FanPost

Is the Rams' wide receiving corp tall enough?

It has become apparent that Sammy Watkins of Clemson has become one of the favorite draft choices of not only Rams' fans, but draft experts alike.

But size is a bit of a concern for me.

The Rams' current wide receiving corp has an average height of 6-feet (Kenny Britt is included, tight ends are excluded) and an average weight of 199 pounds. Watkins is between 6'-6'1" and 205 pounds. With the averages of our receiver stable, I don't think it would be in St. Louis' best interest to draft Watkins, regardless of the talent.

Cornerbacks and safeties are not only stronger and faster, but they are taller, too. Richard Sherman is 6'3". The reason he is so good is not athletic ability alone. It is because he is tall and physical. If Watkins was to line up outside, Sherman would most likely be covering him and keeping him out of the offense all day.

Same goes for if Watkins stretches down the field in zone. If he beats the corner, he'll be picked up by a safety. In the case of division foes, that would Patrick Peterson (6'1", 210 pounds), Eric Reid (6'1" 213 pounds) and Kam Chancellor (6'3" 232 pounds).

Watkins seems to be a guy who gets a lot of his production from zone coverage and not someone who can fight for the catch or even break away from a man-coverage situation. The Clemson offense featured him in a lot of reverses, hitch routes and screens. I am willing to bet if the Rams used him for those roles, the NFL caliber corners would catch on very quick and he doesn't box out, so they would block/intercept those passes more often than not.

If (and that's a big IF), the Rams decide to go wide receiver at 13 (which they might not), they would be wise to go after Mike Evans instead of Watkins. Evans benefited from being the bailout guy when Manziel would run around behind the line of scrimmage and toss it up in the air off of his back foot. Evans is a big guy (6'5", 225 pounds) and has the boxing out strength to prevent guys like Chancellor and Sherman from winning in a jump ball.

Evans would also provide the Rams with a deep man who fits the bill. Chris Givens used to be the deep guy in 2012, but suffered from aggressive and larger backfields.

Now that the NFC West has become a much tougher division, arguably the toughest, the Rams need tough guys to help Bradford move the offense.

Bradford is not like Peyton Manning or Tom Brady; he cannot make lemons out of the lemonade. The best he can do is make lemon water which isn't bad. But Bradford needs the bail out plan. If Bradford has a linebacker coming at him quick, he needs to have a guy who can get the ball if Bradford tosses it up to avoid the sack.

I wish I had the confidence to say, "Brian Quick is that guy," but he's not. Receivers aside, Jared Cook isn't that guy, either.

Les Snead has a long grocery list going into this year's draft and he has competition for items he has written down. If Clowney is taken at No.1, then the Rams will draft Greg Robinson at No. 2 and hopefully, Evans will be there at 13.