FanPost

Draft success of Billy D & Spags

I read the Post Dispatch today, an article by Jim Thomas, saying that the Rams added an OT to their 53 man roster.

Yeah, it seems logical with Smith injured. But, to make room for him, they released Linebacker Jabara Williams.

7th round pick of the 2011 Draft, he is now out!

So I decided to look at the success of the rams draft these past 3 seasons. I heard saying that the succes of an nfl team is decided with the draft, and the ability of the coaching staff to bring low rounds picks to the nfl level.

2009: 7 picks. I don't need to remember you who was the 1st round pick (...), Fletcher selected in the 3rd is on IR (for the 2nd time of his career), DT Scott taken in the 4th is not a starter. He has 9 tackles in 6 games (he didn't start a single game since his rookie season). Then, 5th round pick, 6th round pick and 7th round pick are long gone. The success of this draft? Animal Jr, but some people say he took a step backward this season, so... No success for this draft: 4 on the 7 players selected are still here. 1 is a bust, an other is just a rotationnal guy, and Fletcher is on IR again.

 

2010: 11 picks. Bradford and Saffold. Alright. Then, 3rd round pick, CB Murphy is on the IR. 4th round WR Gyliard is out. 5th round Big Mike has some trouble with injuries and has not been a real threat this season. 5th round pick DE Davis is out. 6th round Onobun is out. 6th round Sims is not a starter. 7th round Hull and Johnson are backups and the other 7th round, Selvie, is not here anymore. So, 7 players left on the 11 selected. Only 3 of these 7 are starters.

 

2011: 8 picks. you remember this draft so I'll be quick. The first 4 rounds picks still on the roster. The 4 last rounds picks are out. It means 4 players are still here on the 8 selected. But 2 of these 4 are WR with the same profile so one of them is just not playing.

 

For those 3 drafts, 26 players selected by the Rams. Only 15 are still on the roster. No player taken after the 4th round has ever been a starter (except Big Mike, an injury prone TE and keith Null, because of injuries at the QB position). It means that the coaching staff has really failed with those low rounds picks. I'm sure you can take something from those 5th, 6th, 7th rounds picks. You just need to coach them, to teach them how to play in the NFL. Something in which the rams failed. They didn't hesitate to cut these players. They never believed in those low rounds picks. But it's not the round at which you're selected that make you a great player or not => just look at OT Smith.

This subject has already been discussed, but I just wanted to bring some more.

Please forgive me if I made some writing fouls in this article, I'm french with a little bit of scottish blood. A recent fan of the rams, I discovered Turf show times this past season. I really like this blog.

Thanks for reading..