The Rams draft is about the upright QB

[1st & Goal]

With the 2nd pick in the first round the rams have two options open to them.

Option 1- If keeping Mark Bulger upright, is the most pressing need. Then Jake Long is the obvious choice.

Option 2 - If getting pressure and/or sacks of the the opponents QB is our most pressing need. Then the choice gets somewhat cloudier. The debate has been hot and heavy. Does Vernon Gholston incredible athletic ability over shadow Chris Long's maturity and all out motor. Or Does Glen Dorsey inside push and run stopping ability move him to the head of the line.

Ultimately, this pick all comes down to sacking the QB or preventing the QB from being sacked.

[harrydog]

It would be smarter to get OL help after the 1st round in my opinion. We need a stud DE.

[TekeRam]

There are two reasons to go after a DE in the first round.

First, The offensive tackle class is deep, and Cherilus hopefully won't slide up into the first, but if not we can either try trading down in the second, or find one in the third, where there is projected value.

Second, you can find OT's on the open market, as evidenced by my oft mentioned RT, LJ Shelton of the Dolphins. The best pass rusher available this year? Justin Smith? Good defensive ends don't make it to the open market anymore, and thusly their value is much much higher. I hope we can get Chris Long, but I'll willingly settle for Gholston if Long is taken.

[Shan the Ram Man]

:l I think the Defence has been a problem for about 5 years ! The Rams have only had 1 good DE since Grant Winstrom (Lenard Little) & at age I think 34 is getting up in age for a speed rusher . If Rams O'Line can stay healthy it's not that bad . Rams should pick up at least 2 DE's in early rounds . The 2nd weakest spot on Rams is WR . Then move witherspoon back to weakside LB and draft a ILB (Beau Bell , Ezra Butler).Think OT's next year or later in this draft (Gosder Cherilus , Breno Giacomini , King Dunlap) . What do U think ?

[Rambos]

From the poll if C.Long is on the board no debate, he is the pick. That leaves Gholston, J.Long and Dorsey.

I have it

J.Long
Dorsey
Gholston


I would be happy with J. Long and in the second round get DE Lawrence Jackson. Jackson had 10.5 sacks and 17 stops behind the line. He has started for four years.Named team captain.

If we could pull this off both lines have be upgraded for the furture.

[cfh128]

I tend to agree with the consensus that the first 3 rounds should be filled with a DE, OT, and WR. I also agree with those who think the first pick should be a DE. But the health of this team has left me scratching my head over what is the greater need between WR and OT. On one hand, we can pick a good starting caliber OT in the second round. But if Pace and Barron stay healthy all year then this would be yet another second round pick spent on a backup. I don't know if we have drafted a starter in the second round since Pisa back in 03. We also could go for a quality receiver with that second pick, because Holt and Bennett are as likely as anybody to spend some time on the sideline. If everybody stay healthy, then I think a third WR is more likely to contribute and help the team than a third OT. But if Pace goes down, we are going to need that quality OT more than we are going to need a third WR. I guess it really all comes down to value and who is available when we are picking in those rounds. The only thing I have realized for sure is that we are really hurting in all 3 of those departments and we really have to hit a home run on all 3 of our first draft picks if we want to have any success this year.

Of course if our draft guys are doing their homework than none of this matters. There are pro bowl players picked in every round. We just have to find them and pick them accordingly.

[Mooselini]

Like mentioned before, this class of OL is really deep. We could get a good one as late as the third round.

As Teke mentioned, good DE's don't come around too often and we will be foolish to pass one up in the first round.