MVN - Most Valuable Network

Looking back at the Rams’ draft

It’s no secret that the Rams have had some drafting woes in the past.

This year’s rookie class - with the exception of Adam Carriker and Clifton Ryan inside - has also proved to be fairly lackluster. Given opportunities to get on the field with a cascade of Rams injuries, most of these rookies haven’t been able to capitalize. That may change with Jonathan Wade stepping into the corner spot after Tye Hill’s injury, but for now, it’s fair to say that the 2007 draft class has had very little impact on a bad team.

What went wrong? Well, in the long run, nothing, maybe. Players like Wade, Brian Leonard and perhaps even Dustin Fry could eventually turn out to be quality players. It’s just that the Rams, expecting to be in the playoff hunt, didn’t draft enough guys to help right now.

So if the Rams had know then what they know now - the injuries, the losing streak, the calls for their coach’s head - would they have drafted differently? Here’s a peek at what the Rams could have done on draft day.

Round 1, Pick 13: Adam Carriker, DT
Carriker’s play this season has been erratic, but he’s gone a long way to solidifying the Rams’ depth inside for years to come. The flashes he’s shown - from his solo tackle on Adrian Peterson in the preseason to his play against Seattle - have been flashes of brilliance. And other defensive tackles - Alan Branch, a guy I was watching in April, comes to mind - haven’t had anywhere near his impact. In retrospect, still a great pick.
Actual Pick: Carriker

Round 2, Pick 52: Ryan Kalil, C
Leonard got his chance earlier this year during Steven Jackson’s time out, and while solid, he wasn’t especially impressive either. Kalil, perhaps the most polished center to come out in the draft, would have been a great pick-up in the second round to add to the Rams’ offensive line depth, and his combine numbers showed he has the strength and the speed to make a difference at the NFL level. Instead, he’s been a Panthers backup, starting two games.
Actual Pick: Brian Leonard, RB

Round 3, Pick 84: Marshal Yanda, OT
Yanda, a tackle from Iowa, is already showing what he can do, with the Baltimore Ravens. Yanda has played in all 12 of the Ravens’ games, starting 8, and would have helped the Rams as they played musical chairs with their starting line. This one really hurts.
Actual Pick: Jonathan Wade, CB

Round 5, Pick 139: Kolby Smith, RB
The Rams did need to improve their depth at running back, and this selection would have made sense if they hadn’t picked Leonard. The Chiefs were high on Smith coming out of camp, and after an injury to Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes’ retirement, Smith, in week 12, found himself thrust into the starting lineup. He delivered, with a 150-yard, two-touchdown performance. Back in St. Louis, the Rams are stuck with a guy who couldn’t get off the practice squad most of the year as the Rams signed offensive linemen off the street.
Actual Pick: Dustin Fry, C

Round 5, Pick 154: Clifton Ryan, DT
Everything about this Rams draft starts and ends with Ryan. There may have been no better steal anywhere in the draft than this fifth-rounder from Michigan State. His play has been the force that has kept the defense rolling. Already, it’s hard to imagine what the Rams would look like without him.
Actual Pick: Ryan

Round 6, Pick 190: Rashad Barksdale, CB
Hear me out on this one. Yes, Barksdale was cut in Eagles camp after losing the competition for a cornerback spot. Yes, he didn’t get in a game until Oct. 7, for the Chiefs. But he’s capable of playing both corner and safety - a bonus in a secondary that has been banged up this year - and he’s proved to be a valuable contributor on the Chiefs’ special teams units, playing on the kickoff coverage, punt coverage and punt return teams. Sometimes, this late, it’s worth taking a guy to help out on special teams, especially when your coverage units are consistently among the worst in the league.
Actual Pick: Ken Shackleford, OT

Round 7, Pick 248: Chinedum Ndukwe, S
Ndukwe gets the nod here for three reasons. One, he’s a safety, and the Rams have suffered injuries to Corey Chavous, Todd Johnson and Jerome Carter this year. Two, he’s one of three players - along with Chad Nkang and Ahmad Bradshaw - this late in the draft to make a 53-man roster. And finally, he’s got a great name.
Actual Pick: Keith Jackson, DT

Round 7, Pick 249: Derek Stanley, WR
I realize that Stanley didn’t make the team and eventually was placed on the practice squad. But it was hard not to like what we saw from him in the preseason. Hopefully he’ll earn a spot on the roster next year - he’s got the heart and the skills to do it.
Actual Pick: Stanley

What would this group have done in the win-loss column? It’s hard to say, but it at least couldn’t have been worse than what we’ve suffered through this season. Now we just have to start building that time machine.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 7th, 2007 at 3:49 pm and is filed under Ryan Kalil, Derek Stanley, Marshal Yanda, Kolby Smith, Chinedum Ndukwe, Rashad Barksdale, Rams Players, Clifton Ryan, St. Louis Rams, 2007 NFL Draft, Adam Carriker, Jonathan Wade, Brian Leonard, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.