With the combine finishing up this week, I thought I would look at the many options the Rams have in the upcoming NFL draft. The Rams possess the 13th pick from their overall record from the 2013 season but more importantly they have the 2nd overall pick from the Robert Griffin deal they made a couple seasons ago. They have many options to choose from for with that 2nd pick and I thought I would explore a couple of their options.
- Trade the pick: The smart move for the Rams would be to trade the pick so that they can acquire more picks later in the draft. The Rams went 7-9 last season so they are very close to becoming a contender in the NFL. What they do need to improve in though is the depth they have at each position. If the Rams can trade down and get more picks, they could fill more gaps than if they kept that one pick. Also since there are a lot of great QBs in this draft, finding a trading partner should not be too difficult.
- South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney:
The best player in this year's draft is South Carolina's DE Jadeveon Clowney. While his work ethic has been questioned at times, there is no doubt that his potential trumps everybody elses. While the Texans could take him number 1 overall, he could slid to the Rams. If that happened, the Rams would have to make a decision on whether to take the best player or a player who fits their needs better. The Rams already have great DEs but having the chance to draft Clowney might be too tempting to pass up.
- Offensive Tackle:
If the Rams keep the pick, the most logical choice would be to take either Auburn OT Greg Robinson or Texas A&M OT Jake Matthews. The Rams have a shaky and injury prone line that has not been able to protect Sam Bradford very well since he has arrived in St. Louis. They need to address the line before he gets killed and this is a great draft to do it in. Both Robinson and Matthews have the makeup to be All Pro Offensive Tackles in the league. I personally prefer Robinson because I feel he is more athletic but either choice would improve the Rams tremendously.
- Clemson WR Sammy Watkins:
If the Rams want to continue to make their offensive more explosive, they could take the stud WR out of Clemson. The receiver position has been lacking in production for years but it is finally starting to get better. If the Rams decide to take Watkins, they could have one of the more explosive offensives in the league with Tavon Austin lining up on one side and Watkins on the other. Like the Clowney pick, this may be a bit early to take a player at his position but it will tempting to take the All American.
It will be interesting to see who the Rams pick but I am confident that they will pick somebody who will have an immediate impact on the team. It is a good time to be a Rams fan and the future looks bright.
