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Who are the St. Louis Rams going to take in the 2014 NFL Draft? WHO KNOWS! None of the actual picks would probably match up with the predictions, but it's still fun to look at what the other people are saying. At any rate, we mentioned earlier today that both Mel Kiper and Todd McShay had the Rams taking Auburn OT Greg Robinson with the second pick in their mock drafts, but there's more!
Here's Kiper on the Robinson pick:
The Rams need a tackle -- in fact, they need more than one. And while Robinson doesn't have the same level of experience as the next two tackles on the board, I think once the combine is over, the consensus will be that he's the player with the highest ceiling at the position. An absolute mauler in the run game, he has plenty of length and athleticism to also become dominant in protection. While the Rams could certainly deal this pick, I can't reflect that here.
And with the 13th pick, Kiper had the Rams taking Mike Evans from Texas A&M.
We talk about receivers who are competitive at the catch point and can outmuscle defenders for the ball. Well, Evans isn't just good at the catch point; he makes the catch point out of reach for many defenders due to his long frame and basketball-borne air skills. He is a fluid runner, if not a quick-twitch athlete, but you don't draft Evans for his ability to separate from defenders. You draft him because it doesn't matter if he does. Just throw it high enough. Sam Bradford will love having that kind of option.
That "catch point" talk is important. It's a big part of what the Rams lack among the receivers they have now, you know, the group that the front office is outwardly projecting as all the team needs. That might be true if Brian Quick weren't completely lost on the field.
McShay went another direction, kind of, with the 13th pick. He also went for a receiver, but with USC's Marqise Lee.
This would make for a terrific start to the Rams' 2014 draft class -- landing the top offensive lineman in the draft at No. 2 in Auburn's Greg Robinson, and then having one of the top two or three receiver prospects fall to them at No. 13. Lee dropped too many passes this season and his lean frame and durability will be a concern as well, but he has outstanding speed and is a big-play weapon both as a vertical route runner and after the catch (and his ball skills were not a problem when he had Matt Barkley throwing to him). The Rams can afford to wait until Day 2 to address their needs on defense (safety and linebacker).
It's not a bad pick at all. However, the Rams need a guy like Evans more than they need one like Lee, especially since we're just starting to see some of the potential from Stedman Bailey.
