No comp draft picks for Rams

BY JIM THOMAS
Friday, March 25, 2011

For only the second time in the last 10 seasons, the St. Louis Rams received no compensatory draft picks for an upcoming NFL draft.

A total of 23 teams were awarded a total of 32 draft picks by the NFL on Friday. The complex formula weighs a team's free-agent pickups and free-agent losses in the previous season, and how those players performed for their new teams, in awarding comp picks.

Carolina received a third-round selection, No. 97 overall, the highest compensatory pick awarded this year. The Panthers also received more overall comp picks (three) than any other team, also getting a sixth_ and seventh-round pick.

Baltimore received two fifth-round picks, while the New York Giants (two), Kansas City, Minnesota and San Diego got sixth-round picks. All the other compensatory picks awarded were seventh-rounders.

Over the years, the Rams have had good success with compensatory picks, including two members of the current roster -- linebacker Josh Hull from the 2010 draft and linebacker David Vobora from the '08 draft. Vobora was Mr. Irrelevant in '08 as the last player taken in the draft.

Three other former Rams compensatory picks are still playing in the NFL: quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (Buffalo) and fullback Madison Hedgecock (Giants) were Rams comp picks in 2005; and linebacker Scott Shanle (New Orleans) was a comp pick in 2003.