Draft Musings

I am assuming we won't be able to move down with the 1st overall pick.  It's more difficult than ever to do so, simply for financial reasons.  Even if a team loves Suh or G. McCoy, they don't want to spend picks and more than $10 million to trade up to get him.  

I personally think that the combination of money and direction lead to the conclusion that the Rams will likely take a QB with the first overall pick.  Devaney has mentioned that he believes that there might be an opportunity to move down and add extra picks in the 2nd round.  That might be an interesting opportunity to pick up an extra pick in the 3rd in what most people are calling a deep draft.  That being said, this post also assumes that we stand pat with our valuable (high) second round pick.  It's our opportunity to pick up the player that we don't feel should have fallen out of the 1st.  

I've seen a lot of big names mocked to the 2nd round, depending on the mock and the mocker, including Jahvid Best, Jermaine Gresham, Jason Pierre-Paul (who I've also seen go as high as 8th overall in some mocks - with discussion by McShay of him going as high as 3rd overall to TB), Carlos Dunlap (like Pierre-Paul - mocks have him all over the place), Everson Griffin, Navorro Bowman, Donovan Warren, Ryan Matthews and Arrelious Benn.  

My question is this: if you do choose a QB in the first round - do you feel forced to use your second round pick on an additional weapon to make that QBs life easier (assuming he'll start at some point as a first year player), like a Gresham, Best or Benn?  Or, do you feel compelled to address a defensive need after passing on Suh, perhaps one of the DEs?

If you go QB in the 1st, DE (assuming one of those guys is available) in the 2nd, I think you almost have to add an offensive weapon in the 3rd - such as a Mike Williams or Aaron Hernandez.  Obviously, the PC answer is that we'll take the best player available.  I hope that will include putting a young QB in a position to succeed.

On the question of which QB they draft, assuming that they draft a QB, the consensus currently seems to be that Bradford is the better player.  I definitely think that Bradford is the more likable person.  I like the fact that he's 6'4".  That's legitimate NFL QB height.  

I spent some time watching highlights of the two top QBs last night.  I like the way Clausen throws the ball.  Quick release, tight spiral, accurate, pretty nice deep ball.  What I didn't like is that Clausen didn't stay in the pocket very often.  He was at his best rolling out.  In the NFL, where the game is faster, you have to be able to step up in the pocket and make throws with pressure closing in around you.  Of course, Clausen may have been a product of his line.  

Bradford's highlights, on the other hand, involved very little pressure (good line), and lots of them involve him throwing a short pass to a great athlete, and that athlete breaking tackles on his way to the end zone.  He didn't have as classic of QB mechanics - but maybe that means he has more room for improvement than Clausen, who has very good mechanics.  

In short, neither are perfect prospects.  Right now I agree with the consensus that Bradford is probably the better player.  I encourage other people to watch some of the highlight film, though, to see if it does anything to affect your opinion.  They're closer in my mind than they were before I did so.  Just my $.02.