still not so sure he'd get by Arizona at No. 13.
And the best news of the day -
'The league says that it won’t show players on the phone from the green room on draft night.' This is to stop the suspense from being killed on Thursday. Its nice to see the players however, so I hope they still show them in the green room with their family after the pick is in.
