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Rams draft preview: Wide receiver
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/17861/rams-draft-preview-wide-receiver-2
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The NFL draft is set to begin April 30 and the St. Louis Rams hold six picks in this year's selection process. For the next week and a half, we'll take a look at a different position every day with what the Rams have in place at a position, what they need, when they might address it and some possible fits.
We continue the countdown with a look at this year's crop of wide receivers.
In place: Kenny Britt, Brian Quick, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Chris Givens, Damian Williams, Devon Wylie.
What's needed: As a team, the Rams' group of wide receivers finished second-to-last in production in 2014, finishing only behind Kansas City's wideout corps. Some of that can be attributed to poor and inconsistent quarterback play and others might argue that it's a young group still finding its way but the fact remains that this unit still lacks a true No. 1 option. Britt emerged as a solid threat, particularly on the deep ball and his numbers would've been better with more accurate downfield passing, but he's still never even cracked 800 receiving yards in a season. Quick was on track for a possible breakout year before a serious shoulder/arm injury that ended his season early. His return will happen but whether he picks up where he left off in this, his contract year remains to be seen. Austin has been a disappointment in his first two seasons and though the Rams insist they're working on ways to get him the ball more in the passing game, that's been a popular refrain the first two years. Bailey is a solid, if unspectacular option, who can step in. Givens might be fighting for his job. The Rams have some capable wideouts but none really fit the bill as a game-changing, No. 1-caliber type of player.
Possible fits: This class might not trump the historically great group that came out in 2014 but there's no shortage of talent to be found here. Among the types who might fit the No. 1 label, Alabama's Amari Cooper, West Virginia's Kevin White and Louisville's DeVante Parker are generally regarded as the cream of this year's crop. Cooper and White, in particular, are thought to be top-10 picks with Parker not far behind. For those willing to roll the dice on a physically gifted but troubled type, Oklahoma's Dorial Green-Beckham is also thought of as a potential top receiver. The Rams have expressed interest in all four, hosting each on a pre-draft visit to Rams Park. Beyond the top echelon is another group that includes Central Florida's Breshad Perriman, Arizona State's Jaelen Strong, USC's Nelson Agholor and Ohio State's Devin Smith.
Verdict: It still seems like a little bit of a long shot that Rams coach Jeff Fisher would use a top-10 pick on a wideout for the second time in three years, especially since the team is still waiting on Austin to pan out. But it would also be silly to entirely rule it out because there are a couple of wideouts who would represent a great intersection of need and value at No. 10 if they fall. Namely, if Cooper or White makes it to 10, the Rams would have to take a long look. That said, I don't believe either makes it to the 10th spot and though I believe the Rams do like Parker, they'd probably tend to lean somewhere else if he's the best wideout available at No. 10. Beyond that, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Rams grabbed someone from that second tier in the second or even third round. But with only six picks, if the Rams can't get a receiver they believe capable of being a top option, they might again choose to address other positions instead.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/17861/rams-draft-preview-wide-receiver-2
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- The NFL draft is set to begin April 30 and the St. Louis Rams hold six picks in this year's selection process. For the next week and a half, we'll take a look at a different position every day with what the Rams have in place at a position, what they need, when they might address it and some possible fits.
We continue the countdown with a look at this year's crop of wide receivers.
In place: Kenny Britt, Brian Quick, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Chris Givens, Damian Williams, Devon Wylie.
What's needed: As a team, the Rams' group of wide receivers finished second-to-last in production in 2014, finishing only behind Kansas City's wideout corps. Some of that can be attributed to poor and inconsistent quarterback play and others might argue that it's a young group still finding its way but the fact remains that this unit still lacks a true No. 1 option. Britt emerged as a solid threat, particularly on the deep ball and his numbers would've been better with more accurate downfield passing, but he's still never even cracked 800 receiving yards in a season. Quick was on track for a possible breakout year before a serious shoulder/arm injury that ended his season early. His return will happen but whether he picks up where he left off in this, his contract year remains to be seen. Austin has been a disappointment in his first two seasons and though the Rams insist they're working on ways to get him the ball more in the passing game, that's been a popular refrain the first two years. Bailey is a solid, if unspectacular option, who can step in. Givens might be fighting for his job. The Rams have some capable wideouts but none really fit the bill as a game-changing, No. 1-caliber type of player.
Possible fits: This class might not trump the historically great group that came out in 2014 but there's no shortage of talent to be found here. Among the types who might fit the No. 1 label, Alabama's Amari Cooper, West Virginia's Kevin White and Louisville's DeVante Parker are generally regarded as the cream of this year's crop. Cooper and White, in particular, are thought to be top-10 picks with Parker not far behind. For those willing to roll the dice on a physically gifted but troubled type, Oklahoma's Dorial Green-Beckham is also thought of as a potential top receiver. The Rams have expressed interest in all four, hosting each on a pre-draft visit to Rams Park. Beyond the top echelon is another group that includes Central Florida's Breshad Perriman, Arizona State's Jaelen Strong, USC's Nelson Agholor and Ohio State's Devin Smith.
Verdict: It still seems like a little bit of a long shot that Rams coach Jeff Fisher would use a top-10 pick on a wideout for the second time in three years, especially since the team is still waiting on Austin to pan out. But it would also be silly to entirely rule it out because there are a couple of wideouts who would represent a great intersection of need and value at No. 10 if they fall. Namely, if Cooper or White makes it to 10, the Rams would have to take a long look. That said, I don't believe either makes it to the 10th spot and though I believe the Rams do like Parker, they'd probably tend to lean somewhere else if he's the best wideout available at No. 10. Beyond that, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Rams grabbed someone from that second tier in the second or even third round. But with only six picks, if the Rams can't get a receiver they believe capable of being a top option, they might again choose to address other positions instead.
