On taking Andrus Peat for Rams in NFL Nation mock draft
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/17962/on-taking-andrus-peat-in-nfl-nation-mock-draft
BRISTOL, Conn. -- For those who don't have access to television during the day, our 32 ESPN NFL Nation reporters are here at headquarters this week for meetings and to do the first-ever televised NFL Nation mock draft.
We went through the picks on ESPN Monday afternoon, and with the 10th pick in the draft I chose Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat for the St. Louis Rams. First, to be clear, I made that selection based on what I think the Rams would do in the scenario that was in front of me, not based on what I would do if I was making the choice.
Just to reset before explaining why I went with Peat, here are the nine players who went before the Rams came on the clock: Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Leonard Williams, Amari Cooper, Dante Fowler Jr., Kevin White, Brandon Scherff, Vic Beasley and Ereck Flowers.
With the top two quarterbacks, top two receivers and Scherff off the board, it's my belief the Rams would be looking at this situation as choosing between Peat, Missouri defensive end Shane Ray, Louisville receiver DeVante Parker and Georgia running back Todd Gurley.
For what it's worth, trades are not an option in this mock so I couldn't move down, which is another avenue the Rams would surely consider in this scenario. But that begs the question that if the value isn't that good for the Rams for any players here, then what player would be enough for a team to want to move up and give up valuable picks to do it? It's always possible, sure, but the reality is that the 10th spot isn't a great one to have this year.
So here's my line of thinking on going with Peat over the others I mentioned: In the given situation, it's entirely possible that a guy like Ray or Parker or Gurley will be rated higher on the Rams' board. As a general rule, you don't stray from your board in search of need. But I don't think the difference between Peat and Parker, for example, would be enough for the Rams to ignore the need. In other words, the need for help on the offensive line could bridge the gap between the value of the two players.
Peat has some work to do, and I wonder if his lack of mean streak concerns the Rams. But he comes from a power-run-heavy offense at Stanford not much different than what the Rams run. Peat is a polished pass protector but still comes with the type of upside the Rams seem to lean toward on draft day.
And there's no denying the Rams like Peat. He came on a pre-draft visit and they've spent plenty of time scouting him. He's one of many offensive linemen who have come through Rams Park, which makes it hard to know who they like the most. If Scherff fell the Rams would undoubtedly have interest, and Flowers would also likely be in the discussion if he makes it to No. 10.
After having conversations with scouts around the league, there's a strong belief that Peat is being undervalued in the media mock drafts versus how teams view him, so this range is just about right for him. It's certainly not sexy, and drafting Peat isn't the perfect marriage of value and need, but it's close enough for the Rams to make the move if this scenario played out Thursday night.
