Rams Can't Ignore Defense on Day 1 of Draft

[AvengerRam]

I've seen a number of 2 round mock drafts that have the Rams taking Monroe or J.Smith in Round 1, and then a WR (i.e. Britt, Robiskie) in Round 2.

I don't see that as a viable option.

The Rams need to use one of their two Day 1 picks (assuming they don't acquire more) on a defensive front 7 player. In my opinion, if the Rams (as I expect they will) take an OT with their first pick, the second pick needs to be either a MLB or a DT, which I think brings it down to one of the following four players (in no particular order):

Clint Sintim, MLB, Virginia
James Laurinaitis, MLB, Ohio State
Evander "Ziggy" Hood, DT, Missouri
Ron Brace, DT, Boston College

That would, of course, mean that WR wuld have to wait until Round 3. At that point, I'm holding out (increasingly fleeting) hope that Robiskie might still be there. If not, Ramses Barden might be a good option.

If the Rams were to go with a defensive player first (Curry, Raji), then WR will still have to wait, as OT will be the clear need position at pick #35.

[jbell15]

I don't think that hood can play NT, so i don't think that he is an option in the 2nd. Nick pointed out before that we can draft him to compete with carriker for the ut spot, but i don't want to have two UT's instead of a NT and UT because i still believe in Carriker. If we go o-line in round one, our draft board should look like this:
Lauranaitis
Sintim
Brace
In that order.
If they are gone we should take the best available WR, if it's Robiskie then so be it.

[MauiRam]

Billy D has gone on record saying we need a "big ole fat sloppy guy" to play nose. Any ideas on who would qualify? Probably a day 2 selection. My personal guess is we go OT in rd one, and DT in rd 2 ..

Ramses Barden ... Intriguing player. Boom or bust guy??

[txramsfan]

What about Scott McKillop in Round 3 for MLB? Or if he's gone Derry Beckwith?

[codeman123]

I'm on the curry bandwagon but would still be very happy to get monroe or smith. I think the FO said they were intrigued by ziggy, whatever that means. That would mean they would have to wait until round 4 or 5 for a MLB. Frantz Joseph is a good option but would need time to bulk up and learn better coverage. In round 3 Ramses Barden would be a good choice, however he'll need time to learn how to run his routes, but he is great for the running game. I like Jarett Dillard. He has great ability to change speeds, is a polished route runner, and always makes big catches in crunch time. He also had 60 tds in college, and had the highest vertical at the combine despite his size. His knock would be his blocking in the run game. I also think we should go with a guy like Sammie Straughter in the 6th, but more for his return abilities since he will barely take the field as a reciever.

[Nick_Weasel]

The Rams have too many needs to get tunnel vision so quickly. If the value on the board at #35 is a WR, then we should take a WR. I'm not concerned as much with improving our D or improving our O as I am in improving the team. Whoever does that the best we should draft, regardless of which side of the ball he plays on.

[C-Mob 71]

I know i'm probably alone with this one but, I think we should go Defense in both rounds.
1. Aaron Curry
2. Ron Brace

Your not alone, I'm in the same boat. We need to get better on defense, and if need equals value we should pull the trigger on two defensive players. Though I would prefer Curry and Laurinitis.

[KoaKoi]

I know i'm probably alone with this one but, I think we should go Defense in both rounds.
1. Aaron Curry
2. Ron Brace

both are good picks. but when do you propose the Rams draft their 2009 STARTING tackle? there is only 1 currently on the roster you know.

I guess they could pull a Linehan and put Goldberg in there for the long term. But then there's no backup!

i'm sorry for the palpable sarcasm, but i just don't see how the Rams can field a viable offense with a rookie 3rd round OT as their starter. the talent just isn't there. personally, i would love the Rams to have Curry, but i think the position they've been put in by the former regime makes it inpractical. At least they have Draft at mlb and can get a 3rd or 4th round mlb talent to compete with Vobora. At OT, they've got Barron for one side and that's it!

its a F'ed up situation, but thats the cards they're dealt with. in this case, absent a trade (or some FA signing which the Rams don't have money for), Curry is too expensive and the rebuild will extend into next year's offseason. you can't be a running team with 1 OT. But you can play defense with Draft, Vobora, and a 3rd-7th rounder as your mlb's.

i'm praying billy d spotted some gems in the really late rounds that allow the flexibility to trade up for someone like Curry (or pick Curry and trade up for a starting OT), but i'm not counting on it.

if you're the short stack and out of position, sometimes you just got to fold your pocket pair to the bully who's over-betting his flush draw.

[AvengerRam]

What about Scott McKillop in Round 3 for MLB? Or if he's gone Derry Beckwith?

Not a fan of Beckwith. I'd consider McKillop in Round 3, but only if the Rams take a DT in Round 2. I would not go with offensive players in Rounds 1 and 2 and then wait until Round 3 to take a defensive player.

[txramsfan]

Is it realistic for the Rams to draft to try to win in 2009 or should they draft knowing that winning in 2009 may be a pipe dream but not in 2010? I'm thinking that they should draft for 2010 and to just get better in 2009. If that's the case, going defense in the first three rounds does make sense.

[AvengerRam]

The Rams have more money invested in Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger than anyone else.

I'd say they need an OT in there somewhere.

[txramsfan]

I agree but does it have to be in the first three rounds? Heck I don't know. One day Curry, the next day Monroe, the next day J Smith, ask me Friday I'd probably say Crabtree. That's the pathetic state this team is in right now.

[AvengerRam]

I don't think its that pathetic.

The entire offense can be turned around with good O line play. If the Rams take J.Smith or Monroe, and they pan out in the way that Jake Long did last year, then you've substantially upgraded 2 of the 5 positions on the line (Brown at center being the other, of course). Add in Greco, who showed some promise at the end of last year, and the O line could be significantly better than it was last year.

The defensive front 7 also needs some more talent, though. My preference is a guy like Brace to anchor things, but a good MLB could make a big difference too (both with his play, and by freeing up Witherspoon to be the kid of playmaker he was in 2007).

[txramsfan]

It's pathetic in the fact that we have an opportunity to draft at least 5 different positions in Round 1 and be ok. We could go DE, DT, WR, OT, or LB and be ok. That's the pathetic/good thing about it. I wish I had your optimism about the Rams Av but I don't. Not after going 3-13 and 2-14 the last two years and not being to the playoffs since Martz. They are going to have to prove it on the field to me for my attitude to change.

[MauiRam]

They are going to have to prove it on the field to me for my attitude to change.

My attitude changed the day John Shaw and Jay Zygmunt left Rams park This move alone I believe will pay bigger dividends than anything else this year. Heck we might even start to see free agents wanting to play for the Rams .. imagine that ...

Rd 1 OT: Either Munroe or Smith

Rd 2 DT: Brace or Hood

Rd 5 NT: "Big ole fat sloppy guy"