NFL DRAFT FREAKOUT: The St. Louis Rams should take…

As someone who has labeled themselves as a St. Louis Rams fan, it’s hard not to laugh out loud during the NFL Draft. They’ve failed so many times with so many regimes, I’ve already half-assumed Sam Bradford is headed on a path more like Alex Smith than Matt Stafford.

If you truly digest the following list of Rams first-round picks, you’ll die in hours, just like cholera. Be sure to boil the Kool-Aid before your ingest. Here goes:

• 2011 — Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina (Still has time to prove he doesn’t suck)
• 2010 — Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma  (David Carr or Matt Schaub?)
• 2009 — Jason Smith OT, Baylor (Just took a paycut to stay on crappy team. Not a good sign.)
• 2008 — Chris Long, DE, Virginia (Starting to turn the corner, but not worth being the No. 2 overall pick)
• 2007 — Adam Carriker, DT, Nebraska (Washed out with Rams, serviceable with Redskins now)
• 2006 — Tye Hill, CB, Clemson (Awful)
• 2005 — Alex Barron, OT, Florida State (Worse than Tye Hill.)
• 2004 — Steven Jackson, RB, Oregon State (They got one right!)
• 2003 — Jimmy Kennedy, DT, Penn State (Ugh.)
• 2002 — Robert Thomas, LB, UCLA (No)
• 2001 — Damione Lewis, DT, Miami Fla; Adam Archuleta, SS, Arizona State; Ryan Pickett, DT, Ohio State (Nothing special)
• 2000 — Trung Canidate, RB, Arizona (I HAVE TO STOP!!!!)

See what we’re dealing with? Why even pay attention to the NFL Draft? Why? Well, because it’s eternal hope. And that’s why I thought I’d write something that shows who I think they should take. I’ve got 3 scenarios.

Scenario 1

Rams trade one of the Redskins’ future No. 1 picks and this year’s No. 1 pick to the Minnesota Vikings for the No. 3 pick

This way, the Rams draft Trent Richardson for Alabama. They get Adrian Peterson reincarnate for the best years of his career. No brainer. But, why would they do this if they already have Steven Jackson — the only guy worth an S on that list?

Because then, they’d turn around and trade Steven Jackson for a third-round pick.

The the entire NFL Draft transaction looks like:

St. Louis gives up:

• No. 2 overall pick
• Steven Jackson

for:

• Trent Richardson
• No. 3 overall picks
• A future first-round pick
• This year’s second-round pick from Washington
• This year’s third-round pick from Mystery Team

You trade Steven Jackson at his decline point, get the next best thing (better) and pick up three additional picks to move 1 spot down in the draft? Genius. (Why am I not the Rams GM?)

Scenario 2

Blackmon

With the No. 6 pick, the Rams select Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State or Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

We all know that many feel Blackmon is overrated for the No. 6 spot. And while I can’t keep from being overly-doomsday and thinking he’s going to have the same impact as Michael Crabtree has had in the past three years for San Francisco (miniscule), do you know who else was a No. 6 pick?

Torry Holt (1999)

Sure, he had Isaac Bruce to take the pressure off as a rookie, but was Holt on anyone’s radar at that point? You have to start accumulating young receiving talent and Blackmon can be the one until they make another move. It’s not like the Rams are going to make the playoffs next year, right?

Take Blackmon or Floyd and stop overthinking this.

Scenario 3

Suh

With the No. 6 pick, the Rams select Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

I despise defensive tackles. They have zero fantasy football impact (except for Ndamukong Suh, Warren Sapp, etc) and the plays they make are normally not dynamic. It’s even less sexy than drafting offensive tackles.

But the Rams have the makings of a stellar defensive line. Chris Long is turning into a solid, if not spectacular pro. Robert Quinn is going to be good, but who will play defensive tackle? The Rams signed Kendall Langford (who?) and need to get young talent up front.

Sure, it will conjur images of past failures (Kennedy, Lewis, Pickett), etc., but you have to draft talent and position. And, we’re talking about a division that still runs the ball, not throws. San Francisco. Arizona. Seattle. If it was the NFC North, it would be the next best cornerback. But here, it’s defensive line. Gross, I know.