- Joined
- Aug 7, 2010
- Messages
- 12,111
- Name
- Rambeau
DR RAM's Mock Draft - updated April 15th, 2013
This is my final mock. I based it on needs, reality, the Rams draft strategies that I have surmised, and included a lot of players that the Rams have shown recent interest in. I've shown many alternate picks to include possible scenarios based on player availability. This is who I think the Rams will pick:
16 - Alec Ogletree, OLB Georgia. He'd probably go even higher, but he was suspended 4 games last season for failing a drug test. Very fast and instinctual. He racked up 111 tackles, with 11.5 for loss, and registered 3 sacks. Very smooth fluid athlete who was a former safety, has excellent ball skills. Plug him in and play him. Would solidify our linebacking corp big time. No more messing around trying to sign vets that are cast-offs, or can't play anymore, this is the guy. I know he has some trouble getting off of blocks, but that is a coaching issue. Every time I watched tape of a Georgia player on defense, Ogletree flashed and stole the show. One thing that I like in particular, is that Ogletree swarms to the football. If he's here, he's the pick.
Alternate pick: Tavon Austin, WR/ST West Virginia. Tavon Austin would fill a need after the loss of Danny Amendola, and he's a better version of Amendola. Austin is more than a slot receiver, he's a weapon who can take it to the house on any play. Tavon will also greatly enhance the Rams special teams, which will equate to a couple more wins this season, and that is why he is taken in this slot. Fisher and Snead are not afraid to project a rare talent like Austin despite his physical size. He has doubters, but nobody can say that he is not a playmaker. Rams need playmakers to be able to compete in the division.
22 - Matt Elam, FS/SS Florida.This is the first time that I've mocked Matt Elam, but he is my favorite safety in this draft. Ed Reed is his favorite player and to me the comparison is valid. Elam has range, speed, he's tough as nails, and he has great numbers. In two years he has 6 INT's and 18 PD's. Elam also has a bit of an advantage and insight of having a brother already in the NFL, Kansas City safety, Abram Elam.
Alternate pick: Jonathan Cyprien, SS/FS Florida International. He is very close to Elam, in my opinion. Cyprien is a tough kid from a smaller school who showed well against good competition at the Senior Bowl. He is a strong safety, but appears to have the athleticism--4.6 40 yd dash, and ball skills--4 INT's his senior year, to be able to play both positions. Excellent tackler in congested areas. Built like a truck and has leadership qualities.
Alternate pick: D.J. Fluker, OT/OG Alabama.[/b] A perfect right tackle prospect. I don't think he projects very well to the left tackle, and that's why he'd be available here. He's a better run blocker than a pass protector. A massive specimen that loves football. The Rams are also considering him highly as a guard prospect. If Fluker goes here, my alternate picks kick into gear the next round.
46 - Kyle Long, OT/OG Oregon. Might sound like a homer pick, but Kyle, the biggest and most athletic of the Long clan, can really play. He's kind of a rare player because he looks very lean, but he's pure muscle with massive legs. Doesn't have a lot of football experience, because he was throwing 98 mph flames as a left handed pitcher. Coach Boudreau is drooling over being able to coach this prospect. Kyle offers a lot of versatility in being capable of playing guard or tackle. I think he can start at either position after minimal coaching. He's powerful, quick, and can easily get to the next level. He has a chance to be special.
Alternate pick: Terron Armstead. OT/OG Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Another raw player with tremendous upside. You'll remember this player because of his jaw dropping 40 time at the combine, which set a new record for an offensive lineman. I watched tape of him playing during the season, and thought he was one of the rawest players that I've ever seen in terms of basic fundamentals, but post-season via the all-star games, the coaching he received, and by the time the combine rolled around, he looked like a completely different player. He showed enough improvement, and has enough upside to warrant a pick here.
Alternate pick: Phillip Thomas, FS Fresno St. Thomas is the best ball hawking turnover machine in this draft, and his numbers prove it: 2012 - 66 solo tackles; 12 tackles for loss; 84 total tackles; 4 sacks; 8 interceptions, of which 3 were returned for touchdowns; and 4 forced fumbles. I think his non-contact football injury in 2011, and his football division may have lowered his stock.
Alternate pick: Sio Moore, OLB Connecticut. If we don't pick Alec Ogletree then this is my contingency plan. Sio Moore is a very good football player. You can line him up wherever you want and he will make a play for you. He may be a little small to play at the SAM, but he could be a situational player at that position. He is very adept at rushing the passer, which would be a bonus in blitzing situations. He shined at the East West Shrine game, and then was invited to the Senior Bowl, where he showed well for himself. Sio is one of my favorite players in this draft. I think he has the heart and will to be special. If he was a little bigger, he would be a top 20 player.
78 - Quinton Patton, WR Louisiana Tech, or Robert Woods, or Da'Rick Rodgers, or Stedman Bailey, or Kenny Stills, or Terrance Williams, or Aaron Dobson, or Tavarres King. There is no doubt in my mind that the Rams are targeting a WR here at this spot, or in the next round. They are checking out all the potential receivers that may be here when their card comes up. I don't know who will be here, and who won't, but a couple of these guys will for sure, and they are all fits. Some, not all, of these guys, and you can include Wheaton and Hunter, would be considered in the second round if we pick Fluker in the first round.
113 - Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB Connecticut. The Rams will pick a corner in this draft, and this is where they will pick him. Blidi has good size and decent speed, but struggles in man occasionally. Teams will have to determine if his getting beat deep is a temporary side effect of his knee injury. He bettered his 40 time at his pro day to a 4.39. The Rams are interested in him, but he reminds me of Justin King.
Alternate pick: B.W. Webb, CB William and Mary. I like this player better. I just love the way he competes and moves on the field. He'd be my pick here.
149 - Marcus Lattimore, RB South Carolina. Great character kid from a strong family. Easily could be considered the best RB prospect in this class minus the gruesome knee injuries. Why the 5th round? Because he will not be able to play this year, and this is the earliest that the Rams would be willing to sit on high risk, later, but high reward player. Rams have met with him.
Alternate pick: Michael Ford, RB LSU. Entered the draft early, but this former Parade All-American player has a lot of ability, and is very fast and explosive. He has experience as a kick returner, and in part, that is why I consider him here. He needs to work on a few things, but this could be a high reward player.
184 - Earl Watford, OG James Madison. 3 year starter. Helped his team average over 220 rushing yards per game. My impressions at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine were that he was a powerful Guard that exhibited very good feet, played with good balance, and was very quick compared to others in his group. I think this player has a very high upside and would be a steal here.
222 - Micah Hyde, CB/FS Iowa. Has played both and excelled at free safety and corner. He had 14 PD,s 78 tackles, and two FF in 2012. He was voted Iowa's MVP, and was First Team All-Big Ten. I have a hard time figuring why he is being rated this low by most services. I see him as a third to fourth round prospect, so I'd consider him a huge steal at this spot.
This could easily be Tavon Austin, Jonathan Cyprien, and Sio Moore as our first three picks.
Let her rip....
This is my final mock. I based it on needs, reality, the Rams draft strategies that I have surmised, and included a lot of players that the Rams have shown recent interest in. I've shown many alternate picks to include possible scenarios based on player availability. This is who I think the Rams will pick:
16 - Alec Ogletree, OLB Georgia. He'd probably go even higher, but he was suspended 4 games last season for failing a drug test. Very fast and instinctual. He racked up 111 tackles, with 11.5 for loss, and registered 3 sacks. Very smooth fluid athlete who was a former safety, has excellent ball skills. Plug him in and play him. Would solidify our linebacking corp big time. No more messing around trying to sign vets that are cast-offs, or can't play anymore, this is the guy. I know he has some trouble getting off of blocks, but that is a coaching issue. Every time I watched tape of a Georgia player on defense, Ogletree flashed and stole the show. One thing that I like in particular, is that Ogletree swarms to the football. If he's here, he's the pick.
Alternate pick: Tavon Austin, WR/ST West Virginia. Tavon Austin would fill a need after the loss of Danny Amendola, and he's a better version of Amendola. Austin is more than a slot receiver, he's a weapon who can take it to the house on any play. Tavon will also greatly enhance the Rams special teams, which will equate to a couple more wins this season, and that is why he is taken in this slot. Fisher and Snead are not afraid to project a rare talent like Austin despite his physical size. He has doubters, but nobody can say that he is not a playmaker. Rams need playmakers to be able to compete in the division.
22 - Matt Elam, FS/SS Florida.This is the first time that I've mocked Matt Elam, but he is my favorite safety in this draft. Ed Reed is his favorite player and to me the comparison is valid. Elam has range, speed, he's tough as nails, and he has great numbers. In two years he has 6 INT's and 18 PD's. Elam also has a bit of an advantage and insight of having a brother already in the NFL, Kansas City safety, Abram Elam.
Alternate pick: Jonathan Cyprien, SS/FS Florida International. He is very close to Elam, in my opinion. Cyprien is a tough kid from a smaller school who showed well against good competition at the Senior Bowl. He is a strong safety, but appears to have the athleticism--4.6 40 yd dash, and ball skills--4 INT's his senior year, to be able to play both positions. Excellent tackler in congested areas. Built like a truck and has leadership qualities.
Alternate pick: D.J. Fluker, OT/OG Alabama.[/b] A perfect right tackle prospect. I don't think he projects very well to the left tackle, and that's why he'd be available here. He's a better run blocker than a pass protector. A massive specimen that loves football. The Rams are also considering him highly as a guard prospect. If Fluker goes here, my alternate picks kick into gear the next round.
46 - Kyle Long, OT/OG Oregon. Might sound like a homer pick, but Kyle, the biggest and most athletic of the Long clan, can really play. He's kind of a rare player because he looks very lean, but he's pure muscle with massive legs. Doesn't have a lot of football experience, because he was throwing 98 mph flames as a left handed pitcher. Coach Boudreau is drooling over being able to coach this prospect. Kyle offers a lot of versatility in being capable of playing guard or tackle. I think he can start at either position after minimal coaching. He's powerful, quick, and can easily get to the next level. He has a chance to be special.
Alternate pick: Terron Armstead. OT/OG Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Another raw player with tremendous upside. You'll remember this player because of his jaw dropping 40 time at the combine, which set a new record for an offensive lineman. I watched tape of him playing during the season, and thought he was one of the rawest players that I've ever seen in terms of basic fundamentals, but post-season via the all-star games, the coaching he received, and by the time the combine rolled around, he looked like a completely different player. He showed enough improvement, and has enough upside to warrant a pick here.
Alternate pick: Phillip Thomas, FS Fresno St. Thomas is the best ball hawking turnover machine in this draft, and his numbers prove it: 2012 - 66 solo tackles; 12 tackles for loss; 84 total tackles; 4 sacks; 8 interceptions, of which 3 were returned for touchdowns; and 4 forced fumbles. I think his non-contact football injury in 2011, and his football division may have lowered his stock.
Alternate pick: Sio Moore, OLB Connecticut. If we don't pick Alec Ogletree then this is my contingency plan. Sio Moore is a very good football player. You can line him up wherever you want and he will make a play for you. He may be a little small to play at the SAM, but he could be a situational player at that position. He is very adept at rushing the passer, which would be a bonus in blitzing situations. He shined at the East West Shrine game, and then was invited to the Senior Bowl, where he showed well for himself. Sio is one of my favorite players in this draft. I think he has the heart and will to be special. If he was a little bigger, he would be a top 20 player.
78 - Quinton Patton, WR Louisiana Tech, or Robert Woods, or Da'Rick Rodgers, or Stedman Bailey, or Kenny Stills, or Terrance Williams, or Aaron Dobson, or Tavarres King. There is no doubt in my mind that the Rams are targeting a WR here at this spot, or in the next round. They are checking out all the potential receivers that may be here when their card comes up. I don't know who will be here, and who won't, but a couple of these guys will for sure, and they are all fits. Some, not all, of these guys, and you can include Wheaton and Hunter, would be considered in the second round if we pick Fluker in the first round.
113 - Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB Connecticut. The Rams will pick a corner in this draft, and this is where they will pick him. Blidi has good size and decent speed, but struggles in man occasionally. Teams will have to determine if his getting beat deep is a temporary side effect of his knee injury. He bettered his 40 time at his pro day to a 4.39. The Rams are interested in him, but he reminds me of Justin King.
Alternate pick: B.W. Webb, CB William and Mary. I like this player better. I just love the way he competes and moves on the field. He'd be my pick here.
149 - Marcus Lattimore, RB South Carolina. Great character kid from a strong family. Easily could be considered the best RB prospect in this class minus the gruesome knee injuries. Why the 5th round? Because he will not be able to play this year, and this is the earliest that the Rams would be willing to sit on high risk, later, but high reward player. Rams have met with him.
Alternate pick: Michael Ford, RB LSU. Entered the draft early, but this former Parade All-American player has a lot of ability, and is very fast and explosive. He has experience as a kick returner, and in part, that is why I consider him here. He needs to work on a few things, but this could be a high reward player.
184 - Earl Watford, OG James Madison. 3 year starter. Helped his team average over 220 rushing yards per game. My impressions at the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine were that he was a powerful Guard that exhibited very good feet, played with good balance, and was very quick compared to others in his group. I think this player has a very high upside and would be a steal here.
222 - Micah Hyde, CB/FS Iowa. Has played both and excelled at free safety and corner. He had 14 PD,s 78 tackles, and two FF in 2012. He was voted Iowa's MVP, and was First Team All-Big Ten. I have a hard time figuring why he is being rated this low by most services. I see him as a third to fourth round prospect, so I'd consider him a huge steal at this spot.
This could easily be Tavon Austin, Jonathan Cyprien, and Sio Moore as our first three picks.
Let her rip....
