Draft Watch - LB watch (Mid-September edition)
In the first installment of the draft watch, I looked at some O-linemen who will be in the 2009 NFL draft. Another group the Rams will be looking at drafting is linebacker. The Rams last 5 drafts have brought in 6 different linebackers.
LB draftee recap and prospects after the fold.
Since the 2003 NFL draft, the Rams have nabbed the following linebackers:
2008 NFL draft
- David Vobora, Idaho - Rd. 7, pick 45 (252nd overall): currently on STL
2006 NFL draft
- Jon Alston, Stanford - Rd. 3, pick 13 (77th): OAK
- Tim McGarigle, Northwestern - Rd. 7, pick 13 (221st): STL
2004 NFL draft
- Brandon Chillar, UCLA - Rd. 4, pick 34 (130th): GB
2003 NFL draft
- Pisa Tinoisamoa, Hawaii - Rd. 2, pick 11 (43rd): STL
- Scott Shanle, Nebraska - Rd. 7, pick 37 (251st): NO
Just for some perspective. Anyway, the LB crop coming out of college this year is LOADED. Depending on how where the Rams end up, we could definitely land a serious field general.
Here's how I see them right now:
Middle Linebackers
5-star
1.) Rey Maualuga, USC (Sr.) - 6'2", 260 lbs.
2.) James Laurinaitis, Ohio St. (Sr.) - 6'3", 240 lbs.
3.) Darry Beckwith, LSU (Sr.) - 6'1", 232 lbs.
4.) Dannell Ellerbe, Georgia (Sr.) - 6'1", 232 lbs.
4-star
5.) Jason Phillips, TCU (Sr.) - 6'1", 234 lbs.
6.) Joshua Mauga, Nevada (Sr.) - 6'2", 245 lbs.
7.) Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina (Sr.) - 6'2", 275 lbs.
8.) Scott McKillop, Pitt (Sr.) - 6'2", 240 lbs.
Outside Linebackers
5-star
1.) Aaron Curry, Wake Forest (Sr.) - 6'3", 247 lbs.
2.) Brian Cushing, USC (Sr.) - 6'3", 255 lbs.
3.) Marcus Freeman, Ohio St. (Sr.) - 6'1", 239 lbs.
4.) Clint Sintim, Virginia (Sr.) - 6'3", 254 lbs.
4-star
5.) Tyrone McKenzie, South Florida (Sr.) - 6'2", 235 lbs.
6.) Jonathan Casillas, Wisconsin (Sr.) - 6'2", 226 lbs.
7.) Zach Follett, Cal (Sr.) - 6'1", 238 lbs.
Depending on how the picks fall, we could see 4 linebackers drafted in the first 10 picks: Mauluaga, Laurinaitis, Curry, and Cushing. Between O-line and linebacker, the Rams will have an incredibly difficult position, given the caliber of those four LB's and the O-line pair of Oher and Monroe.
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12 comments
Comments
LB is a good place to start
At first glance, that’s an absolutely pitiful linebacker draft crop over the past five years or so. How far back do you have to go to find a Rams-drafted linebacker that made the Pro Bowl? You’d have to go back to London Fletcher in 1998 to find a Rams draftee that has had a significant career at LB… (it kind of surprised me that he’d never been tapped).
This would be a good time to reverse that trend by getting a blue-chipper. I think of it like baseball – be strong up the middle, and build out from there. Drafting & developing a strong MLB that can fly around the field and help generate pocket pressure can give the defense some glue.
Likewise, I think our offensive line problems start with the center & guards. They form the core of a “pocket” for a QB to step up into, even if the edges break down. Those are guys that can be culled from later rounds, so going after a 5-star guy on defense in the first round might make sense.
"Attaway to stomp 'em. Stomp the piss out of 'em. Stomp 'em when they're down. Kick 'em and stomp 'em. Attaway to go boys. Pound that old Budweiser into you and go get them tomorrow." -- Joe Schultz
by taiko on Sep 23, 2008 8:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
A lot of it depends on where we fall in the order.
Of we get first pick overall, then we have the kind of situation you’re implying where everything we’re interested in is available to us.
If, however, by some random chance we start winning games, the draft strategy immediately changes. (This is assuming the top prospects all stay healthy. Keep in mind one of the main reasons we drafted Tye Hill over Antonio Cromartie was the broken leg Cromartie had at FSU)
There are six teams yet to win a game this year, of course one of which is St. Louis. What if we land at #5? It’s entirely plausible that Oher, Monroe, Maualuga and Laurinaitis all go top 4. Now what? Right now, Beckwith is floating around the middle to end of the 1st round, Loadholt is already getting the “overrated” tag slapped on him, which leaves us Jason Smith, Jamon Meredith, and Alex Boone all looking at the late 1st round, early 2nd.
I’m already hoping we do what we didn’t do in the ‘08 draft: trade down to someone more desperate. I know the reaction is to say, "Who’s more desperate than us?!" But the reality is we have A TON of holes to fill. A playoff team that is on the cusp of a solid 3-5 year playoff run with the addition of a premier OT or MLB will covet those first 4 spots.
Damn you Rams, its September 23rd and I’m already getting verbal diarrhea on the draft……
by 3k on Sep 23, 2008 8:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
As a comparison, look at the Chiefs' draft last year
They had the #5 pick, but got what looks like a top-tier talent in Glenn Dorsey. (Of course, time will tell.) But they also were aggressive in trade, dealing Jared Allen to the Vikings for three very high picks: #17 overall, #73, and #82. In all, they had six picks in the first three rounds.
As a result, they are in a true “rebuilding” phase. And they suck right now, and I’m not a believer in the least in Brodie Croyle, but they’ve jumpstarted their foundation quite a bit. And they didn’t necessarily need the #1 overall to do it.
Of course, we don’t have a Jared Allen. But maybe in trading Holt we could get a decent return, and take a similar tack.
"Attaway to stomp 'em. Stomp the piss out of 'em. Stomp 'em when they're down. Kick 'em and stomp 'em. Attaway to go boys. Pound that old Budweiser into you and go get them tomorrow." -- Joe Schultz
by taiko on Sep 23, 2008 11:15 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
These are the positions that I think we need improvement on, by free agency or draft.
At least one good starting cornerback, upgrade over Chris Draft, center or right guard needs to be better, whichever spot Incognito isn’t playing and someone to lineup opposite of Holt, possibly to replace him eventually as the go-to-guy.
The offensive machine rolls in Texas.
by srdmad on Sep 23, 2008 2:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
problems
First, Draft is a LB. If you’re saying to upgrade the LB position, well, that’s what this post was about.
As for cornerback, we drafted Justin King in ‘08, Jonathan Wade in ’07, Tye Hill as the #15 pick in ’06, and Bartell in ’05. That’s 4 CB’s in 4 years, which means we need to draft better.
For O-line, yes, we need help, but, again, we’ve drafted the O-line AND made a free agency addition in the form of Bell.
For WR, we hit the 2nd and 4th round this year. I’ll diary that position in the near future, but two draft picks in the first four round should yield a team at least one significant receiver.
by 3k on Sep 23, 2008 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jonathan Casillas,
this guy can fly. Of course he could do more than just run fast. If we could get this guy in the 2nd round, we would not be disappointed. I have seen this guy a lot, since I live in Wisconsin and my college team is Wisconsin.
The offensive machine rolls in Texas.
by srdmad on Sep 23, 2008 2:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Casillas thoughts
He’s solid, but he seems to me to be a slot 3-4 pass rusher, like Gholston. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but since the Rams play a 4-3, I don’t know how he’d fit. If we slot him on the corner of a 4-3, it presents a serious weakness on the run. I’d be happier with a Clint Sintim type who has the size and eyes to deal with the run and the power to rush the QB (see Terrell Suggs).
by 3k on Sep 23, 2008 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Trent Green for president.
Are you a trained monkey who just bashes his knuckles on the keyboard and prays for correct sentences!!! - Anonymous quote from the Internets.
by BLUE_Thru-n-Thru on Sep 23, 2008 3:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Show up for PT
This Blue guy is still rooting for the Cowboys. I’m tempted to put a poll on the front page asking how Romo will lose a playoff game this year. I’m going with “Scrambles for 73 yards only to pull a DeSean Jackson and fumble before he gets to the goalline. Fumble returned by Urlacher, Bears win 21-20.”
by 3k on Sep 23, 2008 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ummm
Bears? Playoffs?
Nothin'. A handful of nothin'. You stupid mullet head. He beat you with nothin'. Just like today when he kept comin' back at me......with nothin'.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
by Tackle Box on Sep 23, 2008 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You heard it here first
or close to first.
by 3k on Sep 24, 2008 2:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, it was definately first
and probably the last. Not sure what it is that makes you think they’re a playoff team.
Nothin'. A handful of nothin'. You stupid mullet head. He beat you with nothin'. Just like today when he kept comin' back at me......with nothin'.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
by Tackle Box on Sep 24, 2008 8:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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