2012 NFL Draft: 4th Round Options

Yesterday, I dropped off seven names that the Rams could well be considering for their third round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft, the second pick of the round. Today, we move on to the fourth where the Rams hold the first pick of the round.

Sean Spence, OLB - Miami

Spence is unusually short for the position, but moves well. The problem is that given his size (or lack thereof), he's easily powered out of the way in the run game and can get caught up in space in the pass game. He's not a classic Sam prospect, but in the new NFL he could well be a revelation.

Seven more prospects after the jump.

Markelle Martin, FS - Oklahoma St.

By the time you get into the fourth round, you're dealing with two general types of prospects: those who have game, but are held back by an obvious deficiency such as speed or size or power (see above), and those who are average or just above in most areas, but not really good in any. The latter is where Martin sits. He runs well, tackles fine and plays the ball competently. But his angles in support are often very poor, he's got defensive back hands (read: can't catch for crap) and takes too many chances with individual responsibilities. Can that stuff be masked in the right system? Of course. Will it surface? The team that drafts him better hope not, lest he provoke some angry fans. It's just a bad safety class; I wouldn't be surprised if the position's an afterthought in the first three rounds.

Chris Rainey, RB/ATH/Little guy - Florida

Rainey is fast. Rainey is tiny. Rainey has had in the past, uh, some relationship issues. That isolated incident aside, his speed, burst and versatility have to be considered valuable. He's played outside at WR, in the slot, at RB...you can pretty much line him up anywhere outside of the offensive line. Is he a bit player at the NFL level? If he's not and he falls this far, teams are going to regret not taking him earlier.

Marvin Jones, WR - Cal (MTD Scouting Report)

An interesting WR prospect, Jones is an insanely hard worker. He's not, however, a phenomenal college standout. His routes are often too soft, and his hands are definitely suspect. But he plays harder and more aggressive and more physical than 99% of his peers. The question is if that hard work will be sufficient at the next level.

Senio Kelemete, G - Washington

Kelemete's a bit like Markelle Martin in that he does nothing especially well, but does nothing especially poorly either. He's not terribly undersized or weak, but he doesn't stand out in those areas. He's not unusually quick or athletic for his size, but he's not a liability in those areas. He can mix it up in the trenches, but he's not committed to playing mean. Fourth round prospects are fourth round prospects.

Joe Adams, WR - Arkansas

A bit of a one trick pony. Adams is fast and athletic on tape, capable of jaw-dropping performances...like this. No seriously, watch that. Obviously capable of holding return duties, Adams brings some value there. But how much value do you put on a WR prospect whose only capability is being a home run threat?

Shaun Prater, CB - Iowa

My favorite sleeper CB candidate in the draft, Prater plays a bigger man's game at corner at 5'10", 190 lbs. His physicality suffers against bigger guys due to that size (for reference, Alfonzo Dennard is the same height, but 15 pounds heavier). But a plus tackler and a willing learner, Prater should be a good selection wherever he lands.

Deangelo Peterson, TE - LSU

My legally-obliged LSU prospect, Peterson plays in the mold of Aaron Hernandez who made his name at another SEC school, Florida. But where Hernandez had Tim Tebow, one of the greatest college QBs of all time, Peterson had Jordan Jefferson. This is Jordan Jefferson:

That's not fair for anyone. That being said, Peterson never really displayed exceptional ability to make himself available. He's a wild card, but one that could be yet another example of a better NFL player than a college one.

Same questions as yesterday.

What other prospects do you think fit? Who do you like that's likely to be in play in the fourth? What factors will the Rams need to consider here?

Holler.