With 2010 fast approaching, we thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and take a look back at some of the things the Rams have and haven't done for us in this decade that has a mere 23 days left. What better way to kick it off then with a look at the ten worst picks the Rams have made in the last ten years. Obviously, this is subjective, but feel free to bash or praise the picks in the comments, or add your own!
I personally take no credit for these picks, that goes to Jay Zygmunt and John Shaw. Feel free to let them know how you feel! Onto the picks:
10: Dominique Byrd, 2006, 93rd Overall Selection
Picture via www.stlouisrams.com
It was tough to put these in order and even though Dominique was barely on the team...well, that's the point. Selected at the bottom of the third round by the deposed fiefdom of Scott Linehan, Dominique went on to see action in 14 games while he was here between '06 and '07, and notched a grand total of 6 receptions for 83 yards and a score. Not incredibly bad considering the fetish Scott Linehan had with tight ends, but considering that Pro Bowl tight end Owen Daniels (who was selected a mere 5 spots after Byrd) was available during the draft hurts.
9: Anthony Hargrove, 2004, 91st Overall Selection
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This was a tough one for me. I remember being optimistic about Anthony after his promising 51 tackle, 6.5 sack season. But as with a slew of other picks, the Rams made huge gambles with players who had personal problems (why do you think 'four pillars' was implemented). While he wasn't a necessarily a bad player, his later substance abuse and personal problems made him a bust on the field. The irony is that another player with personal problems, one All-Pro Jared Allen, could have been selected instead.
8: Joe Klopfenstein, 2006, 46th Overall Selection
Picture via www.stlouisrams.com
What do ya' know? It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that he's on here, or that most of the 2006 draft is on here as well. While he made more of an impact then Byrd did with 33 receptions, 469 yards and two scores (he made it an extra year) he never quite had the impact many (or few, depending on what you thought of him) expected him to make. It even harder to swallow knowing that Pro Bowl OT Marcus McNiell (someone who could replace another player that is on this list) was selected just four spots back. Damn you Scott Linehan!
7: Brian Leonard, 2007, 52nd Overall Selection
via images.tsn.ca
Yeah...spending a second round pick on a small running fullback never made sense to me either. Neither did letting Madison Hedgecock go, but hey, that's why the football executives make the big bucks, right? Leonard didn't last long (as he never quite fit in) and his two year stay resulted in 88 rushes for 310 yards (that's about 3.5 a pop). Not exactly great numbers as a backup, but was it him or Mr. Vanilla's playbook? No one will ever know. Instead of selected him, the Rams could have picked the one and only Laurent Robinson.
6: Tye Hill, 2006, 15th Overall Selection
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Oh how I begged the Rams to pick Antonie Cromartie. They obviously couldn't hear me, and they went on to select their first (among many) busts of the 2006 draft. He started out playing well as a rookie, but he started to succumb to injuries and could never quite regain his mojo. The new coaching staff thought so much of him that they traded him for a 7th round pick this last offseason (probably because they thought so much of Bradley Fletcher). In typical "defensive-players-the-Rams-let-go" fashion, he had a pick six against the Redskins this year. That doesn't excuse his erratic play and frequent injuries. Here's hoping Fletch doesn't go down the same road.
Hit the jump to see the top 5 busts.
5: Robert Thomas, 2002, 31st Overall Selection
Picture via www.seattlepi.com
Yet another failed first round pick. Thomas, like quite a few other first round draft picks the Rams have made this decade, only lasted on the team for a few seasons. His best season came in 2003, when he notched 62 solo tackles and 2 sacks- not exactly noteworthy. The Rams dumped him the next year and he never quite produced anything near that peak. Too bad the Rams didn't scout out some players a bit more; both James Harrison and Bart Scott went undrafted. They could have also selected Pro Bowl center Andre Gurode, who was selected six spots below.
4: Adam Carriker, 2007, 13th overall selection
Picture via images.stltoday.com
The image above pretty much sums up Adam Carriker's time with the Rams. He played well for a rookie, snagging 2 sacks and 30 tackles and then notched another 23 tackles the next year, with no sacks. He's oft injured, and never saw time this year as he was put on the IR before the season started. Whether it be because he never quite adjusted to the DT position, or because he couldn't iron out the flaws in his game (since they kept changing how they wanted him to line up), the result is obvious; he has not lived up to expectations. The Rams could have selected Darrelle Revis, Robert Meachem, Dwayne Bowe or Brandon Meriweather instead.
3: Trung Candidate, 2000, 31st Overall Selection
Picture via sportsillustrated.cnn.com
Oh Trung, we barely knew you. After being picked with the Rams first round pick (a mere year after signing Marshall Faulk, mind you), he had a no-show for a rookie campaign. Quite a high pick for a backup RB if you ask me, as the Rams had some defensive trouble that year. He had a good sophomore campaign, but was traded for a fourth round selection not long after. A first rounder for a fourth a mere two years later means that...well, you can do the math. While plenty of players were available at that time during the draft, the real kicker is that the Rams were the last to pass on the QB that eventually beat them in the Superbowl one year later.
2: Alex Barron, 2005, 19th Overall Selection
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First round draft pick? Check. High probability of drive killing penalties while on the field? Check. Questionable dedication to the game? Check. Bust? You bet. Why the Rams have kept this drive-killing enigma on the team is probably because they drafted so bad in the previous years. They had no one to move up on the depth chart at OT and the Saints clearly made the better pick with Jammal Brown. The Rams whiffed when they had a second chance to get Brown, only to shun a trade because of their apparent man-love for Chris Long. Say what you want about Barron, he hasn't lived up to what he was supposed to be. What happens when an unstoppable force meets Alex Barron? Holding.
1: Jimmy Kennedy
Picture via www.stlouisrams.com
How could I forget you Jimmy? You know you're a bust when you singlehandedly scare the entire Rams fan base into freaking every time the Rams draft a defensive tackle. Jimmy had a total of 4 sacks, 90 solo tackles and one forced fumble in the four years he played with the Rams. He never quite made expectations and like Tye Hill, the Rams thought so much of their former first rounder that they dumped him off to the Redskins for a 6th round pick. The Skins' then dumped him onto the street before the season even started. The Bears picked him up at the end of that season, only to decide he wasn't worth it (the Jaguars snagged him from the Bears). He didn't last a season in Jacksonville and ended up riding the pine in Minnesota ever since.
So there you have it. 10 picks, including six first rounders. Do you still wonder why the Rams have issues?