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Brothers, sisters, cousins, strangers, weirdos, alcoholics, potheads, and tweekers. My fellow Rams fans and TSTers alike, the day that we all have been waiting for is finally upon us. The day we have been waiting for since Spags' "Four Pillars" ass got booted out of Rams Park. The day we have all been waiting for since Enos Stanley "Stan" Kroenke hired Jeff Fisher and Les Snead to lead the team out of the abyss. Yes, the day has come — the NFL Draft is here!
These past couple of weeks, we have heard it all when it comes to the rumors surrounding the draft. The Rams are drafting this guy, they are trading so and so, Delonte West is sleeping with Lebro....oh wait, wrong site.
In all seriousness, there has been an abundance of rumors and speculations and I just wanted to reiterate and throw out my two cents about them.
The Trade Rumor
Here is one that recently popped up out of the blue. I do not know where or how this rumor started. Just a few weeks ago, Fisher was quoted saying Steven Jackson still has plenty of gas in the tank (Oh, by the way, gas just went under for dollars here in Long Beach, CA! I almost had an orgasm). Even Jackson was quoted saying some pretty positive things about the team's movement forward. Everybody seemed well and dandy and then, BAM!!!! Jackson wanted a new contract and the possibility him being trade. Word was that Jackson smelled a young buck — Alabama's Trent Richardson — coming into his yard. Right out the gate, this smelled a bit fishy, and the smell was true. The Rams killed all the trade talk via the Post-Dispatch. Fisher and Snead also put the rumor to rest in today's pre-draft press conference, saying that the rumors are just that — rumors.
SJ39 2.0??
Staying on the running back subject, our very own RVB mocked Richardson to the Rams with the #6 pick, bypassing Oklahoma St.'s Justin Blackmon. This mock is interesting; the Rams bypass a glaring need at WR to basically get Jackson's backup. Richardson would bring more speed and explosiveness and can do more than spell Jackson. The Rams would also have SJ39's successor already in-house. If T Rich is the best player available on the boards, then he will be the pick. In fact, I see a lot of similarities in their game and I think it would make the transition really smooth.
On the Defensive
Another player being tied to the Rams is Fletcher Cox. Cox fits Fisher's tendency to draft defensive players in the first round, plus he adds the versatility Fisher likes in his defensive tackles. he would also give the Rams a starting DT to pair next to Kendall Langford. Mike Mayock agrees that Cox is the top DT, but he does not see the Rams picking him.
Staying with Mayock, he gives the Rams LSU's Mo Claiborne in his first round mock. Personally, I really (what's a synonym for really) like this pick. Adding Claiborne to a secondary already featuring Cortland Finnegan and the recovery Bradley Fletcher and Jerome Murphy would turn a weakness (at least last season) into a great strength.
Catching On
One popular choice for the Rams, that I am starting to believe more and more, is the Justin Blackmon pick. Many have him as the the best receiver ahead of Michael Floyd. I would take Floyd over Blackmon if reciever was the pick with the first rounder, but I seem to be in the minority (no pun intended, since I am Latino). Either way, the Rams worked out both Blackmon and Floyd, along with Kendall Wright.
With all these rumors, I am completely ready for the real thing! Soon, all of these romors will not mean a thing and then we can move on and dissect the picks the Rams do make!. Whoever we pick with our first round pick, along with our other picks, I hope they can contribute and help this team out.