McShay Mocks WR Not Named Cooper, White To The Rams @ 10

[RamBill]

Todd McShay Mocks Wide Receiver Not Named Cooper, White To The Rams at 10

By Brandon Bate @NoPlanB_ on Mar 30, 2015, 8:42a +

http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/3/30/8312079/todd-mcshay-mock-draft-st-louis-rams-devante-parker

Todd McShay, ESPN’s NFL Draft expert, released his updated 2015 NFL mock draft on Wednesday morning. It’ll require In$ider access to view his entire mock, but luckily we here at Turf Show Times don’t charge a dime.

Without further ado...

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
2. Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
4. Oakland Raiders: Leonard Williams, DE, USC
5. Washington Redskins: Dante Fowler Jr., DE, Florida
6. New York Jets: Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska
7. Chicago Bears: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia
8. Atlanta Falcons: Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri
9. New York Giants: Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa

And with the St. Louis Rams on the clock at 10th overall, Todd McShay has them taking...
10. St. Louis Rams: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville

Analysis: I wouldn't rule out the possibility that the Rams trade up to draft Marcus Mariota. They have the young talent currently on their roster to help them sustain the loss of draft picks that would come with a big move up the board, and their apparent interest in Johnny Manziel last year seemed to be based on the appeal of adding a running element from the quarterback position -- which is something Mariota would provide to an even greater degree than Manziel would have. But we don't project trades in these mock drafts, so I'll have them address another need with a talented WR in Parker. Kenny Britt was re-signed to a two-year deal, and Brian Quick showed progress last year, but is either the long-term answer? Offensive line is the team's biggest need, but Andrus Peat isn't an elite finisher and wouldn't be a great fit for a Jeff Fisher-coached team, and I think they could find a guard or right tackle on Day 2.


This is one you don’t see too often. And in a less than ideal scenario for Rams’ fans, Amari Cooper and Brandon Scherff are both off the board at 10. Another popular name mocked to St. Louis, LSU offensive tackle La’el Collins was scooped up by the Vikings with the very next pick [11th].

Elsewhere in the NFC West:

15. San Francisco 49ers: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
24. Arizona Cardinals: Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky

 

[BonifayRam]

 

[Memphis Ram]

I still think he's going to be a pretty good WR, but I've cooled a bit on Devante Parker once someone pointed out that he might not be physical enough for a Jeff Fisher coached team.

As of today, if the draft fell like this and the Rams couldn't trade down, I think the Rams would be choosing between:

WR Breshad Perriman, UCF
RB Todd Gurley, Georgia
OT T.J. Clemmings, Pittsburgh
OL Cameron Erving, Florida State
CB Trae Waynes, Michigan State

 

[RamBill]

Mel Kiper Jr. breaks down Todd McShay’s fourth mock draft, including QB Marcus Mariota moving up to No. 2 and where LB Randy Gregory falls after testing positive for marijuana at the NFL draft combine.

Watch Kiper Talk McShay's Mock

 

[Stel]

I like Parker and would have no objection to him at #10. Would also be happy with Collins, Flowers, or Waynes.

 

[Athos]

I like Parkers game a lot. His body control is crazy.

Not sure he'll ever be an elite WR. An extremely good #2 probably. Maybe a slightly more athletic Jordy Nelson. But he won't dominate a game like White and Cooper will.

If we go WR in the first other than White/Coop, we trade down and take DGB is he passes interviews. More physically talented WR in this draft.

 

[Mackeyser]

Yeah... If DGB passes the interviews, he's going to skyrocket up draft boards. And for good reason, you can't coach height or speed and he's got both.

 

[RamBill]

Latest McShay mock sticks with receiver to Rams
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...test-mcshay-mock-sticks-with-receiver-to-rams

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- It's become common practice around the mock draft game to send a wide receiver to the St. Louis Rams with the No. 10 overall pick.

The outside perspective is that the Rams could use a true No. 1 receiver and the intersection of that need and value comes clear for the Rams at No. 10. That thought process is no different here at ESPN, where both Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. have been making a habit of sending a wideout to the Rams.

On Monday morning, McShay released his fourth mock draft and stuck with the wide receiver theme but with a little different twist. Instead of West Virginia's Kevin White, whom McShay sent to St. Louis in version 2.0, or Alabama's Amari Cooper, McShay's pick for the Rams in mock 3.0, this time it's Louisville's DeVante Parker.

Why the change? Well, McShay now has Cooper and White going off the board at Nos. 3 and 7 to Jacksonville and Chicago, respectively. This falls in line with something I began hearing back at the scouting combine in Indianapolis which is that Cooper and White are widely regarded as two of the best overall prospects in the draft and neither will fall to No. 10 for the Rams.

Unfortunately for the Rams in this scenario, with Cooper and White off the board, the top offensive lineman or one of the top two quarterbacks also don't fall. Iowa's Brandon Scherff goes No. 9 to the New York Giants and quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota go Nos. 1 and 2.

If this scenario played out -- and it very well could -- the Rams would have a tough decision to make. After talking to Jeff Fisher at the owners meetings last week, I'm less convinced than I was before (and I was already skeptical) that the Rams will take a wide receiver at No. 10. If Cooper or White fell, they'd absolutely have to consider it but I'm not sure they view Parker the same way. Likewise, Fisher indicated that bringing Britt back has him pleased with what the team has at wide receiver.

As always, you have to take anything a coach or general manager says at this time of year with a grain of salt but I could see the Rams going a different direction here. McShay has also made multiple mentions of the Rams potentially moving up for Mariota and that's something I wouldn't rule out either if Mariota falls into the five to seven range. It'd be more of a surprise if they went all the way to No. 2 given what they'd have to give up to do it unless Tennessee took a little less to make a deal.

With the top two wideouts, top two quarterbacks and top offensive lineman gone, this could also play into Fisher's statements about not being against taking a pass-rusher. In this draft, it's Clemson's Vic Beasley who falls to No. 13. Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes is also available at No. 10.

Perhaps the most logical move if this were to be how it plays out, though, would be to find a trade partner to move down. Go down a few spots, take the next best offensive lineman and pick up an extra pick or two. The needs on the offensive line remain glaring and after Scherff, there seems to be a consensus that the Rams could have a group of players that might fit after that including LSU's La'el Collins, Stanford's Andrus Peat, Florida State's Cameron Erving, Miami's Ereck Flowers and more.