With the start of the new league year - and free agency - on Monday, March 10th, it’ll be interesting to see what moves the St. Louis Rams make in order to shape their roster.
Not long after that, on April 30th, they’ll look to the NFL Draft. The Rams are [currently] selecting in the 10th overall spot, and have only five picks at their disposal.
Assuming they stay put at 10, who are draft experts saying they should select in order to strengthen their team?
Mel Kiper [ESPN In$ider] - Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
The Rams aren't going to get a QB here. It's just not happening. And whether Sam Bradford is back next season, or it's somebody else, they need to find a way to improve the options in the passing game beyond the current mix of talented but complementary options. Cooper is a true No. 1, a supremely gifted route runner who doesn't just do it with smarts, but with 4.4 speed and the ability to set up defenders and then run past them. The Rams keep improving on defense and remain stuck in place on offense. Cooper is a true building-block piece.
Todd McShay [ESPN In$ider] - Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
The Rams' biggest need is at quarterback, but in this scenario they aren't getting one. We don't project trades in these mocks, and it's hard to see St. Louis being able to draft Winston or Mariota on April 30 without trading up to do so. The next-biggest need is offensive line, but with Scherff off the board, there isn't a great value match at this point. (My highest-rated tackle is Andrus Peat, but he's more of a pure left tackle who doesn't fit this team's physical approach perfectly.) So I have them filling their need at wide receiver with a great value pick in Cooper, our No. 3 overall player. He is NFL-ready with great savvy as a route runner, separation skills, ball skills and run-after-catch ability. His 4.42 40-yard dash at the combine confirmed he has good speed.
Lance Zierlein [NFL.com] - Kevin White, WR, WVU
The Rams could easily choose to take an offensive lineman in this spot, but I don't know if St.Louis would be able to pass on the upside of Kevin White here.
Daniel Jeremiah [NFL.com] - Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
The Rams can’t rely on Sam Bradford to stay healthy, and Mariota would be a great fit with their current offensive personnel.
Pete Prisco [CBS Sports] - Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
They need to add a playmaker to a group of average outside receivers.
Pat Kirwan [CBS Sports] - Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
Jake Long is on his last leg and Bradford needs protection. The team may believe that Greg Robinson is the answer but they might be better off keeping him at guard.
Dane Brugler [CBS Sports] - Kevin White, WR, WVU
The Rams need to inject life into the offense, regardless of who is the starting quarterback in 2015. White is the best "attacking" receiver in the 2015 draft class and adds another weapon to the Rams' flashy, but largely inconsistent receiving arsenal.
Rob Rang [CBS Sports] - Kevin White, WR, WVU
The Rams need to inject life into the offense, regardless of who is the starting quarterback in 2015. White is the best "attacking" receiver in the 2015 draft class and adds another weapon to the Rams' flashy, but largely inconsistent receiving arsenal.
Josh Norris [Optimum Scouting] - Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Brian Quick has had impressive performances, but he can’t be counted on for a full season. The "Tavon Austin experiment" hasn’t blossomed into big plays as much as St. Louis needs. And with Sam Bradford returning for a crucial "show me" year for Rams, giving him a reliable receiver to grow comfortable with would be wise.
Walter Cherepinsky [Walter Football] - Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
The Rams still have some holes on their offensive line. Jake Long's health is a serious concern, so there's a void at the guard spot that Greg Robinson previously occupied. Meanwhile, right tackle Joseph Barksdale is set to hit free agency this spring. Here's a solution for either dilemma.
Charlie Campbell [Walter Football] - Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
The Rams have devoted a lot of picks to their defensive line and now can do it on the other side of the ball. Since there isn't a quarterback worth taking, it makes sense for St. Louis to improve its blocking. Joe Barksdale could leave in free agency, which would open a hole at right tackle. Davin Joseph also isn't the long-term answer at right guard.
Scherff was one of the top tackles in the Big Ten in 2013 and is a road-grading run-blocker. Iowa has produced a lot of good NFL prospects on the offensive line, and Scherff is the latest Hawkeye to be an early-round prospect.
The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder could fit as a power-man or zone blocker. Scherff was a reliable pass-protector for Iowa, but handling speed rushers could be an issue as evidenced by his 2014 Maryland game. He has to get better at preventing speed rushers coming around the corner. His biggest asset comes in the ground game. Scherff has tremendous power with the ability to drive block defenders off the ball and open up big running lanes.
Frank “Dubs” Dobozy [Draft Tek] - Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa
The Rams' front office will have many decisions to make in the next two weeks in regards to the team's offensive line. Davin Joseph and Joe Barksdale are set to hit Free Agency on March 10. Scott Wells is due a $1M roster bonus on March 12, while $4M of Jake Long's base salary becomes guaranteed on March 14. The Rams could end up parting ways with all four players. Selecting an offensive lineman early in the 2015 NFL Draft addresses the uncertainty and potential for losses. Brandon Scherff was named the Outland Trophy winner as the nation's best lineman and is the top-rated offensive lineman on DraftTek's Big Board. Scherff draws favorable comparisons to Zack Martin, a player the Rams contemplated trading up for in the 2014 NFL Draft. The Rams would start Scherff at guard as a rookie, a position he played at one season with Iowa.
Dan Kadar [Mocking the Draft] - La’el Collins, OT, LSU
It still seems like the Rams’ best option with the No. 10 pick is to find some team desperate to move up in the draft to take a wide receiver. Some have been projecting the Rams to actually take a wideout, but it’s hard to see them pumping yet another high-round pick into the position. A player like Collins would fill a big need and give them talent up front.
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Summary:
* Amari Cooper - 4
* Kevin White - 3
* Brandon Scherff - 3
* Andrus Peat - 1
* La’el Collins - 1
* Marcus Mariota - 1
* WR - 7
* OL - 5
* QB - 1
* Offense - 13
* Defense - 0
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