[Note by VanRam, 02/08/11 9:57 PM EST ] Ah, draft talk, is there anything better...except for winning? It's ok. I'm an addict, a junkie...you are too. So I wanted to promote mcihaelT ("michaelT" wasn't available?) up front to facilitate the addiction, to stick a dirty needle of draft talk right into your arm. It's a good list of 2011 NFL Draft prospects represented here in the different scenarios, definitely names to know as we get closer to the 2011 NFL Draft. Give it a read and jump in...should make for a decent late nite discussion. 

Draft Scenario #1

Assuming no significant FA acquisitions--because there are just too many possibilities--and no trading of picks on draft day, I believe the best scenario for the Rams plays out as follows:

1st RD: Julio Jones WR Alabama *(I believe the team should not be as desperate for a WR as many do. I believe a WR corps of Clayton, Avery, Amendola, Alexander, and Gilyard is, at worst, serviceable. I also have a gut feeling that Jones is not the answer. Either way, barring a trade down, I think this represents the best value.)

2nd RD: Marcus Cannon OT/OG TCU or John Moffitt OG Wisconsin

3rd RD: Jurrell Casey DT USC

4th RD: Mark Herzlich OLB BC

5th RD: Jeron Johnson SS Boise St

6th RD: Noel Devine RB WVa

7th RD: Brian Rolle OLB Ohio St

Draft Scenario #2

Again, assuming no significant FA acquisitions, I think the best scenario has the team trading the #14 pick to a team desiring a DE--think Bucs, Saints, Chiefs, Jets--because I believe Julio might very well be gone by the 14th pick. Using the recent post regarding past draft day trades as a guide, I believe it is possible for the team to acquire an additional 3rd RD pick as compensation. Assuming that, I believe the following draft scenario is best:

1st RD: Stefan Wisniewski C/OG Penn St

2nd RD: Stephen Paea DT Oregon St (Drops as a result of injury)

3rd RD: Daniel Thomas RB Kansas St (I have seen posts with high praise for Demarco Murray but I only see him as a change of pace back who I do not think projects as a starter. Thomas, on the other hand, is a tough inside runner who can catch well and in my mind, projects better as a back-up and potential starter once--shed a tear-- S-Jax hangs 'em up.)

3rd RD: Tandon Doss WR Indiana

4th RD: Mark Herzlich OLB BC

5th RD: Jeron Johnson SS Boise St

6th RD: Cliff Matthews DE South Carolina or Terrell McClain DT South Florida

7th RD: Brian Rolle OLB Ohio St

Draft Scenario #3

For this scenario, I will assume that the Rams acquire a WR via FA, possibly Vincent Jackson or Sidney Rice. I believe this is the best option as it includes a known commodity at a position of great need with the potential for the most immediate impact. While I said earlier that I do not think that the potential WR corps is as bad as others think it is, I of course acknowledge that adding Jackson or Rice would immediately make the team significantly better.

If the WR position is then settled, and the team doesn't trade the pick, I believe the best scenario would be just like Draft Scenario #1, with either Cameron Jordan DE Cal or Ryan Kerrigan DE Purdue, replacing Julio Jones.

I still maintain that trading down to acquire one or more additional picks is the best play, as only WR and DE serve as the appropriate value at the #14 pick. I know that DE is a percieved need, but while James Hall is getting old, I believe he can perform at his 2010 level for one more year while George Selvie has one more year to develop into an Umenyiora/Kiwanuka-type player. If the team acquired a WR through FA and traded down, I believe the best scenario would be just like Draft Scenario #2, with Ras-I Dowling CB replacing Tandon Doss.

Draft Scenario #4 (Dream Scenario)

In this scenario--remember, it is a dream-- the Rams address what I perceive to be the 5 most pressing needs and pick up WR Vincent Jackson, OG Carl Nicks, OLB Chad Greenway, DT Haloti Ngata, and S Eric Weddle (sure, in a true dream, the team could also add WR Sidney Rice and CB Nnamdi Asomugha, but I can't dream quite that well). In any case, this dream scenario would allow the Rams to draft the BPA. While this is obviously never going to happen, I hope that the team is able to pick up at least 2 FAs, if not both from the above list.

What do you think about this, Ram Nation?