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Jeff Fisher, Les Snead and the whole gang from the St. Louis Rams are headed to College Station, Texas, on Friday to workout a trio of top prospects: Johnny Manziel, Mike Evans and Jake Matthews. Sure, it sounds like a fun sitcom, but it's really just part of the team's last-minute effort to get one more look at some potential prospects on their draft board.
Rams will work out a trio Texas A&M players, including Johnny Manziel, Jake Matthews & Mike Evans. Rams have 2 & 13 picks in 1st rd.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) April 30, 2014
Now before you start complaining about quarterbacks this, and too-high-to-take Matthews that, just hold your horses. This is just one of the stops these football Friends are making.
On Thursday, they're in Alabama to spend some time with AJ McCarron and probably a few other Alabama players.
Les Snead and Jeff Fisher lead Rams group at Bama tomorrow to work out AJ McCarron, then to College Station for Manziel, Matthews & Evans.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 30, 2014
Rams are working out numerous players now that visits to team facility are over. Notre Dame, Ohio St, Tennessee are among team's stops
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) April 30, 2014
#Rams crew (Fisher, Snead, OC, OL coach) visiting ND, Mich, OSU and Tenn today on priv jet to workout OLs. Visit to Texas A&M coming
— Jason Cole (@JasonPhilCole) April 30, 2014
With Su'a-Filo in LA yesterday. MT @AlbertBreer: Rams been all over the place last few days.
— CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFL_CFB) April 30, 2014
Uh oh, they're taking Brian Schottenheimer with them to evaluate prospects?
Before you get too bent out of shape about Manziel or McCarron, don't worry. The Rams do this all the time, work out players late in the process eyeballing the other guys on the field too, not just the ones that get the headlines.
The Rams have a habit of leaking multiple names of eleventh-hour workouts -- and zealously hiding one or two with guys they really want.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 30, 2014
That's how they got a closer look at Stedman Bailey, on a trip to West Virginia to workout Tavon Austin.
One name to watch out for from the Alabama contingent is wide receiver Kevin Norwood. He'd be a great complementary receiver, a third-down option and redzone threat given his ability to win on jump balls and some really solid hands. Think of him as an upgrade over Brian Quick and Austin Pettis.
The incomparable Danny Kelly featured Norwood in his "Jumps Off the Tape" series recently.
You also have to think they'll be looking at tackle Cyrus Kouandjio as a potential second-round pick or even someone they could target if horse trading lands them a later pick in the first round. Guard Anthony Steen is another late-round possibility.
Taylor Lewan isn't the only tackle at Michigan. Michael Schofield could get a look too.
At Norte Dame, Zack Martin is the headliner among offensive prospects. Of course, I would never rule out Jeff Fisher's team making a play for defensive line prospects like Louis Nix or Stephon Tuitt. The sleeper among the Irish crowd could be tight end Troy Niklas.