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http://www.espn.com/blog/los-angele...-merlin-olsen-highlight-rams-best-draft-picks
Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen highlight Rams' best draft picks
Alden Gonzalez/ESPN Staff Writer
Before he was the father of the sack, Deacon Jones was a 14th-round draft pick of the Rams in 1961
Malcolm Emmons/US Presswire
The Los Angeles Rams have been drafting players since 1937. Here's a look at the best draft picks by position for the Rams:
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Norm Van Brocklin, fourth round, 1949, Oregon. He helped lead the Rams to a championship in 1951 while splitting the quarterback position with Bob Waterfield, then led the Philadelphia Eagles to a title during his final season in 1960, a year in which Van Brocklin won the MVP. The Hall of Famer went to nine Pro Bowls, was first- or second-team All-Pro on four occasions and was also an excellent punter.
Running back: Eric Dickerson, first round, 1983, SMU. Dickerson, drafted second overall, still holds the record for rushing yards by a rookie (1,808) and rushing yards in a season by any player (2,105, done in 1984). He finished his career with 13,259 yards on the ground, seventh-most all time, and was first-team All-Pro five times. Ongoing contract disputes prompted Dickerson to be traded by the Rams to the Indianapolis Colts before the end of his fifth season, but he still remains an avid fan of the team.
Wide receiver: Isaac Bruce, second round, 1994, Memphis. Bruce was a Hall of Fame finalist for the first time earlier this year. He joined Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Torry Holt to form "The Greatest Show On Turf" when the Rams were in St. Louis and finished with 15,208 receiving yards, a mark topped by only Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss. Bruce spent 14 of his 16 NFL seasons with the Rams and went to four Pro Bowls.
Tight end: Bob Klein, first round, 1969, USC. Klein never had to leave the state of California in his football career. After starring at USC, he spent eight seasons with the Rams, then another three with the then-San Diego Chargers. Klein, a backup for his first couple of seasons, finished with 219 catches for 2,687 yards and 23 touchdowns. As you can probably tell, the Rams haven't had a whole lot of success drafting at this position.
Tackle: Jackie Slater, third round, 1976, Jackson State. One of the most celebrated players in franchise history, Slater played his entire 20-year career with the Rams, spending a decent chunk of that stretch as a star on one of the NFL's most productive offensive lines. He was invited to the Pro Bowl seven times, was first-team All-Pro three times and is in the Hall of Fame. Orlando Pace, the No. 1 overall pick in 1997, made this one a close call.
Guard: Tom Mack, first round, 1966, Michigan. Another Hall of Famer who played exclusively for the Rams, Mack went to the Pro Bowl in 11 of his 13 seasons and appeared in 184 consecutive games while holding down the left guard position. The Rams won division titles in each of Mack's final six seasons in the NFL.
Center: Rich Saul, eighth round, 1970, Michigan State. Saul spent his first five years in a reserve role, then replaced Ken Iman as the Rams' starting center in 1975. Over the next seven years, Saul started 105 of 106 games and made six Pro Bowls. The Rams won 10-plus games in five of those seasons and made it all the way to the Super Bowl after a nine-win season in 1979.
DEFENSE
End: Deacon Jones, 14th round, 1961, Mississippi Valley State. Talk about a steal. Jones ultimately revolutionized the position and was credited with coining the term "sack." He was the leader of The Fearsome Foursome, made seven consecutive Pro Bowls and was voted first-team All-Pro five straight times. Jones missed only five games in his 14-year career and is considered one of the best defensive players of all time. He edged out Jack Youngblood here.
Tackle: Merlin Olsen, first round, 1962, Utah State. Olsen teamed with Jones -- as well as Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier -- to form The Fearsome Foursome, a dominant defensive line that vaulted the Rams for the better part of the 1960s. Olsen spent his entire 15-year career with the Rams and was invited to the Pro Bowl a record 14 times. Perhaps some day Aaron Donald will be the guy here, but he has a lot of work to do.
Linebacker: Kevin Greene, fifth round, 1985, Auburn. Greene played 15 seasons in the NFL and finished with 160 sacks, third-most all time behind only Bruce Smith and Reggie White. Greene notched 97½ of those sacks in his 30s, which is remarkable. He was rightfully voted into the Hall of Fame last year.
Cornerback: LeRoy Irvin, third round, 1980, Kansas. A two-time Pro Bowler who spent 10 of his 11 years with the Rams, Irvin was named first-team All-Pro as a punt/kick returner and then as a cornerback. His 34 interceptions with the Rams are third-most in franchise history.
Safety: Eddie Meador, seventh round, 1959, Arkansas Tech. Meador is the franchise leader in that category, compiling 46 interceptions in a 12-year career spent entirely with the Rams. He was moved from cornerback to free safety in 1964, which wound up being the first of five consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl. Meador's 22 opponent fumble recoveries are tied with Johnnie Johnson, the 17th overall pick in 1980, for the franchise record.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker: Sam Baker, 11th round, 1952, Oregon State. Baker was selected as a future draft pick by the Rams, then was traded to the Redskins before his career began. That was probably a mistake. Baker lost a couple of years early in his career because of military service, but still ended up going to four Pro Bowls as both a kicker and punter. Baker led the NFL with 17 made field goals in 1956 and converted a league-best 72 percent of his field goal attempts in 1966 while with the Eagles.
Punter: Dale Hatcher, third round, 1985, Clemson. Johnny Hekker, already a three-time first-team All-Pro, would've been the pick in this category but went undrafted, amazingly enough. So instead that honor goes to Hatcher, who spent six of his seven years with the Rams and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Hatcher led the NFL in total punting yards in 1987 and finished his career with an average of exactly 40 yards per punt.
Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen highlight Rams' best draft picks
Alden Gonzalez/ESPN Staff Writer
Before he was the father of the sack, Deacon Jones was a 14th-round draft pick of the Rams in 1961
Malcolm Emmons/US Presswire
The Los Angeles Rams have been drafting players since 1937. Here's a look at the best draft picks by position for the Rams:
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Norm Van Brocklin, fourth round, 1949, Oregon. He helped lead the Rams to a championship in 1951 while splitting the quarterback position with Bob Waterfield, then led the Philadelphia Eagles to a title during his final season in 1960, a year in which Van Brocklin won the MVP. The Hall of Famer went to nine Pro Bowls, was first- or second-team All-Pro on four occasions and was also an excellent punter.
Running back: Eric Dickerson, first round, 1983, SMU. Dickerson, drafted second overall, still holds the record for rushing yards by a rookie (1,808) and rushing yards in a season by any player (2,105, done in 1984). He finished his career with 13,259 yards on the ground, seventh-most all time, and was first-team All-Pro five times. Ongoing contract disputes prompted Dickerson to be traded by the Rams to the Indianapolis Colts before the end of his fifth season, but he still remains an avid fan of the team.
Wide receiver: Isaac Bruce, second round, 1994, Memphis. Bruce was a Hall of Fame finalist for the first time earlier this year. He joined Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Torry Holt to form "The Greatest Show On Turf" when the Rams were in St. Louis and finished with 15,208 receiving yards, a mark topped by only Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss. Bruce spent 14 of his 16 NFL seasons with the Rams and went to four Pro Bowls.
Tight end: Bob Klein, first round, 1969, USC. Klein never had to leave the state of California in his football career. After starring at USC, he spent eight seasons with the Rams, then another three with the then-San Diego Chargers. Klein, a backup for his first couple of seasons, finished with 219 catches for 2,687 yards and 23 touchdowns. As you can probably tell, the Rams haven't had a whole lot of success drafting at this position.
Tackle: Jackie Slater, third round, 1976, Jackson State. One of the most celebrated players in franchise history, Slater played his entire 20-year career with the Rams, spending a decent chunk of that stretch as a star on one of the NFL's most productive offensive lines. He was invited to the Pro Bowl seven times, was first-team All-Pro three times and is in the Hall of Fame. Orlando Pace, the No. 1 overall pick in 1997, made this one a close call.
Guard: Tom Mack, first round, 1966, Michigan. Another Hall of Famer who played exclusively for the Rams, Mack went to the Pro Bowl in 11 of his 13 seasons and appeared in 184 consecutive games while holding down the left guard position. The Rams won division titles in each of Mack's final six seasons in the NFL.
Center: Rich Saul, eighth round, 1970, Michigan State. Saul spent his first five years in a reserve role, then replaced Ken Iman as the Rams' starting center in 1975. Over the next seven years, Saul started 105 of 106 games and made six Pro Bowls. The Rams won 10-plus games in five of those seasons and made it all the way to the Super Bowl after a nine-win season in 1979.
DEFENSE
End: Deacon Jones, 14th round, 1961, Mississippi Valley State. Talk about a steal. Jones ultimately revolutionized the position and was credited with coining the term "sack." He was the leader of The Fearsome Foursome, made seven consecutive Pro Bowls and was voted first-team All-Pro five straight times. Jones missed only five games in his 14-year career and is considered one of the best defensive players of all time. He edged out Jack Youngblood here.
Tackle: Merlin Olsen, first round, 1962, Utah State. Olsen teamed with Jones -- as well as Lamar Lundy and Rosey Grier -- to form The Fearsome Foursome, a dominant defensive line that vaulted the Rams for the better part of the 1960s. Olsen spent his entire 15-year career with the Rams and was invited to the Pro Bowl a record 14 times. Perhaps some day Aaron Donald will be the guy here, but he has a lot of work to do.
Linebacker: Kevin Greene, fifth round, 1985, Auburn. Greene played 15 seasons in the NFL and finished with 160 sacks, third-most all time behind only Bruce Smith and Reggie White. Greene notched 97½ of those sacks in his 30s, which is remarkable. He was rightfully voted into the Hall of Fame last year.
Cornerback: LeRoy Irvin, third round, 1980, Kansas. A two-time Pro Bowler who spent 10 of his 11 years with the Rams, Irvin was named first-team All-Pro as a punt/kick returner and then as a cornerback. His 34 interceptions with the Rams are third-most in franchise history.
Safety: Eddie Meador, seventh round, 1959, Arkansas Tech. Meador is the franchise leader in that category, compiling 46 interceptions in a 12-year career spent entirely with the Rams. He was moved from cornerback to free safety in 1964, which wound up being the first of five consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl. Meador's 22 opponent fumble recoveries are tied with Johnnie Johnson, the 17th overall pick in 1980, for the franchise record.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker: Sam Baker, 11th round, 1952, Oregon State. Baker was selected as a future draft pick by the Rams, then was traded to the Redskins before his career began. That was probably a mistake. Baker lost a couple of years early in his career because of military service, but still ended up going to four Pro Bowls as both a kicker and punter. Baker led the NFL with 17 made field goals in 1956 and converted a league-best 72 percent of his field goal attempts in 1966 while with the Eagles.
Punter: Dale Hatcher, third round, 1985, Clemson. Johnny Hekker, already a three-time first-team All-Pro, would've been the pick in this category but went undrafted, amazingly enough. So instead that honor goes to Hatcher, who spent six of his seven years with the Rams and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Hatcher led the NFL in total punting yards in 1987 and finished his career with an average of exactly 40 yards per punt.
