The team coveted tight end Vernon Davis in round one but realized it would
take a kings ransom to move up and secure his services. They did the next best
thing, trading down then selecting Tye Hill, possibly the most underrated
cornerback in the draft. Hill could win the starting job by opneing day.
We reported from the combine the team loved Joe Klopfenstein and would
take him in round two. He is a perfect fit for the new system and should quickly
break into the starting line-up. After all the disappointments the team
experienced with first round defensive tackles, Claude Wroten was good
value in the third frame. He nicely fits as a one-gap lineman playing next to
big Jimmy Kennedy. Jon Alston was also good value in the same round and
adds a lot of speed/explosion to the linebacker core. Though a solid pick in
round three, Dominique Byrd was a curious choice based on the earlier
drafting of Klopfenstein. If the team develops Victor Adeyanju and
teaches him to become an every down lineman, he will be a steal in round four. Marques Hagans was a reach in the fifth frame. While he showed solid pass catching
skills at the combine, to our minds you don’t draft a 5-foot-9-inch project at
receiver who runs 4.65 seconds in the forty. Tim McGarigle was good value
in round seven, though we are not quite certain he fits the Rams defensive
system.
Moving from the 11th pick of round one to choice number 15 and
getting a third round pick in return, which they used for Claude Wroten, was a
great move by the Rams. The team then moved from selection 109 in round four,
into the third frame and chose Dom Bryd. It only cost them a sixth round choice
and was another solid move. After selecting two tight ends during the first day
the team moved veteran Brandon Manumaleuna to the Chargers in return for a pick
number 113. In turn they used that selection to chose Adeyanju which was a
brilliant move.