2011 mock draft sees present, gives the Rams an OLB in their future
by Ryan Van Bibber on Nov 16, 2010 4:21 PM CST
in 2011 NFL Draft
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Besides the big hole on the roster at wide receiver, another glaring need for the St. Louis Rams was evident in their loss to the 49ers this week: outside linebacker.
All year, the soft underbelly of the Rams mostly impressive defense has been intermediate range passes on the outside. Tight ends, slot receivers and opposing running backs (case in point: Frank Gore's consecutive passes on third-and-32 and fourth-and-18) have feasted on that weakness. It cost the Rams this weekend, and will no doubt cost them again when they matchup against teams with talented playmakers at those positions.
You can bet that's an area GM Billy Devaney and Co. will address during the offseason. Of course, those of you ravenous for draft talk don't have to wait until January. SBN has a mock draft out right now, and the prognosticators who put it together have the Rams addressing that need with their first round pick.
Picking 11th based on current records, here's their pick for the Rams:
11. St. Louis Rams (4-5): Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA. Ayers' coverage abilities will get him drafted early. Kadar, for the record, wasn't a fan of this pick: "It would be hard to pass on a wide receiver here, especially when the Rams quietly have one of the best defenses in the NFL."
There you go, an outside linebacker just outside the top ten picks. FWIW, the draft has A.J. Green (8th to the Cardinals) and Julio Jones (10th to the Browns) drafted before the Rams' pick.
If either one of those guys are on the board for the Rams' first round pick, I'd say it's a done deal...surely.
But what about Ayers? I know we have a sizable group of Bruins fans 'round here, so I'll eagerly await your assessment of the mock draft pick.
Walter Football has him 4th on their OLB rankings, but speaks highly of his ability to play in coverage. Is he ranked this high because he's seen as a 3-4 OLB? Scouting reports seems split on that, but none differ in their assessment of his abilities otherwise.
Thoughts armchair draft pundits?
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He is completely seen as a 3-4 OLB.
I hate this pick. If we’re getting an OLB, why the hell wouldn’t they give us Bruce Carter?
"I kind of stepped my swagger up. You look at the Madden game and the swagger's so low, maybe they'll bump me up. Before it was a meatball flex, so you've got to liven it up a little bit." - Animal Jr.
He's a good player...
…I’m OK with it. Hey, we need an OLB too! If he’s the BPA then take him. We need an OLB with some speed…we’re a little soft and vulnerable when teams run to the outside and we could use a speedy OLB.
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Nov 16, 2010 4:39 PM CST reply actions
ESPN has him ranked high
and in McShay’s mock he went 11 to San Diego and is the top LB in his rankings
If he declares...
HELLO ST. LOUIS!
"I kind of stepped my swagger up. You look at the Madden game and the swagger's so low, maybe they'll bump me up. Before it was a meatball flex, so you've got to liven it up a little bit." - Animal Jr.
by douchiedude on Nov 16, 2010 11:43 PM CST up reply actions
Are there any good 2011 FA OLB's?
I haven’t checked to see. Devaney might have a blank check from Kroenke to find a stud OLB if he is out there.
LaMarr Woodley?
From KFFL:
Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:33:42 -0700
Pittsburgh Steelers LB LaMarr Woodley, who is entering the final year of his contract, said he is unhappy that the Steelers did not try to negotiate a contract extension with him, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Michael Silver. “I’m not going to lie – I was a little disappointed that they didn’t offer anything at all,” Woodley said. “I felt that was a little weird. I guess they decided they’re going to sit back and wait for the CBA and all that to play out. You look around the league and you see different teams getting stuff done with their players in similar situations, and you think, ‘What, the Steelers don’t care about me?’ Stuff like that goes through your mind.”
3-4
"I kind of stepped my swagger up. You look at the Madden game and the swagger's so low, maybe they'll bump me up. Before it was a meatball flex, so you've got to liven it up a little bit." - Animal Jr.
by douchiedude on Nov 16, 2010 11:43 PM CST up reply actions
The first pick is wrong
The panthers are not going to take a QB with the # 1pick. Jimmy Clausen maybe strugeling but no way they waste that pick on Luck.
also
they picked up tony pike from cinci in the 6th round which don’t mean a whole lot but even that guy has potential. Well enough to keep them from drafting more qbs
by keeperskillz24 on Nov 16, 2010 5:32 PM CST up reply actions
I think that if we pick this high and both jones and green are gone
we should trade down for something like a first, a second, and another second round pick on 2012
disagree
I think if we get a few good defensive players and a WR in the 1/2 round then we should win this division trading out of the first round is a move for a team already in the playoffs consistently like the Colts or Patriots
Or we could sign a WR FA.
Sam Bradford drops back, sees Laurent Robinson in the open, and he completes the pass for a gain of 28! Oh- Wait, looks like a holding penalty is going to call this one back...(Oh wait; Barron's gone, ignore that last sentence).
Sidney Rice would too.
Don’t forget about Steve Smith (NYG version). Spags loves his Giants.
Sam Bradford drops back, sees Laurent Robinson in the open, and he completes the pass for a gain of 28! Oh- Wait, looks like a holding penalty is going to call this one back...(Oh wait; Barron's gone, ignore that last sentence).
The dirt
After watching him, here’s the good and the bad:
Good: Great athletic ability amazing speed, jump, and range. Can play hand down or standing up. Great against big, physical backs. Good hands too, which is something the Rams need!
Bad: Struggles against speed. Will give up once the player runs pass him, though not washed out of play necessarily.
This would be an ideal pick for Al Davis. I am unsure if his heart is as big as his athletic ability. Could turn out like Carlos Rogers.
Hey NO "Trade Down" talk this coming draft !!
At least we won’t have to read all the want to be draft gurus giving impossible trade down scenarios in this upcoming draft. Thank the Lord.!!
1. Carolina Panthers
2. Buffalo Bills
3. Detroit Lions
4. Dallas Cowboys
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. San Francisco 49ers (3-6):
I was thinking trading up may be an option
with a few teams looking for QB’s that could easily drop, maybe a trade with one of them could get their QB on their desired payroll, and at the same time let us snag a top tier WR(AJ Green and Julio Jones). I predict we will be seriously considering trading up if we pick around 15-20.
On Akeem Ayers, no thank you. I’d hate to pick a LB that early, especially with Bradford still ailing on offense. I do think LB is thin this year (maybe 4 worthwhile guys) but that doesn’t mean we should grab one early. Have to go WR with this class of impressive guys, if I was GM, I’d almost be tempted to double up if Michael Floyd is still available come 2nd Round.
Julio Jones for Rams 2011
more picks
you realize the patriots trade down alot right?
by Josh Wehrle on Nov 17, 2010 12:13 PM CST up reply actions
AJ Green to the cardinals
makes ZERO sense they need a qb to throw to the WRs or a O-lineman besides they already have fitz and breaston i’d say WR is the position they need least…that guy is an idiot and Julio Jones has been falling on most mocks I’ve seen mid-to-late first round because of hands issues
QB
Brandon Weeden from Okie State will go early.
Don't see it.
"I kind of stepped my swagger up. You look at the Madden game and the swagger's so low, maybe they'll bump me up. Before it was a meatball flex, so you've got to liven it up a little bit." - Animal Jr.
by douchiedude on Nov 16, 2010 11:44 PM CST up reply actions
lifelong rams and bruin fan and as much as ayers is a freakin' stud he's...
a great free-lance play maker but he struggles big-time with assignment football. he would be great to just let him loose and chase down the qb and he does a good job at reading decent college qb’s but he’ll get exposed when he tries to read a qb at the next level. but he’d be exciting as hell to turn him loose with long of 3rd down passing situations. does anybody know where i can get an mlb, nfl, nba or nhl jerseys between 18-38 usd?
you know i sound like an idiot
but AJ Green, despite being talented, may drop a bit, just because of positional needs
I mean Buffalo is going QB. Carolina is going QB/D-Line. Detroit is going secondary. Dallas is going OT most likely. Cinci could go QB/WR. 49ers need secondary help. Minnesota can go D-Line/Secondary. Arizona needs a QB. Cleveland could go WR/LB.
It’s not impossible that AJ could fall to the Rams.
It totally depends on Carolina's new coach
What he sees in what players are their (QB). You never know. Seattle didn’t draft a QB and went with powerhouse Charlie Whitehurst.
Sam Bradford drops back, sees Laurent Robinson in the open, and he completes the pass for a gain of 28! Oh- Wait, looks like a holding penalty is going to call this one back...(Oh wait; Barron's gone, ignore that last sentence).
Disagree with that pick
I think he’s not worth that high of pick, i rather have Adrian Clayborn or Jonathan Baldwin with that pick.
I'm an Iowa grad and I love Clayborn,
but he isn’t the same player this year as last. He just doesn’t have the quickness off the edge. I’m thinking he’s going to be seen as a 3-4 DE rather than in a 4-3.
I'd like to see WR taken Rnd 1
IF one worthy is available with our pick [Green or Jones], otherwise continue building our D.
DB
I still think the weakness of this team is DB. We will have Avery and Clayton back next year. That will allow the offense to spread the field. If I was an OC playing against us I would never run the ball. Our D is horrible against 2 minute drills because we don’t have DB’s who can cover. Sure Peterson and Amukamura may be gone but Harris might still be there. If we go DT then maybe Fairley at that point.
2011 draft pick...
…am i the only one that thinks this OLB has a WR build? maybe by drafting him, the Rams get a two-fer. otherwise, i say pass since he’s an OLB in a 3-4.
by westernmaramsfan on Nov 17, 2010 11:31 AM CST reply actions
I don't know if I would pass on guys like
DE Adrian Clayborn, a well balanced DE that can make his way to the QB often that would be nice to sit opposite of Long for the future.
OLB Bruce Carter, the best all round LB in the draft. He blitzes like another DE and reads the game exceptionally well in coverage.
WR Johnathon Baldwin- An absolute amazing target for any QB.
Ayers reminds me of a slightly bigger Darryl Washington of TCU from last year. I just don’t know about taking him over the other prospects available.
Us...draft a Pac-10 player?!?!
We’ve drafted one in the last four years!
ONE Pac-10 player drafted out of the last 34 picks! That’s hard to do, and can’t be a coincidence.
I don’t think we truly look out west very often. The Pac-10 has been very good – obviously very good on offense – and we’ve taken ONE player – a 5th round choice on Roy Schuening in 2008.
We need to do a better job of scouting out west.
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