Identifying the Rams’ two current
starters at the linebacker position is fairly easy. James Laurinaitis will play at his pro bowl
level at middle linebacker, and newly-signed veteran Jo-Lonn Dunbar will man
either the weak or strong side linebacker position. Dunbar comes from his “bounty gate” days in
New Orleans with experience to play all three linebacker positions. Preferably, in a defense with proper
linebacker depth and skill, Dunbar would play a piano-type player who spells
tired or injured starting linebackers. Additionally,
he will fill the void left by Chamberlain in the special teams department. However, with the depletion of linebackers on
the Rams’ roster, it looks as though Dunbar will have to increase his level of
play to become a factor in 2012 until the Rams can utilize one of their two
2013 first round draft picks on a tenacious linebacker.
This situation leaves the Rams’
front office with the dilemma: who will be the third starting linebacker to
wear the blue and gold? Returning
players include Josh Hull and Justin Cole.
Hull, being the more appealing player of the two, was a former walk-on
at Penn State and 7th round selection in 2010 for the Rams. Hull is known for his hard work and blue-collar
attitude both on and off the field. Hull
played special teams and ended his season with an ankle injury against the
Cincinnati Bengals last year. At best,
Hull will provide depth and good special teams play while continuing his
development as an NFL linebacker. Cole
is an undrafted, former San Jose State defensive lineman who is making the
transition to linebacker in the NFL. To
insinuate Cole as a “project” is an overstatement. Cole will be lucky to make the final 2012
Rams roster. Between the two wild card
linebackers still on the roster, Hull presents the only real possibility as a
starter. More realistically, at the most
he is a special teams leader for the Rams.
With the first selection in the 7th
round, the Rams selected linebacker Aaron Brown out of Hawaii. Brown joins the “Bad Boys Club”, better known
as the St. Louis Rams, with a very productive stat line in college. Brown’s combined junior and senior stat line
includes: 186 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 20 tackles for a loss, and six
interceptions. A ball-hawking,
undersized linebacker—6’1 220lbs.—he may find a hard time transitioning to the
NFL because he played in the skill-lacking WAC conference. Additionally, he was arrested and suspended
the first game of the year in 2012 for fighting in a bar. These are some red flags that should warrant
suspicion when evaluating this player’s potential to solidify himself as a
starter in the Rams’ 2012 linebacking core.
Brown seems to be another project who has potential to be a prominent role
player in the future for the Rams’ defense.
The Rams made some moves by signing
a group of talented, undrafted free agent linebackers over the past couple
days. These players include Sammy Brown
of Houston, Derrick Choice of Stephen F. Austin, Alex Hoffman-Ellis of
Washington State, and Noah Keller of Ohio.
The two most attractive players out
of the bunch are Hoffman-Ellis and Brown.
Sammy Brown has NFL size at 6-2, 240 lbs. and led college football in
tackles for loss last year while showing off his pass rushing skills with 13 ½
sacks for the Cougars. Brown also
possesses great speed running a 4.6 40-yard dash at Houston’s pro day. However, Brown played in a non-BCS conference
and may have trouble, initially, transitioning to the NFL. Moreover, a lot of his plays in the backfield
could be inflated because Houston was usually blowing teams out and forcing
them to become one dimensional by passing heavily. Altogether, Brown is a player who was used
primarily as a pass rushing specialist and would need proper coaching in the
NFL to convert into an every down linebacker.
Hoffman-Ellis is a player who is
very inexperienced, but plays the game with great passion. His technique and ability to play in space
need a lot of improvement. Ellis is
undersized, but can lay the wood when tackling.
Ellis isn’t a tackling machine, contributing just 178 tackles in three
years, but he hits hard and has potential to improve his game with technique
and experience. Both of these players
are, again, projects.
This leaves the Rams with many
projects and only two NFL starting linebackers on the roster: Dunbar and Laurinaitis. The tactful plan of drafting a kicker and
parting ways with Josh Brown’s 2.7 million dollar cap hit in 2012 indicates
that the Rams have plans to sign a veteran free agent.
There are some legit 4-3 linebacker
names in the free agency pool that could draw some attention from the
Rams. These players include Gary Brackett,
Omar Gaither, Ernie Sims, Mike Peterson, and Ben Leber. All players are comfortable playing in the
4-3 Jeff Fisher system and are former starters in the NFL. However, the Rams cut Leber after a
disappointing 2011 season, and Gary Bracket and Mike Peterson seem to be at the
tail end of their careers, not to mention they have had serious injury problems
the last two years. The signing of any these
three players seems unlikely. This
leaves the Rams with two possible young linebackers to choose from: Omar
Gaither and/or Ernie Sims. With the Rams’
salary cap situation, it is more likely that they can afford to sign only one
of these players.
Analyzing Ernie Sims is a tough job. He is a former first round selection out of
Florida State who is undersized, and many compared him to Derek Brooks coming
out of college. In his first three
seasons with Detroit, he tallied 372 tackled and wreaked havoc on opposing
offenses. His last two out of three
seasons were decimated by injuries, and in 2010 with the Eagles, he didn’t fit
their scheme. While playing for
Philadelphia, Sims was asked to take on fullbacks more than he did in the Lions’
defensive scheme. Sims isn’t a great
block shedder and suffered with a career low 55 tackles while playing his worst
full season. Sims is a fast linebacker
who can make plays in space by using his 4.5 40 speed and would fit perfectly
in the weak side linebacker position wearing blue and gold. Worst case, Sims could experiment at strong safety
during running downs and supplement as a nickel linebacker in coverage on
passing downs. Moreover, he could
contribute during his one-year contract and provide better play than the young projects
that the Rams currently possess at linebacker.
Sims is an NFL starting linebacker, and on the right team (e.g., playing
behind double-team, attention-drawing lineman like Long, Langford, and
Brockers, and with the offensive line keying on star linebacker James Laurinaitis),
Sims would thrive by running free for the Rams at their weak side linebacker
position.
The other possible candidate is
linebacker Omar Gaither. Ironically, Gaither
was Sims’ back up during their time together in Philadelphia in 2010. Gaither finished an injury-riddled 2011
campaign with the Carolina Panthers after they projected him to start for them
as their weak side backer. Gaither has
started and played many games at both the middle linebacker and weak side
linebacker positions. Gaither isn’t as
fast as Sims, but could be a huge improvement over the current Rams’
linebacking core. Gaither doesn’t show
as much upside as Sims at the weak side linebacker position but he has great
versatility with a lot of special team experience.
Altogether, both Sims and Gaither are in their late twenties,
and at least one should be signed to a one-year contract. Both of these players have the experience and
talent to start at weak side linebacker for the Rams. Sims or Gaither would improve the Rams’
defense, and neither would require a large or long contract. Preferably, Sims should be the choice for the
Rams to sign because of his former pro bowl potential and cornerback-caliber
speed. Look for the Rams to sign one of
these players in the next couple weeks.
Kurt Warner, Tony Romo, Jeff Saturday, London
Fletcher, Priest Holmes, Arian Foster, Wes Welker, James Harrison, Antonio
Gates, John Randle, Warren Moon, and Dick “Night-Train” Lane—all of these
players have two things in common—1) They were All-Pro players in the NFL and
2) No team thought they were good enough to warrant a draft pick.
The Rams wasted no time reaching out to a slew of
undrafted free agents following the completion of the 2012 draft. Most of these guys won’t make the team, so it
may be a bit beyond diligence to delve, but some of them will. Besides, this site is not named
“RamsModeration”; I have a disease, and the only fix for my off-season itch is
a continuous feed of pseudo-news. Here’s
a quick look at some of the undrafted rookies that will be competing in
camp.
Sammy Brown, LB, Houston: Good athleticism, decent pass-rush skills, and above-average coverage
skills, especially in zone. His problem
is he’s lazy; he pretty much ignores any play that’s not directly in front of
him. If an NFL paycheck motivates him,
this guy is making the squad.
Jeremy Caldwell, CB, Eastern Kentucky: Good ball skills,
K/P returner.
Derek Choice, OLB, Stephen F. Austin: He received
All-Southland Conference Honorable Mention in 2009…so there’s that …
Matt Conrath, DT, Virginia: It would be nice to stash this guy in the weight room as a scout team
player. He’s 6’7, 277lbs and has enough
athleticism to still be functional if he adds 20 or 30 pounds—could be a 2-gap
monster.
Matt Daniels, S, Duke: Smart, technically sound, high-motor player that had
good production against inferior talent.
He lacks the athleticism to become a starter, but could be a solid
backup and special teams player.
Austin Davis, QB, Southern Mississippi: Smart, accurate
quarterback that gets rid of the ball quickly and is a natural leader. He doesn’t have the arm-strength to be an NFL
starter, but could be a very good back-up.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him beat out Brandstater.
Cory Harkey, TE, UCLA: Fisher seems to love offensive tackles that pretend to be
tight-ends. Harkey is slow, and doesn’t
know what a route-tree is, but he does have good hands. He could supplant Matthew Mulligan as a
goal-line tight-end.
Johnny Hekker, P, Oregon State: In the post-draft press conference, Fisher said the Rams won’t be
punting this year. However, based on my
experience playing Madden, you have to at least have one on the roster.
T-Bob Hebert, C, LSU: He’s a fat bastard that can hold his ground in pass protection; plus
he has a sweet name. Most effective when
opposing defensive tackles are wearing candy-necklaces with Twinkie pendants. More pancake breakfasts than pancake blocks
at LSU.
Alex Hoffman-Ellis, OLB, Washington State: Great athlete and natural tackler, but he’s the definition of raw in
all other aspects of the game. He’s an
intriguing project player. The fact that
he can run and wrap-up might earn him a spot on special teams and buy him some
time to develop.
Jamaar Jarrett, DE, Arizona State: I know we’re taking chances on some “red-flag” players, but if you
fail a drug test at the combine, you’re either a complete moron, or you have a
serious addiction problem.
Nick Johnson, WR, Henderson State: You know what this
team really needs? Another slot-receiver. He did run a 4.34.
Noah Keller, LB, Ohio: He’s a solid run-stuffing MLB, but is too slow to do anything
else. The new regime seems to like Josh
Hull. Dunbar can also play the middle,
so it seems unlikely that Keller would make the cut.
Rodney McLeod, S, Virginia: McLeod has a great chance of making this team. He has great athleticism and starter-caliber
awareness in zone coverage. He’s
instinctual and has a quick closing burst.
He’s also a very sound tackler.
His biggest problem is that he’s small for a safety—5’10, 183lbs. It’s difficult to project how the defensive
backfield is going to shake-out on this team; we may very well see Jerome
Murphy or Bradley Fletcher starting at safety, but McLeod is definitely
talented enough to add some solid depth.
Calvin Middleton, RB, Jackson State: I have no idea who
this guy is, but I know who he’s not—Jerious Norwood, and that is good enough
for me.
Joe Long, OT, Wayne State: Doesn’t have the
athleticism or polished technique of brother Jake, but he was the Division II offensive lineman of the year in 2011 and the Rams need offensive line depth.
DeAngelo Peterson, TE, LSU: He’s our new Fendi
Onobun (who, if you were wondering, now plays for the Bills). He’s 6’4, 243lbs, has great speed and all
around athleticism, but is too raw to be of much service right away.
Quinton Pointer, S, UNLV: This guy wasn’t a very good athlete to begin with, then he tore his
ACL.
Nick Schwieger, RB, Dartmouth: Refer to Calvin Middleton analysis.
Scott Smith, DE, Texas Tech: Smith has a pro
body—6’6”, 262lbs—but will have to improve his technique to make up for his
average athleticism.
Travis Tripucka, LS, Massachusetts: He's strictly a long
snapper, so I’m guessing he does that pretty well.
Undrafted rookie free agents always have long-odds, but this group of
misfits has the advantage of trying out during the first year of a new coaching
staff. I doubt very much that Fisher and
Snead are beholden to more than a few players brought in by the old regime. If I were to wager, I’d say Sammy Brown and Rodney McLeod are on the team, and Austin Davis, Johnny Hekker, Alex Hoffman-Ellis, Joe Long have a good shot.
Hopefully some of them will reach the level of their undrafted pro-bowl
predecessors.
The Rams are starting over, and that means picking up a
quantity of talent in the draft. The draft’s
focus was on adding talent and athleticism— at times at the expense of
positional needs, and often at the expense of character standards. Here’s a look at the results.
Round 1, Pick 14—Michael
Brockers, DT, LSU
Height: 6’5” Weight: 322lbs Arm Length: 35” Hand Size: 9”
-Big and powerful—consistently drives linemen backwards when
one-on-one
-Shows ability to sink low and explode up through the hips—a
valuable trait in many aspects of life
-Rare quickness and athleticism for his size—fluid in his
sideline-to-sideline pursuit
-Good power pass rusher—drives a wedge through the pocket
-Dominant run stopper—too strong to be driven off the line
of scrimmage or sealed, and quick enough to reach running backs before they hit
2nd gear
-Angry hitter that has a huge tackling radius due to having
a massive wingspan and the strength to arm tackle
-Good play recognition
-Great work-ethic
Weaknesses
-Lacks the first step burst to shoot gaps and get into the
backfield
-Started only one year in college—came out after redshirt
sophomore season
-Does not have the top-end speed to chase down running backs
in the open
-Gets his pad level too high at
times, allowing opposing linemen to neutralize his strength
My Thoughts
I was blown away by the
astonishment and outrage Rams fans displayed after this trade and pick. Irrelevant references to decade-old draft
busts at the defensive tackle position are particularly puzzling, especially
considering that Pickett and Carriker were not busts, just misused. I understand the desire to get a great wide
receiver, but I missed the part where the team was one player away from being a
Super Bowl contender. The Rams were able
to acquire an extra pick in the talent-loaded 2nd round and still
draft an impact player at a position of need in the 1st round. Brockers instantly improves a run defense
that ranked 31st in the NFL last season. Additionally, his propensity for drawing
double teams will make all three of his linemates and middle linebacker James
Laurinaitis better players. Some scouts
question Brockers’s ability as an inside pass rusher due to his lack of
gap-shooting burst. Defensive line coach
Mike Waufle had this to say on the matter, “They say he's not much of a pass
rusher, but we'll teach him to pass rush. Tommy Kelly wasn't either, at one time, and we
taught him how to power rush. The last two years he's had more sacks [14 ½]
than any defensive tackle in the league, and this kid will do the same. Tommy's
tough, but this guy's nasty."
Round 2, Pick 33—Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian ST.
Height: 6’3” Weight: 222lbs Arm Length: 34” Hand Size: 10”
-Great hands—extends arms to
make catches away from his body
-Good run-after-catch
ability—aggressive runner with ability to break tackles
-Possesses the quickness and
dexterity to make sharp cuts in route-running
-Positions himself well to beat
one-on-one coverage in jump-ball situations
Weaknesses
-Not an elite athlete—lacks
burst and top-end speed
-Unpolished route runner
-Ineffective run blocker
My Thoughts
This was a questionable pick,
with names like Rueben Randle, Alshon Jeffery, and Stephen Hill still on the
board. Apparently the Rams were smitten
with Quick, and for now, I’m willing to give the new regime the benefit of the
doubt. His skill set is similar to
Justin Blackmon’s. Quick is bigger, but
his hands and run-after-catch ability are a notch below Blackmon’s. His size and skill set differ from every
receiver on the current roster, except perhaps the injury-troubled Danario
Alexander. He’s a big receiver with good
jump-ball skills, which should provide the Rams with the redzone target they’ve
lacked for years.
Round 2, Pick
39—Janoris Jenkins, CB, N. Alabama
Height: 5’11” Weight: 193lbs Arm Length: 32” Hand Size: 8”
-Elite athleticism—great speed,
agility, and flexibility
-Seamless transition from
back-pedal to forward pursuit
-Surprisingly physical in press
coverage despite being somewhat undersized
-Arguably the best man-coverage
corner in the draft
-Instinctive in
zone-coverage—rare closing burst
-Good play recognition
-Excellent ball skills—very
aggressive going for pass-deflections and interceptions
-Impact player as a punt
returner
Weaknesses
-Significant off-the-field
issues—kicked off Florida team after failed drug test and multiple marijuana-related
arrests. Also arrested for his
involvement in a bar fight
-Can be overpowered by bigger
receivers
-Can be overaggressive—bites on
pump-fakes and double-moves
-Inconsistent tackling ability
My Thoughts
This was by far my favorite
pick of the draft. If Jenkins wasn’t
such a knucklehead, he would’ve been an early 1st round pick. It’s even more exciting because this is a
pick that defines the contrast between the old regime and the new, marked by a
willingness to take a chance on “red-flag” players that possess high-level
talent. Jenkins has the ability to be a
premier shut-down corner if he can wrangle his other issues. Additionally, Jenkins provides a punt return
threat the team hasn’t had since Az Hakim.
Round 2, Pick 50—Isaiah
Pead, RB, Cincinnati
Height: 5’10” Weight: 197lbs Arm Length: 31” Hand Size: 9”
-Attacks line of scrimmage—good
speed through the hole
-Good hands
-Good base strength and leg
drive—runs through arm tackles
-Great work-ethic
Weaknesses
-Inconsistent game speed—seems
to let up at times and is run down from behind
-Needs to add bulk to hold up
as an every down back
-Overaggressive—does not show
the patience to let plays develop
-Lacks the shake and wiggle of
truly elusive backs
My Thoughts
The Rams passed on more
explosive runners like LaMichael James and Lamar Miller to take Pead—a pick
some thought was a bit of a reach.
However, Pead has the strength to run between the tackles. He serves as a complementary change-of-pace
back immediately, and has the potential to be a replacement for Steven Jackson
if he’s able to add some weight without losing his burst. Pead has some experience as both a punt
returner and kick returner.
Round 3, Pick 65—Trumaine Johnson, CB, Montana
Height: 6’2” Weight: 207lbs Arm Length: 33” Hand Size: 9”
-Good transition from back-pedal to forward pursuit
-Good closing burst
-Excellent ball skills
-Extremely physical—hard hitting tackler that plays with an
edge
Weakness
-Will not keep up with some of the faster receivers in the
league on go-routes
-Lacks positional awareness in zone defense
-Inconsistent play recognition skills
-Poor tackling technique
-Off-the-field issues—arrested and charged with obstructing
a police officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in an alcohol-related
incident.
My Thoughts
With Trumaine’s size and skill set, he could become an
excellent safety if he’s able to improve his zone coverage skills. However, Jeff Fisher already said that he
will stay at the cornerback position and expects him to contend for the starting
job at nickel corner. Johnson is a good
player and athletic enough to become great if he’s receptive to polishing and
keeps clean off the field.
Round 4, Pick
96—Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest
Height: 5’11” Weight: 193lbs Arm Length: 31” Hand Size: 8”
-Excellent athleticism—quick to accelerate and great top-end
speed
-Creates separation with ease—quick, sharp cuts in his
routes
-Too quick to be disrupted by press coverage
-Stretches the field—big-play deep threat
-Very elusive
Weaknesses
-Must be open to make the catch—will not win one-on-one
battles for the ball
-Slow and timid when running routes across the middle
-Goes down at first contact—unwilling to take a hit for
extra yardage
-Liability as a run blocker
My Thoughts
For now, Givens is strictly a role player as a wide
receiver. However, it’s a role that no
other player on the roster can play—he’s an explosive deep threat. I’m somewhat concerned because his scouting
report sounds like a description of Donnie Avery, but it was lack of health,
not lack of skill that held Avery back.
For years, the Rams have been looking for a true deep threat to take the
top off the defense; Givens should be that player. He also has some experience as a kick
returner.
Round 5, Pick 150—Rokevious
Watkins, G, South Carolina
Height: 6’4” Weight: 338lbs Arm Length: 35” Hand Size: 10”
-Good size and athleticism at
guard, but not a potential tackle
-Quick to set off the snap
-Strong hands—maintains blocks
well once engaged
-Has decent ability to pull and
maintain blocks while on the move
-Strong base—anchors well to
defend the bull-rush
Weaknesses
-Lacks aggressiveness—plays
somewhat soft
-Lack of concentration leads to
inconsistent play
My Thoughts
Rokevious has the skill set to
start immediately at guard if the coaching staff is able to amplify his
intensity. Fisher has a track record of
developing late round offensive linemen, which is one reason the Rams waited
until the 5th round to address the vacancy at guard. Watkins is a perfect candidate to be coached
up. Once polished, he has the physical tools
to be a solid, and possibly above-average, starter.
Round 6, Pick 171—Greg
Zuerlein, K, Missouri Western
Height: 6’0” Weight: 190lbs Arm Length: NA Hand Size: NA
Wing-Span: NA 40
time: NA Vertical: NA Shuttle time: NA
Bench Press Reps (225lbs): NA Broad Jump: NA 3-Cone Drill: NA
Strengths
-Consistent accuracy—broke NCAA DII record with 21
consecutive FG’s made
-Good power—9 FG’s of at least 50 yards in 2011, 2 from 58
yards
Weaknesses
-Kickers are not real football
players
My Thoughts
With the lack of overall talent
on the team, I wanted the Rams to use all of their picks on position players;
however, Zuerlein does have a lot of leg.
Mel Kiper had Zuerlein as the number one kicker on his board. Additionally, the Zuerlein pick allows the
team to part ways with Josh Brown and his $2.7 million cap hit. This gives them some flexibility to add some
cap-casualty veterans, possibly at OLB.
Round 7, Pick 209—Aaron
Brown, LB, Hawaii
Height: 6’1” Weight: 220lbs Arm Length: NA Hand Size: NA
Wing-Span: NA 40
time: 4.80 Vertical: 34” Shuttle time: 4.78
-Good production—186 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 10 sacks,
and 6 interceptions in two years.
-Very physical
Weaknesses
-Off-the-field issues—suspended after 3rd degree
assault charge stemming from bar fight
-Lacks high-end athleticism
-Undersized
My thoughts
Brown plays with an intensity that should make him a good
special teams player. He had good
production at Hawaii, but his size/athleticism raise questions about
whether he can become an effective
position player at the next level.
Round 7, Pick 252—Daryl
Richardson, RB, Abilene Christian
Height: 5’10” Weight: 193lbs Arm Length: NA Hand Size: NA
Wing-Span: NA 40
time: 4.47 Vertical: 41” Shuttle time: 4.46
More speed and another kick returner. I’ll take that from the Rams’ Mr. Irrelevant. Sorry, couldn't find any footage.
Overall
Thoughts
Bar bouncers and drug dogs throughout the nation are on
notice—the Rams are coming. I was only
joking when I set a minimum of one assault charge per defensive player, but
apparently the team took me seriously.
There is one refreshing conclusion that we can draw from this draft—the
new regime values talent and athleticism over character and polished play. The new coaching staff put a lot of pressure
on themselves by essentially drafting ten project players. I don’t say that to be alarming—Brockers,
Jenkins, and probably Quick are already solid/good players. The project is providing the coaching to
fulfill their great/elite potential.
The Rams come out of this draft with some exciting players on both sides
of the ball. They’ve also put themselves
in position to finally have some real threats in the return game. Only time will tell whether the reward
potential from this draft will outweigh the risks, but I feel optimistic about
the first draft of this new chapter.
