If Only the Rams Had Listened to Mel Kiper Jr. Over the Past Five Years

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Rams picks or Mel Kiper's picks?

  • Rams

    Votes: 56 96.6%
  • Mel Kiper

    Votes: 2 3.4%

  • Total voters
    58

Prime Time

PT
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http://www.turfshowtimes.com/2015/2/20/8075795/st-louis-rams-2015-nfl-mock-draft-mel-kiper-jr

If Only the St. Louis Rams Had Listened to Mel Kiper Jr. Over the Past Five Years...
By Brandon Bate@NoPlanB_ on Feb 20, 2015

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Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

If the St. Louis Rams had listened to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., here’s what their draft haul might've looked like over the past five years...

Mell Kiper Jr., who’s been providing NFL Draft analysis for ESPN since 1984, is the most notable name in the mock draft biz. And with varying degrees of success, he prognosticates where college players might find their new homes in the NFL.

The St. Louis Rams, along with the Patriots and Browns, have had the most first round draft picks [7] of all NFL teams over the past five years. The Rams-Redskins trade in 2012 that afforded the Rams the opportunity to double dip over the last few seasons has kept Kiper on his toes.

But he would’ve gone a completely different direction with his picks. In fact, none of the seven players drafted by the Rams were Kiper’s choice...[h/t Jimmy Kempski]

Year........Pick........Rams Choice...............Kipers Choice

2010........1.1..........Sam Bradford...............Ndamukong Suh
2011........1.14........Robert Quinn................Julio Jones
2012........1.14........Michael Brockers.........Justin Blackmon
2013........1.8..........Tavon Austin................Kenny Vaccaro
2013........1.30........Alec Ogletree...............D.J. Fluker
2014........1.2..........Greg Robinson.............Jake Matthews
2014........1.13........Aaron Donald.............Mike Evans

Finding the Next Big Wide Receiver

The Rams and Kiper clearly don't see eye-to-eye on the team’s need to find themselves a legitimate deep threat wide receiver. Kiper saw fit to address this on three separate occasions over the past five years, snagging Julio Jones, Justin Blackmon, and most recently, Mike Evans. The Rams apparently find it a much less dire need. They’ve landed only one wideout; having traded up for Tavon Austin in 2013.

The problem with Kiper’s picks, however, is that the Rams wouldn’t have been able to land a single one of these wideouts unless they traded up. In 2011, Julio went 6th overall, Blackmon went 5th in 2012, and Mike Evans went 7th last season.

I can’t imagine any fan - maybe with the exception of Blackmon - wouldn’t want either of these three guys donning horns in 2015. Fans wanted the Rams to draft him though. I remember. I was right there with you.

Quid Pro Quo

Many of the Rams’ choices are staples along the defensive front. Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn have already played Pro Bowl caliber seasons. Michael Brockers has played admirably - and stayed healthy - in his first three seasons in the league.

The Rams would only have a first rounder in Ndamukong Suh if they were listening to Kiper Jr. That’s not to say the Rams couldn’t have landed solid contributors in free agency or the later rounds of the draft. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a Rams’ fan that would part ways with Quinn or Donald; even if it were for Julio Jones and Mike Evans.

Suh has been to four Pro Bowls since 2010. Sam Bradford has been to...well...you know.

What, No Quarterback?

If Sam Bradford isn’t taken with the first overall pick in 2010, then who’s the Rams’ quarterback? That’s a good question. And it’s probably an question many fans would’ve liked to have entertained a few seasons ago; some in 2010.

Assuming the Rams went the Kiper-route in the first, and wanted to use their 2nd rounder on a signal caller, here are a few names - other than Bradford - who could’ve been under center in St. Louis [includes 3rd round QB’s available]...




This assumes the Rams draft a QB. Obviously, they could’ve targeted one in free agency.

The 2015 Draft

Jeff Fisher has said another quarterback - who isn’t currently playing for the Rams - will be challenging Bradford for the starting job in 2015. We don’t know, at this point, whether that’ll be a rookie they’ve selected in the draft, or a free agent [yikes!].

Barring the unforeseen, the Rams don’t appear to be in a position to land one of the draft’s top quarterbacks. And many mock drafts will have the Rams selecting an offensive lineman to protect Bradford or his successor. Kiper’s is no different...
 

badnews

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I would rather have Quinn and Donald than the entire group that Kiper mocked to us.
 

rdlkgliders

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our picks were made after having really acquired the player the year prior. His picks were addressing needs on a 1 year basis since we did not acquire his suggested player the year prior. Kiper never would have suggested Evans to us in the first with Jones and Blacmon on the roster already. So not really an accurate representation of what Mel would really do. Fun read though and no I am not a fan of MK.
 

jsimcox

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I'd say the Rams actual picks are better, and IMO it's not really close. If Kiper's picks had come true, we wouldn't have a QB, we would have a WR who is suspended indefinitely and we would be due to pay a DT something like $20 million(?) this year.
It's also a bit of a rubbish title from TST because a couple of the Kiper picks were gone by the Rams pick anyway, so they couldn't have really 'listened to him' without giving up a significant amount of future draft capital.
 

Ltrautman

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The only pick I'd consider switching would be Bradford for Suh. Matthews didn't have a much better year this year than G-Rob.. Also Julio, Blackmon, and Evans were all unavailable at the pick we made. And if you'd really rather have Blackmon than Brockers you're wrong
 

tonyl711

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ill take the Rams picks over his, I think Fisher knows his teams needs a little more than MK does, also think Fisher knows the type of player he wants a tad better than MK does.
 

Memento

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Kiper is trash. Jones over Quinn? Evans over Donald? Vaccaro over Austin? Are you fucking kidding me? Vaccaro was fucking benched this year. Jones and Evans over two all-pro defensive linemen, including probably the best 4-3 end in the game in Quinn? Hell no. Fuck no.
 

CodeMonkey

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Isn't hindsight fun? He sure had us down for a stud lineup of wideouts.
 

CodeMonkey

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Agree with him or not, as an entrepreneur, I absolutely admire a great deal what Mel has been able to accomplish. It's really pretty damn impressive. The man has practically created an industry around himself and his little book.
 

DaveFan'51

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Year........Pick........Rams Choice...............Kipers Choice

2010........1.1..........Sam Bradford...............Ndamukong Suh
2011........1.14........Robert Quinn................Julio Jones
2012........1.14........Michael Brockers.........Justin Blackmon
2013........1.8..........Tavon Austin................Kenny Vaccaro
2013........1.30........Alec Ogletree...............D.J. Fluker
2014........1.2..........Greg Robinson.............Jake Matthews
2014........1.13........Aaron Donald.............Mike Evans

I don't think there's any question, after comparing these picks, who's choices are better, it's the Rams! Yes " Kiper Sucks when you compare picks!
 

Ballhawk

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Even knowing the history of what transpired since you had to go with Bradford over Suh. It's not even close. If Bradford had been luckier with his injuries no one would even be questioning Bradford's contract, but paying a DT number one pick money would have been crazy!
 

bwdenverram

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The only pick that's even a question really to me is Sam/Suh and that's only because of the injury piece.
And I was and am pro Sam being the pick.

Julio wasn't even an option with Atlanta trading up.