Coming off another losing season, the St. Louis Rams had lots of spots to fill in the 2014 NFL Draft. From building a protective wall for QB Sam Bradford, recovering from a torn ACL last year, to bolstering a secondary that struggled badly last season.
And that’s exactly what they did.
Positions were filled, depth was increased, and history was made for the team from the Gateway City.
Here is a look at every Rams’ draft pick from the 2014 NFL Draft:
Round 1: Pick 2: Greg Robinson (OT, Auburn).
Analysis: Robinson (6’5″, 322 pounds) is an absolute force on the offensive line, and is possibly the best lineman prospect the Rams have had since Orlando Pace back in the 1990’s. The St. Louis Rams have had a beaten up and bruised offensive line the past few years, and the addition of Robinson brings a new, durable face to the line. It was figured that they’d use their 2nd pick in the draft on an offensive lineman, but instead of selecting Jake Matthews, they went with Robinson. One drawback, however, is that he is very raw, and needs time to refine his skills, especially on outside rushes. But the Rams have a gem of an offensive lineman, and should be a integral part of the offense for years to come.
Round 1: Pick 13: Aaron Donald (DT, Pitt).
Analysis: This is a player that didn’t need to be drafted by the Rams, but it’s a plus they did. Watching film on Donald shows the 6’1″, 288 pound defensive tackle is quick on his feet and gets to the ball carrier by using his speed and power to plow right through a lineman. Usually, it took two lineman just to hold back Donald long enough. The Rams have arguably one of the best defensive lines in the entire NFL, led by Robert Quinn, Chris Long, Michael Brockers, and Kendall Langford. Adding Donald’s explosiveness will play a role backing the starters up, and, with Langford’s contract expiring after the year, look for him to get his starting shot in the future.
Round 2: Pick 41: Lamarcus Joyner (CB, FSU).
Analysis: If there was any position on the Rams that needed help just as much as the offensive line, it was the secondary. Joyner was named first-team All-ACC during his senior season with FSU, a year in which he led Florida State cornerbacks with 69 tackles, including seven for a loss of yardage. He has stated in interviews how he is a physical corner, which is something the Rams need very much. Janoris Jenkins now has someone who will line up on the opposite side of him, and will compete with Trumaine Johnson for the starting spot.
Round 3: Pick 75: Tre Mason (RB, Auburn).
Analysis: The same running back that torched Mizzou’s defense last year is now a member of the Rams, and reunites with his teammate Greg Robinson. With a young backfield consisted of Zac Stacy, Daryl Richardson, Benny Cunningham, and Isaiah Pead, the decision was made to add another young back into the mix. Aside from Stacy, who broke out after Bradford’s injury, every running back on the Rams struggled last year. Although he lacks big size, Mason was the primary benefactor of Auburn’s top-ranked rushing attack during the 2013 season, as he piled up 1,816 yards to break Bo Jackson’s single season school rushing record. Against Mizzou in the SEC Title game, Mason ran for 304 yards and four touchdowns on 46 carries. He will likely be the second string back, behind Stacy. The question remains which (if any) Rams’ backs will be released. Pead most likely would be the one, but Mason’s addition brings a mix of speed and fast agility to help out the young offense.
Round 4: Pick 110: Mason Alexander (S, Utah St.)
Analysis: When the Rams added Joyner, they added a physical corner. This time, they added a physical safety. The position consisting of Rodney McLeod and T.J McDonald now has a third player added into the mix. He is great and running to the ball carrier and forcing pressure on defensive back blitzes. Alexander, who attended Eureka High School is not great in terms of technical skills, but his raw ability helps him attack a spot dead on and zone up well. Alexander was also once a janitor at the Edward Jones Dome, but worked his way into the college football scene once again, and finally got his chance being drafted by the Rams. He might also be used as a contributor to the special teams’ unit as well. The importance of this pick is the physical play he brings to the field.
Round 6: Pick 188: E.J Gaines (CB, Mizzou).
Analysis: Gaines can be considered a sleeper/steal draft pick. The Mizzou product has a lot of upside. In his senior season, he intercepted a career high five passes while adding 75 tackles, earning himself an first-team All-SEC selection. Five of his eight career picks came from the 2013 season. He is on the small side, however, at 5’10”, 190 pounds, and was mainly a slot receiver-coverage corner. The Rams up to this point in the draft had upgraded the defense more than their offense, but focused on adding depth at previously struggling positions. Gaines is one of the more underrated corners in the draft, mainly (as stated above) because of his size. But his speed and ball skills make him a valuable asset to the secondary group.
Round 6: Pick 214: Garrett Gilbert (QB, SMU).
Analysis: Gilbert transferred from Texas to SMU three years into his collegiate career. He threw for 3,528 yards and 21 touchdowns in 10 games while rushing for 267 yards and six scores last fall. The Rams knew they had to draft a quarterback, because while Bradford is the starter, the backups consist of well-respected veteran Shaun Hill and inexperienced Austin Davis. Gilbert has a very good arm and awareness to view receivers down the field from 20+ yards, even in double coverage. He is also moderately mobile, but mainly in the red-zone. Don’t expect him to take away Bradford’s starting spot anytime soon, but as a good quality backup learning, it was a pick the Rams had to make.
Round 7: Pick 226: Mitchell Van Dyk (OT, Portland St.).
Analysis: Robinson was the big pickup for the Rams, but Van Dyk (6’8″, 315) is very talented in his own right. He had previously started for Portland State for three years. He was part of a Viking offense that actually had set multiple school records, for total offense (6.486), rushing yards (3,330) and rushing yards per game (277.7). Van Dyk’s ability and skill set fit well with the Rams and their offensive scheme. For a team trying to establish a more fluent run game, the Rams can use Van Dyk’s strong run block skills to help out Stacy and Mason in the trenches.
Round 7: Pick 241: C.B Bryant (S, Ohio State).
Analysis: Christian Bryant had missed the past nine games of his senior season with the Buckeyes’ due to a broken ankle. The affects had lingered, but the Rams decided to take a chance on him anyway. He doesn’t have flashy stats or a immensely strong set of skills, but he adds depth to the safety position.
Round 7: Pick 249: Michael Sam (DE, Mizzou).
Analysis: Now here is the historic pick. The first openly gay player drafted by an NFL Football team. Michael Sam is a unique breed of a football player. The SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Sam (6’2″, 258 pounds) is a mix between a linebacker and defensive end. While at Mizzou he played defensive end, but in the NFL, he is not seen as a prototype defensive end. As for rush linebacker, he has strong speed, but it’s not massively explosive. He was originally supposed to be a 2nd-3rd rounder in the draft, maybe even higher, but a terrible combine hurt his stock so bad to the point he was only drafted a few picks away from the famous “Mr. Irrelevant” spot. A month after the NFL Combine, he had off-season workouts that improved his draft stock with little results. Personal life aside, which is how Michael Sam should be viewed at when analyzing him as a football player, he will have to work even harder to gain a roster spot, as the Rams are loaded at the defensive end position, and when he filled in as an outside linebacker during the 2014 Senior Bowl, he struggled badly. The Rams were praised by this pick, but only time will tell if him being on the Rams will work out.
Round 7: Pick 250: Demetrius Rhaney (C, Tenn. State).
Analysis: The final draft pick by the Rams, the small-school prospect Rhaney completes the rookie class of lineman drafted by the Gateway City. His size is very ideal for a center, standing at 6’2″, and weighing in at 301 pounds. As of now, Robinson and Roger Saffold will play guards, while Jake Long (once he returns from his ACL injury), and Joe Barksdale will play at the tackle spots. As of now, Scott Wells is the main center, but Rhaney has his shot to take that spot away. Wells has struggled in recent seasons due to lingering injuries, despite his veteran talent and ability. While it’s not a top notch pick, the Rams ended their draft well.
Final thoughts: Overall, the Rams had a great draft. While it’ll take time to truly see how the newest draftees pan out, adding depth on such a young team in the toughest division in football helps. Once Bradford returns, chemistry can be established between the offense. As for the defense, an already amazing stout defensive line and linebacker corps is now backed up by a more talented secondary.
Rams fans have waited a decade for their team to post a winning record, and only time will tell if this is the year that drought finally ends. The bottom-line is: St. Louis had as positive a draft as they could have. And they needed to.
