We've mentioned Pitt wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin several times here at TST. So far, he's been considered a late first round pick, though the incredible fluctuations of wide receiver draft stock has recently bumped him into second round consideration.
Mocking the Draft has an interview with Baldwin posted today. Typically, his remark about his 40 time would be the most noteworthy, but there's another quote that trumps even that, for fans for the St. Louis Rams anyway. Asked who the best players he ever played against during his time at Pitt, Baldwin responded University of South Florida CB Jerome Murphy and CB Devin McCourty of Rutgers.
To the unaware, the Rams selected Murphy with their third round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. McCourty was New England's first round pick last year and a candidate for the rookie of the year award.
Murphy did see a fair amount of playing time as a rookie, subbing for injured corners and becoming a special teams thumper. As a corner, his aggressive nature burned him more than once, but that's the kind of thing that good coaching can take care of. The Rams really need Murphy to take a big leap forward this year to become a reliable nickel and their third option at corner.
Back to Baldwin. He's a player that the Rams could be interested in, especially if they're thinking about trading down from the 14th pick in the first round. At 6'5" 230 lbs, he looks the part of a receiving option that the Rams currently lack, but he has questions about his consistency. He'll get a chance to answer some of those questions this month at the combine.