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Capabilities of '15 O-line draft class align perfectly with what Rams need: versatility
Howard Balzer --FOX Sports Midwest
http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/st...perfectly-with-what-st-louis-rams-need-042415
- Rams offensive line coach Paul Boudreau has often said he'd love to have all tackles starting on his five-man unit. That, of course, rarely happens, but Boudreau's point is that the all-around ability and athleticism of tackles will often translate to other positions and provide a team with the best possible blockers.
With this year's draft less than one week away, Boudreau might be getting closer to his wishes. After all, as the group stands now, the only sure starters are left tackle Greg Robinson and left guard Rodger Saffold, who was drafted as a tackle and switched to guard last season. To say the Rams need to solidify their offensive line with three months remaining until the start of training camp is a massive understatement.
Obviously, whoever starts at right tackle will make it three tackles on the line, but the biggest mystery of this offseason, now 45 days after the start of the league year on March 10, is the status of right tackle Joe Barksdale. Expecting to get a contract in the range of $7-8 million a year, Barksdale saw doors closed quickly on him and he remains unsigned.
If he doesn't sign in the next week, the Rams will be in the market for a tackle, guard and possibly a center during the draft. If he does, at this point it would likely be a one- or two-year contract at best, so the Rams would be well advised to draft a tackle anyway.
While there has been a lot of chatter about the Rams selecting a quarterback or wide receiver in the first round with their 10th overall choice, it's difficult to imagine them passing on an offensive lineman, and they could well add more blockers in two of the next three rounds.
The good news for the Rams is that this is a deep group of offensive linemen who also have significant position versatility. It's not hard to picture Boudreau licking his chops in the team's war room.
"Because this year's class lacks an obvious Pro Bowl left tackle, it has been miscast as a below-average group," says Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com. "In reality, clubs looking for help on the interior or right tackle can find players capable of competing for starting positions as rookies throughout the top 100."
That's music to Boudreau's ears, and he knows it -- especially since the Rams already have their left tackle, which means the available crop perfectly matches their needs. They can mix and match and be covered no matter what Barksdale does. Even if the Rams entertain thoughts of signing Barksdale after the draft, they just might get a tackle and guard in two of the first four rounds, possibly setting them up for the next four or five years and allowing them to move on from a steady but unspectacular player.
If they draft a tackle such as Iowa's Brandon Scherff or LSU's La'el Collins in the first round, and then still sign Barskdale, either of those prospects could immediately be placed at right guard. There's that versatility at work.
Scherff started the last three seasons at left tackle but is viewed as either a right tackle or guard in the NFL. "He has enough skills to survive on the edges in the NFL, likely at right tackle," NFLDraftScout.com's Dane Brugler, who rates Scherff as a guard, wrote in his draft guide, "but his best position at the next level is inside at guard, which fits his skill set and mindset. (He's a) safe player who can't be drafted too early in the first round."
Numerous mock drafts have him going to the New York Giants, one spot in front of the Rams at ninth overall. If that happens, the Rams couldn't go wrong with Collins. "Any power-running team would love to have La'El Collins," says Charles Davis of the NFL Network.
Wrote Brugler: "He is a wrecking ball in the run game. He has enough talent to survive on the edges, projecting as a starting swing tackle at the next level, but might be ideally suited inside at guard."
At center, a lot depends on how much Boudreau and Co. truly like Barrett Jones and Demetrius Rhaney, but there could be temptation to add Florida State's Cam Erving or even Mizzou's Mitch Morse.
Erving played, you guessed it, tackle for the first 37 starts of his offensive line career after switching from defensive tackle, and then moved to center for the final five games last season. That's where most scouts project him in the NFL, but some believe he could also play guard.
Morse started games for the Tigers at center and both tackle spots while also practicing and playing some at both guard spots. "He is patient, balanced and competitive with the high football intelligence desired," Brugler wrote.
That's not unlike former Mizzou lineman Justin Britt, who some said Seattle reached for in the second round last year. But Seahawks line coach Tom Cable knew what he was doing and Britt started every game as a rookie except for the NFC Championship Game because of a knee injury.
Other names to watch for the Rams include tackles Andrus Peat (Stanford) and Ereck Flowers (Miami of Florida) and guards Ali Marpet (Hobart), A.J. Cann (South Carolina), Tre Jackson (Florida State), Laken Tomlinson (Duke) and Jamon Brown (Louisville).
Becoming fast starters is the way of the world in the NFL. Last season, 26 linemen (10 tackles, 11 guards and five centers) were drafted in the first four rounds and 22 in the top 100. Five tackles started a total of 65 games, seven guards started 87 games and the five centers started 55 games.
Two guards, two tackles and one center started all 16 games, while another two guards, one tackle and one center started either 14 or 15 games. The Rams' Robinson started 12.
Odds are, once all seven rounds are in the books, a few of the linemen discussed above will be Rams and could be expected to start Sept. 13 against the Seahawks.
Welcome to the NFL.
Howard Balzer --FOX Sports Midwest
http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/st...perfectly-with-what-st-louis-rams-need-042415
- Rams offensive line coach Paul Boudreau has often said he'd love to have all tackles starting on his five-man unit. That, of course, rarely happens, but Boudreau's point is that the all-around ability and athleticism of tackles will often translate to other positions and provide a team with the best possible blockers.
With this year's draft less than one week away, Boudreau might be getting closer to his wishes. After all, as the group stands now, the only sure starters are left tackle Greg Robinson and left guard Rodger Saffold, who was drafted as a tackle and switched to guard last season. To say the Rams need to solidify their offensive line with three months remaining until the start of training camp is a massive understatement.
Obviously, whoever starts at right tackle will make it three tackles on the line, but the biggest mystery of this offseason, now 45 days after the start of the league year on March 10, is the status of right tackle Joe Barksdale. Expecting to get a contract in the range of $7-8 million a year, Barksdale saw doors closed quickly on him and he remains unsigned.
If he doesn't sign in the next week, the Rams will be in the market for a tackle, guard and possibly a center during the draft. If he does, at this point it would likely be a one- or two-year contract at best, so the Rams would be well advised to draft a tackle anyway.
While there has been a lot of chatter about the Rams selecting a quarterback or wide receiver in the first round with their 10th overall choice, it's difficult to imagine them passing on an offensive lineman, and they could well add more blockers in two of the next three rounds.
The good news for the Rams is that this is a deep group of offensive linemen who also have significant position versatility. It's not hard to picture Boudreau licking his chops in the team's war room.
"Because this year's class lacks an obvious Pro Bowl left tackle, it has been miscast as a below-average group," says Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com. "In reality, clubs looking for help on the interior or right tackle can find players capable of competing for starting positions as rookies throughout the top 100."
That's music to Boudreau's ears, and he knows it -- especially since the Rams already have their left tackle, which means the available crop perfectly matches their needs. They can mix and match and be covered no matter what Barksdale does. Even if the Rams entertain thoughts of signing Barksdale after the draft, they just might get a tackle and guard in two of the first four rounds, possibly setting them up for the next four or five years and allowing them to move on from a steady but unspectacular player.
If they draft a tackle such as Iowa's Brandon Scherff or LSU's La'el Collins in the first round, and then still sign Barskdale, either of those prospects could immediately be placed at right guard. There's that versatility at work.
Scherff started the last three seasons at left tackle but is viewed as either a right tackle or guard in the NFL. "He has enough skills to survive on the edges in the NFL, likely at right tackle," NFLDraftScout.com's Dane Brugler, who rates Scherff as a guard, wrote in his draft guide, "but his best position at the next level is inside at guard, which fits his skill set and mindset. (He's a) safe player who can't be drafted too early in the first round."
Numerous mock drafts have him going to the New York Giants, one spot in front of the Rams at ninth overall. If that happens, the Rams couldn't go wrong with Collins. "Any power-running team would love to have La'El Collins," says Charles Davis of the NFL Network.
Wrote Brugler: "He is a wrecking ball in the run game. He has enough talent to survive on the edges, projecting as a starting swing tackle at the next level, but might be ideally suited inside at guard."
At center, a lot depends on how much Boudreau and Co. truly like Barrett Jones and Demetrius Rhaney, but there could be temptation to add Florida State's Cam Erving or even Mizzou's Mitch Morse.
Erving played, you guessed it, tackle for the first 37 starts of his offensive line career after switching from defensive tackle, and then moved to center for the final five games last season. That's where most scouts project him in the NFL, but some believe he could also play guard.
Morse started games for the Tigers at center and both tackle spots while also practicing and playing some at both guard spots. "He is patient, balanced and competitive with the high football intelligence desired," Brugler wrote.
That's not unlike former Mizzou lineman Justin Britt, who some said Seattle reached for in the second round last year. But Seahawks line coach Tom Cable knew what he was doing and Britt started every game as a rookie except for the NFC Championship Game because of a knee injury.
Other names to watch for the Rams include tackles Andrus Peat (Stanford) and Ereck Flowers (Miami of Florida) and guards Ali Marpet (Hobart), A.J. Cann (South Carolina), Tre Jackson (Florida State), Laken Tomlinson (Duke) and Jamon Brown (Louisville).
Becoming fast starters is the way of the world in the NFL. Last season, 26 linemen (10 tackles, 11 guards and five centers) were drafted in the first four rounds and 22 in the top 100. Five tackles started a total of 65 games, seven guards started 87 games and the five centers started 55 games.
Two guards, two tackles and one center started all 16 games, while another two guards, one tackle and one center started either 14 or 15 games. The Rams' Robinson started 12.
Odds are, once all seven rounds are in the books, a few of the linemen discussed above will be Rams and could be expected to start Sept. 13 against the Seahawks.
Welcome to the NFL.