As the rest of the division has risen from mediocrity, St. Louis has stayed dormant in that state. The key factor to that is Sam Bradford. Not only has he yet to truly prove himself as a quarterback capable of carrying the team, but he is constantly going down with injury after injury. Although, he is not the only one at fault. The offense around Bradford has been subpar, for the most part. That being said, last year was arguably his most prosperous year, but to no surprise, injury did not allow him to play the full season. On defense, two players that they had previously relied quite heavily on, Cortland Finnegan and Chris Long, had shown decline, more so from the latter player. Because of that, the defense suffered a bit, but had enough surrounding pieces to stay afloat. The Rams finished 8-8, which is not bad by any means, but in the toughest division in football, 8-8 will get your team nowhere.
After a misunderstanding with the Oakland Raiders, Roger Saffold returned to St. Louis and renewed his contract. The biggest new addition was former Tennessee Titans receiver Kenny Britt. He is still relatively young and was brought in as a cheap project that may also assume a starting role. Aside from them and the returns of Jake Long and Sam Bradford from injury, the Rams saved their other holes to be filled via draft.
Major Needs
Offensive Tackle: Whether it be due to Jake Long's poor health and steady decline or the movement of Roger Saffold to guard, St. Louis needs a tackle. Because Long is still being paid a fair amount, the young tackle may be forced to play right tackle until Long can either be traded or cut without penalty. Even then, drafting a player who would play right tackle fixes two positions at once because it allows Saffold to play guard, where he is more successful.
Cornerback: After Finnegan’s quick drop off, Janoris Jenkins is in need of a counterpart. Much like Finnegan was and Jenkins is, St. Louis is likely targeting another press-type cornerback that can play the game with physicality and abuse the opposing receiver. With a deficiency at safety as well, dominant cornerback play is a must.
Safety: TJ McDonald showed the ability to be a solid starter as a strong safety, but as of now, the Rams are starting Rodney McLeod at free safety. Simply put, that will get the back end of their defense torn apart. Considering the lack of depth in this safety class, they may be forced to pounce on a safety early if they intend to solve the problem.
Defensive Tackle: Obviously, Michael Brockers is not in need of replacement, but Kendall Langford is, to an extent, holding back the potential of the interior pressure that St. Louis could be providing. He is serviceable, but adding another true threat alongside Brockers would give them the pass rushing dominance that they need to compete in the NFC West.
Running Back: Zac Stacy had a surprising year, but that being said, he is not a running back that can handle the full load of carries. Realistically, in today’s NFL, few physical specimen are truly capable of that and Stacy is not near that elite level. Behind Stacy, the depth is shaky and St. Louis could use another running back to ease some of the carriers off of Stacy’s shoulders.
First-Day Targets
Greg Robinson/Jake Matthews: Both are seen as elite offensive tackle prospects and both are reportedly quite popular among NFL boards. With the second overall pick, no matter what, one of these two will be available for them. Taking one of them allows Saffold to play at guard, while also having security at right tackle until Long’s stretch in St. Louis is over. In a sense, taking one of them aids two positions.
Jadeveon Clowney: At this point, it seems quite unlikely that Clowney is even available at second overall, but there is still a slim chance. Although defensive end is not a priority need, passing up on a transcendent talent such as Clowney, especially at a premier position, would be a mistake.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix: It may take a trade out of the second pick or a trade up from 13, which they have enough ammo for, but Clinton-Dix adds an extra dynamic to St. Louis’ defense that they are so desperately in need of. He has wonderful range and run support ability, making him a versatile piece at a position currently lacking collective talent in the NFL.
Kyle Fuller: Although not incapable, Fuller does not quite fit their cornerback mold, but he is so talented at what he does that St. Louis may be able to look past that. His fluidity, knack for breaking up passes, and ability to defend the run makes him a rare cornerback prospect that St. Louis may regret passing on, if they choose to do so.
Aaron Donald: Since the Senior Bowl, Donald has become a hot name and has catapulted himself into top 20 consideration. Donald would give them the quick, explosive interior pass rushing compliment that they need next to Brockers. That duo, along with Robert Quinn, is nightmarish to even think about.
Second-Day Targets
Darqueze Dennard: Despite being a top three cornerback talent in the class, Dennard is not an “exciting, wow” player on film. That is more of a testament to how he plays the game, not his skill. He fits St. Louis’ mold, but does not have explosive athleticism. Thankfully for him, he brutalizes receivers and does the technical things well, making him one of the “safer” cornerback picks.
Timmy Jernigan: Jernigan is also not an explosive athlete, but post-snap, he does all the technical things right. Pad level, hand usage, etc., name it. He has the ability to be a forceful presence next to Brockers. Jernigan can beat guards with a single, deadly move and immediately find himself in the backfield.
Morgan Moses: Moses is currently a left tackle, but in the NFL, he may be more useful and reliable as a right tackle. He certainly has the strength and lateral footwork to be molded into one of the best right tackles in the league. Also, his experience at left tackle will make him a security option in case Long goes down.
Carlos Hyde: As stated before, the NFL has turned into a “run by committee” league and Stacy is not one of the few exceptions to that rule. Hyde, who is a powerful, commanding runner, would be a wonderful compliment to Stacy. He may even be able to surpass Stacy on the depth chart and take more of the carries. That is no discredit to Stacy, Hyde is simply that talented.
Third-Day Targets
Tre Boston: With McDonald solidified at strong safety, St. Louis still needs a free safety. Athletically, Boston has the potential to be a top tier ball-hawking free safety, but mentally, he is slow. If he can be taught to read and react quicker, he could be a hidden gem.
Andre Williams: He is not necessarily comparable to Steven Jackson, but Williams would be able to provide the fierce, powerful rushing element that Jackson once did. That is not quite Stacy’s style, making Williams a viable complementary back to Stacy.
BJ Lowery: To some degree, Lowery is a poor man's Dennard. Like Dennard, he has the physicality to play in St. Louis' press system. He may need more safety assistance due to poor long speed, but his technique is functional and his ball skills are top notch.
Seantrel Henderson: Despite a questionable off-field status, Henderson has all the talent to be the NFL's best right tackle. The footwork, strength, and size are all there. With either their 6th or 7th round pick, St. Louis should consider the low risk move that could reap tremendous rewards.
Ego Ferguson: Ferguson does not have exceptional upside, but he is a relatively safe player that will, at the very least, be a solid run defender. Due to lack of stunning athleticism and possibly having a limited role, he has not garnered much hype and may be a steal for the Rams.
Full Seven Round Mock
1(a). Jake Matthews, Offensive Tackle, Texas A&M
1(b). Aaron Donald, Defensive Tackle, Pitt
2. Darqueze Dennard, Cornerback, Michigan State
3. Kareem Martin, Defensive End, North Carolina
4. Avery Patterson, Safety, Oregon
5. Anyone Exum, Defensive Back, Virginia Tech
6. Boseko Lokombo, Linebacker, Oregon
7. Jeremy Hill, Running Back, LSU