In case you missed it, we've been covering the St. Louis Rams' draft picks - by round - since 1985; when the team made it's move from LA to St. Louis. Every so often we've sprinkled in some of the unforgettable LA players who simply couldn't be left out. If you're looking to get caught up to speed, pick any round of your choosing... if you dare.
* St. Louis Rams 7th Round Selections
* St. Louis Rams 6th Round Selections
* St. Louis Rams 5th Round Selections
* St. Louis Rams 4th Round Selections
* St. Louis Rams 3rd Round Selections
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's look back at what the Rams accomplished while on the clock in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft...
St. Louis Rams 2nd Round Selections
|
Year
|
Pick
|
Player
|
Pos
|
College
|
2012
|
33
|
Brian Quick
|
WR
|
Appalachian St.
|
|
39
|
Janoris Jenkins
|
CB
|
Florida
|
|
50
|
Isaiah Pead
|
RB
|
Cincinnati
|
2011
|
47
|
Lance Kendricks
|
TE
|
Wisconsin
|
2010
|
33
|
Rodger Saffold
|
OT
|
Indiana
|
2009
|
35
|
James Laurinaitis
|
LB
|
Ohio State
|
2008
|
33
|
Donnie Avery
|
WR
|
Houston
|
2007
|
52
|
Brian Leonard
|
RB
|
Rutgers
|
2006
|
46
|
Joe Klopfenstein
|
TE
|
Colorado
|
2005
|
50
|
Ron Bartell
|
CB
|
Howard
|
2004
|
|
|
|
|
2003
|
43
|
Pisa Tinoisamoa
|
LB
|
Hawaii
|
2002
|
64
|
Travis Fisher
|
CB
|
Central Florida
|
2001
|
42
|
Tommy Polley
|
LB
|
Florida State
|
2000
|
62
|
Jacoby Shepherd
|
CB
|
Oklahoma St.
|
1999
|
41
|
Dre Bly
|
CB
|
North Carolina
|
1998
|
37
|
Robert Holcombe
|
RB
|
Illinois
|
1997
|
40
|
Dexter McCleon
|
CB
|
Clemson
|
1996
|
42
|
Tony Banks
|
QB
|
Michigan State
|
|
59
|
Ernie Conwell
|
TE
|
Washington
|
1995
|
38
|
Zach Wiegert
|
OT
|
Nebraska
|
|
62
|
Jesse James
|
C
|
Michigan State
|
Total Number of 2nd Round Draft Picks Since 1995: 21
↳ 13.5% of overall picks
The good news is that the Rams aren't trading away their early round picks. As a matter of fact, the ‘new regime' let us know - in 2012 - what they think about trading back and hoarding players in the 2nd round. With two first round picks to utilize this Thursday, is it possible that the Rams have multiple 2nd round picks again this year?
How - moreover whom - they're selecting is another story. Players from 2012's 2nd round draft haul are in no danger of being shipped out of town. Nor is Lance Kendricks. Rodger Saffold may be in the team's long term plans...then again, he may be salty about losing the LT gig to Jake Long. Only time will tell. After James Laurinaitis - who signed a five year contract extension last September - everyone selected from 2008 and beyond are goners.
Donnie Avery could not stay healthy, and remained with the Rams for only two seasons. Two shoulder surgeries for RB Brian Leonard meant he'd play one game in his second season, promptly ending his stay in St. Louis. Klopfenstein's only 16 game campaign was in his rookie season. He played no more than 11 games in the next two years... before getting the boot. He only played in the NFL for four seasons. His career stats read 34 catches, 397 yards, and two TD's. If not for a fractured neck - which put him on IR in 2011 - Ron Bartell might still be a Ram today.
Dre Bly and Dexter McCleon played well in the Rams secondary and both have hardware from Super Bowl XXXIV to show for it. Tony Banks was also really good for the Rams... he was really good at putting the ball in his hands, and then promptly putting it on the ground for anyone around to grab. Starting as a rookie, Banks set a record with 21 fumbles on the year. Next stop: Baltimore.
And with the addition of the 2nd round picks, the Rams have compiled 87.2% of their picks in rounds 2-7. I guess it's no secret at this point, but that leaves on 12.8% of their remaining picks for the 1st [and final] round of the Countdown Series. Here's your breakdown...
Round
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
# of Picks
|
20
|
21
|
21
|
22
|
22
|
17
|
33
|
% of Overall [156]
|
12.8%
|
13.5%
|
13.5%
|
14.1%
|
14.1%
|
10.9%
|
21.1%
|
We can focus on the 1st rounders tomorrow though. There are some very good 2nd round players listed in the table above, yet there isn't one particular player that's truly left his stamp on the organization the way you'd hope 18 years worth of 2nd round picks would. Memorable? Yes. But one-third of these selections were drafted in the 30's. Just outside of the first round, it's fair to expect that one of those seven players leave a lasting legacy for the team and it's fans. To be fair two of them were selected in 2012, so time is on their side. History may not be...
Don't get me wrong. Several of the Rams' 2nd round picks proved to be very good players. Though some never realized the potential the organization would have preferred to see, others stepped up in big ways and contributed to the team's success. But the best of the Rams 2nd round selections wasn't drafted while in St. Louis... and when you talking about leaving a legacy, there are few that have done it better than the Los Angeles Rams' final 2nd round pick...
The Los Angeles Rams didn't have much trouble finding value in the 2nd round:
* Roman Phifer, OLB [1991] - Selected 31 overall from UCLA
* Flipper Anderson, WR [1988] - Selected 46 overall from UCLA
* Tom Newberry, G [1986] - Selected 50 overall from Wisconsin-La Crosse
* Henry Ellard, WR [1983] - Selected 32 overall from Fresno State
* Nolan Cromwell, DB [1977] - Selected 31 overall from Kansas
With one round left to go, I've got a bit of good news for you. The news is that you're much closer to this year's NFL Draft. I can't make any promises that you'll be pleased with what the Rams have done in the first round of the draft since 1995. Look, I can't make you forget about Jason Smith, ok?! Regardless, tune in tomorrow because we will be covering the Rams 1st round draft picks for the past two decades.
As an aside, I'd like to thank everyone who's checked in at Turf Show Times over the course of the past week to reminisce about the Rams' draft picks [by round] since their move back to St. Louis. Though it hasn't always been pretty, it's eye opening, and certainly helped to jog the memory.
It's often more miss than hit, but there's plenty to be optimistic about with the current state of the Rams and their ability to execute a successful draft. There's hope for the future. Onward and upward!