St. Louis Rams Top 10 Draft Successes: #10 - Chris Long
by Ryan Van Bibber on Apr 18, 2011 8:15 PM CDT
in Rams best draft picks
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PrintPicking the St. Louis Rams top ten draft picks, successful picks, is much harder than I thought it would be. Even limiting this to little countdown to the team after the move to St. Louis, the front office had some pretty solid draft picks. A quick note about the methodology. You won't find many of the more recent picks on the top ten list. Why? Because they really haven't had a chance to make an impact yet...impact and service time counts.
But tonight's list does start off with a more recent pick, the one that finally helped right the course of the franchise after a string of failures in the middle part of the decade. The decision to pick Chris Long with the second overall pick in 2008 was Devaney's first bold move. Hired to run the team's draft, a big step on his way to the GM job a year later, Devaney and then-head coach Scott Linehan decided on Long over a LSU's Glenn Dorsey, a player most considered to be a much better pick.
Long didn't live up to his draft status right out of the gate, though he did collect 4 sacks in his rookie year and managed to start 16 games. His sophomore season got off to a rough start, and transitioning to a new coach's defensive system is always a tall order. But then, they moved him over to the left side and things started to click. Long only had 5 sacks in 2009, all coming in the second half of the season, but he was consistently getting to opposing quarterbacks. It was a sign of things to come.
Last year, Long broke through, collecting 8.5 sacks, commanding the attention of blockers and allowing teammates to get to the QB. The Rams defense, which started the season with a big question mark over the defensive line, turned into one of the league's top units in terms of sacks. And Chris Long established himself as the new face of the Rams defense.
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Chris Long will be a great starter.
The only thing he lacks is speed, but he has a high motor. That makes up for everything.
Is that great man formally known as Tevin T. Broner, also I'm on twitter T_bron
his biggest problem is stats
Traditional statistics don’t appropriately quantify his production. If we add a D-lineman in the first two rounds that pans out, he’ll benefit the most.
Turf Show Times editor, Mocking the Draft writer, and I gots that Twitter too, yo.
"my keyboard won't corporate, neighter will my smell check." - Knoxfan
Thank god there are draft successes, not just busts
It makes it more balanced, like Bud Light, a balanced and refreshing beer!
(is that a good plug? do I get money?)
Needed: Ping Pong table. Anyone wanna donate $78 million?
Love it
The comment and Bud Light itself.
Sam and JL have to make the list tho.
Bartell and Togs too
Sam Bradford + Julio Jones = Championships all day...
Melo + Amar'e = NBA Championships all day...
They all better be after
Big game Holt, and SJ
Is that great man formally known as Tevin T. Broner, also I'm on twitter T_bron
by Tevin Broner on Apr 18, 2011 10:06 PM CDT up reply actions
IDK about Bradford
It’s been only one year and we haven’t been to the playoffs yet. (Not saying he won’t be there in the future but right now no.) Also, Dre Bly could be on this, same with Az Zahir Hakim, Leonard Little will certainly be on this list possible at #1?
UDFA
signed by the Rams before the move to St. Louis
Long is a good player. We'll take him cause that makes him a minority on our roster. But he has not met expectations of such a high draft pick.
As T.Ram alluded too, “lack of speed.” That’s a major defect in a DE. And his stats last season of 8.5 sacks and 1-2 tackles per game don’t impress me considering we played the 2nd weakest schedule in the league. We’re never gonna regain our Fearsome Foursome status relying on Chris, Gibson and two aged dudes as a D-Line. Selvie, Scott, and Ah You also don’t do much to enhance our chances of having a good line. And we have NO OLB’s backing up the D-Line.
Your being overly critical as always Chopper
Long actually has decent speed for a LE, he’s faster than Michael Strahan one of the best LEs in recent history. He lead the league in QB pressures. The reason he didn’t get sacks was the fact he was doubled so much because he is the only great d-linemen we have, resulting in many double teams. Robins and Hall are good but not good enough to double. And why the hell are you mentioning tackles, he is a d-linemen. They aren’t supposed to get many tackles. If we could get another ligament threat to go along with Long on the line you will see how good Long is. He is a very capable double digit sacks, pro bowl level player.
I AM SAMACUS!!!!!!
He has okay speed.
He has good strength though, and can fight off blocks. I would compare him to Jared Allen or Grant Winstrom. great effort guys, but won’t be a consistent threat to get sacks without help. He just lacks the speed to get away, but hell he is the best D lineman we got so I’m good.
Is that great man formally known as Tevin T. Broner, also I'm on twitter T_bron
by Tevin Broner on Apr 18, 2011 10:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Shot in the Dark
S-Jax is on the list somewhere.
by King Sam Rules! on Apr 18, 2011 10:05 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
YES
Is that great man formally known as Tevin T. Broner, also I'm on twitter T_bron
by Tevin Broner on Apr 18, 2011 10:07 PM CDT up reply actions
Yea i feel sorry for SJax
If he had better players around him he would have got some winning seasons and maybe SBs but he was cursed with bed teams. That’s the only real thing you can hold against the man, smh.
Don't forget about the hope he's given us, and how much more energized the Rams' fanbase is this year compared to this time last year.
That in itself is worth something in my opinion.
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Apr 19, 2011 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions
Is this top 10 Rams drast ever?
Because I highly doubt Chris Long could be considered top 10.
"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no PLAYOFFS."
Winston Churchill
Since we moved to STL
When you really think about it, we really never drafted great players. I mean Faulk, and Kurt Warner wasn’t drafted by us. Bettis was traded, So there goes some of the big name guys, I don’t know much about the Rams before 2000, since I was 10 back then.
The STL Rams, never have been one of those great teams consistently, but just think how far back the Brown fans will have to go.
Is that great man formally known as Tevin T. Broner, also I'm on twitter T_bron
by Tevin Broner on Apr 18, 2011 11:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Don't worry too much about before the 1999 draft...
they all made the draft busts list.
hmmm,
I stand corrected… Grant was 1st round 1998, Orlando was 1st pick 1997, and Kevin Carter was 1st round 1995. Even the really bad 1996 draft had Ernie Conwell in the late 2nd round.
Yea same here but limiting it to after the move is impossible considering we hardly keep anyone anyway
"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no PLAYOFFS."
Winston Churchill
i hear ya smash!!
i never know what the rams brass think sometimes! look after the 99-00’ season when the rams won the super bowl, zygmunt/shaw let go of kevin carter, london fletcher (im still pissed about that one!), dre bly’, jeff zgnonina, grant wistrom, az-hakim…then in the latter yrs, mr. ram himself isaac bruce (that was downright blasphemy!), and torry holt. (holt wanted to leave soo he got what he got.).
then this yr o.j. atogwe? wth!? i just dont get it sometimes.
by Mark Jaramillo on Apr 19, 2011 10:36 AM CDT reply actions
You'll go nuts trying to figure out Ram logic.
Don’t forget LB Mike Jones who saved our only SB championship. Then Kurt Warner, the author of our stillborn dynasty. And in addition to the guys you mentioned; Ricky Proehl, Brandon Chillar, Madison Hedgecock, Kevin Curtis, etc. Yet we held on to guys like Mark Bulger, Alex Barron, Richie Incognito, Leonard Little, Dane Looker, etc. long after it was apparent they had fatal flaws or were completely washed up.
How do you have Leonard Little on this list?
Also, besides Matt Ryan I wouldnt want any of those other qbs (Sanchez, Jamarcus Russell, Flacco) drafted so keeping Bulger was the right choice. Also if you recall the entire offensive line was hurt and the team offense and defense collapsed around him. Can’t blame that on Bulger.
Little played two years too long. While he still pulled off a good play on rare occasions, 90% of the time he was blown off the line of scrimmage.
There’s no excuse for Bulger. In his later years he turned into a total statue. And, even when we still had a good team around him in 2003-2004, with guys like Bruce, Holt and Faulk, his playoff record stands at 1-2. Martz punted Kurt Warner too quickly – not giving him time to recover from concussions and a busted pinkie. The team paid the price as Bulger led us with no fire, emotion or desire to win.
False, Warner didnt do shit
until 2008. We should not have kept Warner then. The decision was made correctly to start Bulger over Warner
With the Rams offensive line in '07
Kurt Warner would not be living right now. Also, the statistics are there up until ‘07 Bulger was a better quarterback than Warner from the decision to start Marc over Kurt. You can say what you will about Bulger not being able to win a Superbowl with Holt, Bruce, and an out of his prime Faulk, but Warner couldn’t win a Superbowl with Fitzgerald, Breaston, Boldin, and Edgerrin James.
Don't get me wrong I love Warner
but you have to give Bulger his credit when its due to him.
Warner has a SB ring, TWO other SB appearances, and is a lock HOFer. Bulger will forever be remembered as a 1-2 playoff QB.
Regarding the Cards and their SB loss to the Steelers. It was a miracle Warner got them there in the 1st place. They were only 9-7 and Edgerrin was completely washed up. But they won 3 playoff games as underdogs to get to the SB and only lost because their “D” couldn’t stop a last minute 80 yard TD drive by Rothlesberger. As far as the Rams SB loss to the Pats, that one is all on Mike Martz, who failed to give the ball to Marshall Faulk.
You can't solely blame the playoff record on Bulger
In that case then Faulk was also washed up by the time Bulger came in. Also, Boldin and Fitz were 100% in their prime unlike Holtz and Bruce when Bulger was quarterback. Also, the reason the Cardinals lost the Superbowl is solely on Warner. Proof right here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGYS6IfLZC4 sorry Ramchop but you are wrong on this one and anyone that knows anything about football knows that replacing Warner with Bulger was the right decision at the time. Hindsight is something that all of us have, and we clearly would have drafted the right players given hindsight. Sorry man but you a pesssiment and an idiot at the same time. So give it a rest, I’m tired of it. You are wrong and I feel you never want the Rams to succeed. You are entitled to your opinion as am I but frankly you are always taking the negative and stirring up TST. Sorry bud but we believe in The St. Louis Rams and want them to succeed. Basically you act like you would have drafted Brady in the 7th round, sorry but only the Patriots saw that one. Yea we were injury plauged the last few seasons but were you at EJD? B/C I sure as hell was. Be a real fan man and not act like in hindsight that you knew what was best for the franchise.
EJD is a little bit out of my geographical area, but I watch Direct TV. And there's no points awarded for attending home games.
I think it’s time that you gave it a rest trying to make a failed QB like Marc Bulger into something he never was. You’re a Bulger apologist. You try to criticise the 2003-2004 versions of guys like Holt, Bruce, Faulk and Pace to somehow make Bulger look better. But, nobody’s buying it. The man never had any fire, emotion or apparent desire to win ball games – just wanted the big $$$. And after he got it, he was more worthless. I’ll always remember his last season with the Rams when he took a slide 1 yard short of a critical 1st down rather than take a hit. Maybe you were at the EJD watching and cheering him on as he was later replaced by Kyle Boller and the great Keith Null.
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