St. Louis Rams
2012 NFL Draft Team Analysis - AFC
EAST
Buffalo |
Miami
| New
England |
NY
Jets
WEST
Denver |
Kansas City | Oakland |
San Diego
NORTH
Baltimore |
Cincinnati
Cleveland |
Pittsburgh
SOUTH
Houston
| Indy
|
Jacksonville |
Tennessee
2012 NFL Draft Team Analysis -
NFC
EAST
Dallas |
NY
Giants
|
Philadelphia |
Washington
WEST
Arizona |
San Francisco
|
Seattle |
St. Louis
NORTH
Chicago |
Detroit
|
Green Bay |
Minnesota
SOUTH
Atlanta
|
Carolina |
New Orleans |
Tampa Bay
- 2011
St. Louis Draft Breakdown
- 2010
St. Louis Draft Breakdown
The Draft Was ... a need-filler. Michael Brockers is a gamble on greatness at the 14, but that was only a minor reach considering the strong second round the team put together. The Rams needed bodies, and they did a terrific job of stockpiling second round picks to get a slew of good prospects who can make a big impact right away. CB Janoris Jenkins – character issues and all – was a joke of a steal in the second round, while receivers Brian Quick in the first and Chris Givens in the fourth ended any talk of screwing up in the first round by not making a harder push for Justin Blackmon.
Best Value Pick: CB Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama, 2nd round
Worst Value Pick: OG Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina, 5th round
They Should've ... taken OT Riley Reiff in the first round. Brockers could turn out to be a star, but he needs a lot of time and seasoning. Reiff also needs a little work, but he could be plugged in right away at right tackle and been an instant help for the O line.
Division Draft Ranking: 2
Overall Draft Ranking: 5
First Round
DT Michael Brockers, LSU
(Soph.) 6-5, 302
Overall Pick No. 14 CFN Overall Ranking: 23
CFN Analysis: How badly did St. Louis get pantsed by not getting Justin
Blackmon or Michael Floyd? The Rams traded their way
into the abyss and didn’t get a desperately needed
wide receiver and didn’t target another huge need,
offensive tackle. Brockers is a big-time prospect
with tremendous upside, but he’s hardly a finished
product and needs to grow into a pass rusher. This
is a huge boom or bust pick that could be a disaster
considering what the Rams needed to do in the first
round.
There’s a lot of work to be done and there are
downsides, but he has the quickness and the
versatility to become a major factor in a variety of
defenses. He was a dominant force in the SEC wars
and turned into an anchor of one of the nation’s
best run defenses, and while he could sit on the
nose if needed, he’ll be terrific as a 5-technique
and can be used in several ways. Very big, very
athletic for his size, and with a perfect frame,
he’s already big and still has room to add good
weight without losing a thing. While he was awful at
the Combine, he picked it up at his pro day and
showed he could do everything an NFL defensive
coordinator could want, but that’s part of the
problem; can he be consistent? Does he have the
maturity and the fire to step up and do the work
needed to be special? There’s a limitless upside,
but buyer beware with major bust potential if he
doesn’t take on a pro attitude.
CFN Projection: First Round
Second Round
WR Brian Quick, Appalachian
State 6-4, 220
Overall Pick No. 33 CFN Overall Ranking: 98
CFN Analysis: The Rams have their receiver. While he might not have the
ridiculous tools like a Stephen Hill, who’s still on
the board, he’s a big-bodied receiver who could
instantly be Sam Bradford’s No. 1 target. The
pressure will be on right away to produce.
With excellent size and tremendous athleticism, he
has the tools including phenomenal leaping ability
to get up and make big plays on jump balls. Smooth
as silk for his size and gears up well with the
ability to blow past defenders once he’s in the
clear. A leader, he’ll do whatever he must to
improve, and he needs some refinement. While he
ended up finishing strong during Senior Bowl week,
he didn’t look like he belonged with the big boys
early on. The deep speed is there, but he’ll likely
be a mid-range target early on. There are too many
drops and he’ll need plenty of refinement, but
there’s enough to work with to think he could
eventually become a dangerous No. 2 target.
CFN Projection: Third Round
Second Round
CB Janoris Jenkins, North
Alabama 5-10, 193
Overall Pick No. 39 CFN Overall Ranking: 12
CFN Analysis: A HUGE get for the Rams. They addressed the receiver
situation with Brian Quick early in the second
round, and while it might have been nice to get
another one to keep beefing up the weak position.
Jenkins is a tremendous value pick. Yes, there are
major character issues, and yes, he’s a dicey
attitude prospect, but on sheer talent he’s a top
ten talent who should lock down a spot right away.
There’s no risk; if he busts, he was a chance worth
taking at the 39.
Take away the character issues and he’d be a
sure-thing top 20 pick. While he’s not huge, he’s
big enough to get by and doesn’t have a problem
against the bigger receivers. Lightning fast, he has
the 4.4 wheels in workouts and he plays just as fast
on the field with the ability to close on a receiver
in a heartbeat. He’s a willing tackler, he’s great
at tracking the ball, and he proved himself time and
again when he was at Florida. But all of the
positives are wiped away by the major warning signs
that’ll make him undraftable on some boards. Along
with his major-league attitude, he had a slew of
off-the-field problems including an arrest for
marijuana possession that got him the boot from
Florida. He was banged up, and with his style he’ll
always be hovering around the injury report. Will
the concerns outweigh his incredible talent? On the
right team he’s a No. 1 corner and a Pro Bowl
talent.
CFN Projection: Second Round
Second Round
RB Isaiah Pead,
Cincinnati 5-10, 197
Overall Pick No. 50 CFN Overall Ranking: 64
CFN Analysis: Okay … the Rams still need more receiver help even after
getting Brian Quick, and Rueben Randle is still on
the board, but Pead is a great football player
who’ll be a terrific change-of-pace speedster to
give Steven Jackson some help. He’s a playmaker who
can find a role right away as Sam Bradford’s third
down back who can make things happen in space. The
offense needs weapons, and Pead is one.
He’s too small, too slight, and too thin, but he’s a
pure football player who’s better than he looks with
phenomenal speed and a nice all-around game.
Extremely quick with all the raw tools, he might not
be a workhorse but he has the potential to be a
devastating 15-touch back in the right system. The
Big East Player of the Year, he carried the
Cincinnati offense and has been extremely productive
whenever he has had a chance. Able to be used as a
returner if he’s not a top runner right away, he
also has the hands to be a playmaker as a third down
receiver. The base and the frame just aren’t there,
and he’ll never pound through the line, but if he
can put it all together from a work standpoint, he
could have a long career in a niche role if he’s not
a No. 1 back.
CFN Projection: Third Round
Third Round
CB Trumaine Johnson, Montana
(S) 6-2, 204
Overall Pick No. 65 CFN Overall Ranking: 60
CFN Analysis: The Rams are taking a bit of a chance on greatness. The
Rams addressed the offensive side with the earlier
picks, and now the secondary should be locked up
with Janoris Jenkins and now Johnson. With his size,
Johnson can fit as a nickel or dime defender, but
he’s a corner who should flourish with teams –
eventually - staying away from Jenkins.
Very big and very versatile, he could be used as a
safety – his more likely position – or as a huge,
physical corner. While he has good football speed,
he doesn’t time fast and doesn’t cut like he’ll need
to against the smaller speed targets. But his size
and outstanding leaping ability make him perfect to
deal with the bigger, Calvin Johnson-like targets,
and he’s not going to back down from a challenge.
With a little more time he could be a tremendous
nickel defender. He’ll have to work to be great.
It’s all there, but he has to do all the little
things right to be special. The attitude has to be
dialed down a bit and he’s not as good a tackler as
he should be for his size and skills, but there’s a
world of upside as a longtime starter in someone’s
secondary.
CFN Projection:
CFN Projection: Second Round
Fourth Round
WR Chris Givens, Wake Forest
(Jr.) 6-1, 198
Overall Pick No. 96 CFN Overall Ranking: 74
CFN Analysis: In a draft class that’s
missing blazing speed up top, Givens brings the heat
with sub-4.4 wheels that translates to the field. A
good route runner and not just a deep threat, he’s
not afraid to block and he has no problems going
across the middle even though he doesn’t quite have
the body for it. While his bread will be buttered at
the next level as a possible home run hitter, it
would be nice if he could find the weight room and
decide to put in the work to potentially be a go-to
target. The bust potential is huge and he has to
prove he wants to become great. Outside of his speed
he doesn’t have elite tools and he’ll likely spend
his career as a one-trick pony who works as a No. 3
receiver.
CFN Projection: Third Round
Fifth Round
OG Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina 6-4, 338
Overall Pick No. 150 CFN Overall Ranking: 244
While he’s not going to destroy anyone, even though he has the right body to blow up a lineman, he’s decent on the move and can kick outside to either tackle position if needed. Most likely a key reserve who’ll fill in the games when needed, he’s reliable and productive, doing a nice job against SEC defenders over the last few years, but he can’t handle the speed rushers. However, while he might get a long look at right tackle, he’s not going to function for too long on the outside and can only move in case of an emergency. There’s upside, but he needs a lot of work both in the film room and with a strength and conditioning coach to maximize his potential.
CFN Projection: Fourth Round
Sixth Round
PK Greg Zuerlein, Missouri Western 6-0, 189
Overall Pick No. 171 CFN Overall Ranking: Unranked
With a cannon, he has as much range as any kicker prospect in the draft. Under the radar because he didn’t play at a bigger school, he still has the skills to become a long-time pro. Accurate enough to be counted on right away, his real worth will be as a long range bomber.
CFN Projection: Free Agent
Seventh Round
LB Aaron Brown, Hawaii
Overall Pick No. 209 CFN Overall Rank: Unranked
CFN Projection: Free Agent
Seventh Round
RB Daryl Richardson, Abilene Christian
Overall Pick No. 252 CFN Overall Rank: Unranked
CFN Projection: Free Agent