Rams Draft Rumors: More Kyle Rudolph talk

by Ryan Van Bibber on Apr 26, 2011 5:02 PM CDT in 2011 NFL Draft

The talk about the St. Louis Rams potentially drafting Notre Dame TE Kyle Rudolph will not stop. Is this a case of where there's smoke there's fire? Maybe, maybe not. In this post from yesterday we mentioned one source with some authority on the matter who told TST that the Rudolph idea wasn't out of the question. Regardless of whether its being thrown out there as a smoke screen, legitimate interest or just draftnik speculation, it's there...and it has the potential to be one of the surprise picks in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Today, we get more Rudolph talk courtesy of Chad Reuter at NFL Draft Scout and CBSSports.com. Here's Reuter:

The combination of Rudolph's recent workout, a weak tight end class and a strong rookie year by New England's 2010 second-round pick Rob Gronkowski won't allow Rudolph to fall out of the top 25 picks. Also, the lack of a true first-round value at wide receiver increases Rudolph's value -- he could easily line up in the slot to stretch defenses down the seam and use his superior size to get open against nickel backs or linebackers.

The key here is the part about the lack of first-round receivers. Reliability and consistency have a place in the discussion. Rudolph isn't as complete of a receiver as Julio Jones, but he can provide a team with some versatility in their offense.

Another key point Reuter makes:

If the Rams, Dolphins or Giants decide not to select him, a team could rise up from the late-first/early-second (including Atlanta, if they value him that strongly) to secure his services.

Three teams, picking at 14, 15 and 19 all speculated as potential suitors for Rudolph. If there's enough buzz to get him up that high in the first round on the rumor mill, there could be enough buzz to lure a team into trading up to pick him in one of those spots.

In his chat with fans today, PD beat reporter Jim Thomas gave the Rams a 70 percent chance of trading down in the draft. This story just keep on getting more and more interesting, no?

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Comments

i want this guy

but i don’t think we should draft him in the first round without trading down

by ramsfanman on Apr 26, 2011 5:05 PM CDT reply actions

It's fine to take Rudolph if we trade down....

….unfortunately it makes me wonder why in the heck we drafted two TEs last year?!?!

I think its a smoke screen.

by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Apr 26, 2011 5:08 PM CDT reply actions

+1

by phx suns on Apr 26, 2011 7:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Rams have much bigger needs

I think they’re using it as bait, to try and trade down, which I’m fine with

Needed: Ping Pong table. Anyone wanna donate $78 million?

by sergey606 on Apr 26, 2011 5:09 PM CDT reply actions

i dont see any reason to trade down...

Unless we get a very good deal. I say we take the highest player on our board at that point and that would be the best decision

by markg1127 on Apr 26, 2011 6:48 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

what if the highest player on our board won't be picked until later in the 1st round

by TheBirds on Apr 26, 2011 7:48 PM CDT up reply actions

that wouldnt be the case at 14. if it is then we didnt scout at all. in the least theres a pass rusher at 14

If not try to trade down to a qb needy team like tennease if they don’t take dalton at 8. Were actually in a very good postion for this draft in terms of what we need. Only bad thing is I believe we need a olb most n after miller I don’t see someone worthy of that spot there. That’s why a good de or dt which this draft is full of isn’t a bad option at all

by markg1127 on Apr 26, 2011 8:02 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

This could actually be good if you think about it

Outside of Jones and Green there really isn’t a top notch WR without major concerns. It has been said that Rudolph can play at the WR position and the guy is pretty big. I would say trade down before we make to pick maybe to the late 20’s but I wouldn’t mind getting an ACTUAL big target.

Get some impact players!!

by RG31 on Apr 26, 2011 5:14 PM CDT reply actions

Reagardless who the Rams draft

You’ve got to admit, this is a far more exciting draft than last year.

The only thing comparable to a Rams win is a 49er loss!

by DevsLaRams on Apr 26, 2011 5:16 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

Make it stop.

by Abrantes on Apr 26, 2011 5:18 PM CDT reply actions

+1

We aren’t drafting a TE in the first round. Uh Oh and Fells are adequate enough because we have way too many other needs to fill instead of TE.

by richter122 on Apr 26, 2011 7:54 PM CDT up reply actions

agree

can’t wait till thursday. then the bitching will be shifted over to why we picked who we did….oh and the talks about later rounds

Needed: Ping Pong table. Anyone wanna donate $78 million?

by sergey606 on Apr 26, 2011 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions

I'd love to grab him

Big ND fan and when the kid is on the field he makes plays. If he stays healthy he would be an amazing target for Sam.

by njd.aitken on Apr 26, 2011 5:19 PM CDT reply actions

Sorry dude

But ND sucks. Less than 1% of ND players drafted amount to anything. Just stating the facts.

by johnny scuba on Apr 26, 2011 8:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Notre Dame's been living off their past for the last decade

They’ve been absolute shit recently yet still some people consider them to be an okay football team.

by richter122 on Apr 27, 2011 2:45 AM CDT up reply actions

Im sure every other team's fans in the NFL think the same thing about the rams

Give the guy a break. I think Rudolph would be an interesting pick. We dont have playmakers at TE either

Sam Bradford + Julio Jones = Championships all day...
Melo + Amar'e = NBA Championships all day...

by MyACLisBrittle on Apr 27, 2011 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions

if we take him at 14 ima snap

I think we’re fine at te especially if uhoh stays heathly(I understand that’s questionable). But fells is more than capable, bajema isn’t bad and we have fendi which “could” become a good threat if he has more time in the league. I don’t wana waste a high pick on a position of no need. And obviously mcdaniels doesn’t see the need for a te because he traded a probowl te, scheffter for basically nothing(again I know he traded probowl qb n wr) but there has to be a reason for the te. We gota take a dlineman or juilo if he’s there. Maybe a db (s or cb) or a olb if the value is there.

by markg1127 on Apr 26, 2011 6:35 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

this rumor is spread by talking heads who dont know our situation

They don’t know that we like the 2 tight ends we drafted last year. This is not coming internally.

If you love something, set it free. If it doesn't come back, find it and kill it.

by gomer7 on Apr 26, 2011 7:14 PM CDT reply actions

I do not believe a thing said anymore

As God as my witness if the take a TE at #14 without giving Hoomi a chance. I hope they move to a bankrupt state like CA,.

by Da Rookie on Apr 26, 2011 7:40 PM CDT reply actions

Well I don't believe for a second that we are going to draft Rudolph

but I’ll be damned if I want the Rams to move out of St. Louis for a botched draft pick b/c God knows I stuck by a ton of crappy draft picks ehh humm (Tye Hill, Claude Terrell, Adam Carriker, Trung Canidate to name a few)

by richter122 on Apr 26, 2011 7:57 PM CDT up reply actions

The crappy picks started long before the move to the Cornfield

and I doubt that any move would make them stop.

@ DA – The city of LA. THE CITY of LA has more people AND money than the WHOLE STATE of missery.

by LARams1968 on Apr 26, 2011 8:18 PM CDT up reply actions

No Corn In St. Louis

Although the band Korn did play here once

by 2cents on Apr 26, 2011 8:26 PM CDT up reply actions

My actual point is that, no matter the venue, they will not start making good

draft picks until they start scouting and using their heads.

by LARams1968 on Apr 26, 2011 8:41 PM CDT up reply actions

well Kroenke the owner of the St. Louis Rams is from Missouri

He also owns Arsenal, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Denver Nuggets. Not getting into a debate here I was saying I don’t want them to move as I’ve stuck by some shitty picks in regards to Da Rookie comment to move them to the brokest state in the US.

by richter122 on Apr 27, 2011 2:41 AM CDT up reply actions

The shitty picks started long before the move to Miserey

by LARams1968 on Apr 27, 2011 5:50 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm not disagreeing with you

I’m a fan of the Rams b/c I’m from St. Louis. I had no emotional ties to the LA Rams. I respect our past and appreciate it though.

by richter122 on Apr 27, 2011 6:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Joe Klopfenstein

all over again.

Number 8 is great

by Eric Nagel on Apr 26, 2011 8:10 PM CDT reply actions

If the new league year doesn't start by Thursday, can draft picks still be traded?

Or will we be landlocked on draft night?

by StopSpe on Apr 26, 2011 8:20 PM CDT reply actions

we don' need him

Come on guys. Alot of people are not impressed with this guy and niether am I, besides we have bigger much bigger needs than TE. The Rams FO isn’t going to draft a TE in the 1st round unless he was a great TE and Rudolph is not.

by johnny scuba on Apr 26, 2011 8:44 PM CDT reply actions

Rudolph is a great TE bro

Sam Bradford + Julio Jones = Championships all day...
Melo + Amar'e = NBA Championships all day...

by MyACLisBrittle on Apr 27, 2011 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions

Smokescreen!

Im gonna go ahead and say this has about a 1% chance of happening. Knowing the Rams draft history with Devaney and Spags, we are likely to stay put. We will probably end up getting whoever devaney and spags think is the best dline available (liuget, smith, maybe bowers). Also, 95% of this crap at this time of year is a smokescreen, just “experts” trying to keep people reading. Also, I personally would trade up to the 7/8/9 range to get julio for our 1st and a 3rd if that option presents itself. Aside from bradley fletcher, our 3rd round picks in years past have done basically nothing, so i say its definitly worth it. If he isnt available in the first and we do get a dlineman, i like hankerson in the 2nd—-great size and hands, extremely productive in college and dominant in senior bowl.

by ramsarenumber1 on Apr 26, 2011 10:13 PM CDT reply actions