NFC North: 2011 Division Preview

Green Bay Packers

This feels weird to say, but the defending Super Bowl champs have nowhere to go but up.  Consider that the generous helping of success last year came to one of the youngest teams in league and one that experienced an unprecedented rash of injuries.  With all their young guys gaining a year of Championship experience and all the walking wounded coming back healthy and ready to go, it’s easy to see why both Adam and I predict the Green Bay Packers repeat as Super Bowl Champions.

Our optimism also stems from who we have at QB1—the most important position in football—the league’s overall best player, Aaron Rodgers.  With off-the-charts accuracy, abundant arm strength, a quick release, surprising mobility, and the same number of rings as Brett Favre, Rodgers has it all.  Entering just his fourth year as a starter, expect big-time numbers.

Also at Rodgers’ disposal is one of the deepest receiving corps in football.  You can argue that since Rodgers is so great, he makes his receivers look great, but you cannot deny the raw talent on display.  There’s the game-breaking ability of Greg Jennings; the wily veteran, Donald Driver; the best third receiver in football, James Jones; and saying that, he’s in danger of losing his job to Jordy Nelson.

Before his season ended in Week 5 last year, über-athletic tight end Jermichael Finley was Rodgers’ favorite target.  Should Finley stay healthy, look for a big season out of him.

One of my biggest concerns heading into the offseason was addressing a position guys have shuffled in and out of for years, kick returner.  GM Ted Thompson allayed those fears when he drafted Randall Cobb, a dynamic return man out of Kentucky that should see action in the receiving game as well.

The Packer offense had trouble running the ball last year, which only leaves room for improvement.  Ryan Grant missed all but one half of football last season after injuring his ankle Week 1.  His return gives the offense a boost, but relying on a 28-year-old running back coming off a serious lower body injury may be a dicey proposition.  That is where last season’s playoff revelation, James Starks, can pick up the slack.  Add to those two the strong Alex Green drafted out of Hawai’i, and Green Bay should have a competent running back trio.

Though the defense lost one of its stalwarts, Cullen Jenkins, in free agency, Dom Capers still has enough guys to make you stand up and shout.

A beast off the edge, Clay Matthews is perhaps the most dynamic presence in all of football.  His speed, strength, and tenacity are unmatched.

Just one year removed from a Defensive Player of the Year campaign, team leader Charles Woodson now roams and creates havoc anywhere on the field.  Free from strict cover duty with the emergence of Tramon Williams and the speedy Sam Shields as excellent cornerbacks, Woodson can play in the box as another linebacker, feel comfortable covering a team’s 3rd-best receiver, and is extremely dangerous blitzing quarterbacks off the slot.

In the same first round where they drafted Matthews, the Packers also nabbed “The Freezer,” nose tackle BJ Raji.  Devouring double teams comes easy for the lynchpin of Green Bay’s 3-4, and Raji has spectacular pass rush ability from the inside as well.

The NFL these days is a pass-first league.  In order to win a team must throw the ball efficiently and stop opposing teams’ aerial attacks, mainly through pass rush.  Green Bay excels in both areas.  Unified from the front office to Mike McCarthy and his coaching staff all the way to the players on the field, the Green Bay Packers are going to be a very good team for a very long time.

Biggest Strengths: Aaron Rodgers (of course) and continuity.  Even though the Packers did not make a splash in the free agent market—they never do—in the lockout-shortened offseason, not having to acclimate so many new players works to the Packers’ advantage.

Biggest Weaknesses: Offensive line play.  Chad Clifton must stay healthy, rookie Derek Sherrod must come in and replace long-time starter Daryn Colledge, and the unit as a whole must get better opening holes for a fledgling running attack.

Eric’s Prediction: 12-4, First in NFC North

Adam’s Prediction: 13-3, First in NFC North

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are a sexy pick this year to come out and do something they haven’t done since the year 2000, win.  This looks like the year where all the pieces Detroit has assembled will put it together and go on a tear through the NFC.

Matthew Stafford undoubtedly is just what Detroit needs at quarterback.  Watching him play, he has proven that he has “it.”  All he hasn’t done is stay healthy.  Stafford must remain in the lineup for this team to fulfill its cosmic potential.

This potential jumps off the screen when looking at who else the Lions have on offense.  Calvin Johnson is a top-5 NFL receiver with freakish size and speed.  Though rookie second round pick Mikel Leshoure is done for the season with a torn Achilles, the Lions will still have a dynamite two-back combination with Jahvid Best and new addition Jerome Harrison.  Scott Linehan’s two tight end sets showed a lot of promise last year; Brandon Pettigrew’s and Tony Scheffler’s skillsets are tough to gameplan against.

The defensive line assembled under Jim Schwartz and Gunther Cunningham is downright scary.  In only his second year, Ndamukong Suh is already among the most impactful defensive linemen in the NFL.  Suh’s strength, speed, and quickness make him unblockable.  Joining Suh in the trenches is this year’s thirteenth overall pick and a guy who many believe had first overall talent, defensive tackle Nick Fairley.  Flanking those monsters are the tenacious Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril, who comes off an 8.5-sack 2010 season.  With Suh and Fairley drawing double teams upon double teams, Vanden Bosch and Avril should punish opposing quarterbacks.

Elsewhere on defense, former Titan Stephen Tulloch will join his old defensive coordinator in Schwartz and vastly improve the Detroit linebacking group.

Beyond rising star safety Louis Delmas, the secondary is still a work in progress, but they did bring in Eric Wright to hopefully lock down one cornerback spot.  Pressure from the front four should really alleviate the burden on the back end, so if the secondary can at the very least be average, then this defense should go far.

Biggest Strengths: A young, talented team coming together around a young coach and quarterback.

Biggest Weaknesses: The offensive line is a sub-par unit.  They must improve to protect the fragile franchise quarterback, Matthew Stafford.

Eric’s Prediction: 9-7, Second in NFC North

Adam’s Prediction: 9-7, Second in NFC North

Minnesota Vikings

The one move that didn’t happen has me a lot lower on the Vikings’ chances than I would have been, and that was their failure to re-sign Sidney Rice.  I love bringing in Donovan McNabb; I think he still has productive years left in him.  I understand people are down on McNabb after a lackluster 2010, but he was really hampered by playing in the talentless black hole that was the Washington Redskins.  The only problem is, aside from Adrian Peterson, these Sidney Rice-less Vikings look a lot like the Redskins.  Percy Harvin, Visanthe Shiancoe, and a bunch of nobodies greatly resemble Santana Moss, Chris Cooley, and a bunch of nobodies.

Let’s not be all gloom and doom though.  Yes, the Vikings’ skill guys may not be that much better than Washington’s, but McNabb will now have the best running back he’s ever played with.  Our pick for best running back in football, Peterson outhits would-be tacklers and always delivers a little punishment of his own.  Such a big back that can cut, find holes, and burst into the open field is something to behold.

The defense is spearheaded by its defensive line, Jerad Allen and Kevin Williams in particular.  Both of those guys are top-5 league-wide in their respective positions.  The stout linebacking corps boasts stud Chad Greenway and heavy hitter EJ Henderson when healthy.  Yet, though once a top-flight unit, the aging front seven is no longer good enough to cover up for a poor secondary.

The offensive line is deteriorating quickly, especially after the release of Bryant McKinnie, who reportedly showed up to training camp weighing nearly 400 pounds.  Steve Hutchinson is no longer the elite player he once was, and outside of that the Vikings are still waiting to see if Phil Loadholt can become a solid player rather than just a heavily penalized giant who takes up space.

All told, this veteran team's window is closing quickly if not already shut.  Bringing in McNabb is a stopgap move—I was clamoring for the Vikings to bring in McNabb before Favre ever got there—that should help the team marginally in the short-term and perhaps somewhat more in the long-term as McNabb can mentor first round reach Christian Ponder.

Biggest Strengths: No matter who surrounds him, Adrian Peterson is a lock for a stellar season.

Biggest Weaknesses: The loss of Sidney Rice leaves a gaping hole at wide receiver, and Father Time is catching up quickly.

Eric’s Prediction: 8-8, Third in NFC North

Adam’s Prediction: 7-9, Third in NFC North

Chicago Bears

The Bears still suck.

--from @jeuneski

NFL Draft Grades 2011: NFC North

Chicago Bears

I don’t care what you tell me, the Bears weren’t that good of a football team last year.  They only made the NFC Title game because they got to play the Seahawks in the Divisional Round.  Chicago ranked 28th in passing offense, 22nd in rushing offense, 20th defending the pass, and 2nd defending the run.  Their only true strength was stopping the run, Jay Cutler was as erratic as ever, the offensive line ranged from abysmal to serviceable, and the pass coverage was inconsistent.  The Bears have a lot of holes to address, and they only had five picks to fill those holes in this draft.

In the first round picking offensive tackle Gabe Carimi (Wisconsin) was a great move.  Ready to start from day one, Carimi could turn into a dominant run blocker.  Physically, Carimi won’t be overmatched by anyone at 6’7” and 315 pounds.  Despite his enormous frame and brute strength, Carimi is light on his feet and quite adept in pass protection.  I believe he should be solid immediately and could develop into an elite, Pro Bowl player.

The Bears’ second round pick, Oregon State defensive tackle Stephen Paea, builds on an existing strength, their run defense.  Paea will likely take the place of oft-injured Tommie Harris in the middle of the line, and he should do a good job of it.  Incredibly strong (a record 49 reps at the combine) Paea also has surprising quickness off the snap.  He won’t rush the passer, but he’ll be a force against the run.

Those two players, while good, essentially make up the core of the Bear’s draft class.  Nathan Enderle is a project quarterback from Idaho the Bears selected in the fifth round.  He won’t see the field unless a few people get injured, and I think the Bears could have addressed their receiving corps, offensive line, or secondary with the pick.

They did get defensive back Chris Conte from California in the late third round, which fits a big need.  Conte is a safety converted from cornerback and was a late riser on draft boards.   He should contribute early and bolster the secondary.

The Bears did well with their first three picks: Carimi, Paea, and Conte.  The first two should start right away and Conte will contribute on defense and special teams.  Enderle was a head scratching pick, and while the Bears filled some big needs, they have many holes remaining.  The picks they made were good, but they needed more of them.

Grade: C+

Detroit Lions

Don’t look now, but the Lions have drafted extremely well recently.  Matt Stafford looks like a star talent when he’s healthy.  Calvin Johnson is the most physically imposing receiver in the league.  Last year Ndamukong Suh may have been the most dominant rookie of the past decade.  Jhavid Best, Louis Delmas, and Brandon Pettigrew all look to have promising futures in this league as well.  Detroit is becoming a talented team, year by year adding big time players.

In 2011 enter Nick Fairley.  Maybe Fairley didn’t fit a huge need, but getting one of the five best players in this draft at pick 14 was too good to pass up.  Fairley now pairs with Suh to create what should be one of the most feared defensive fronts in the NFL for the next 8-10 years.  Don’t forget Kyle Vanden Bosch, Corey Williams, and Cliff Avril, all quality players still in the mix too.

Second round pick Titus Young (WR, Boise State) is the perfect foil to the gargantuan Johnson: small, quick, precise in his routes, and has very good speed.  He’s a smart player that catches the ball almost every time and can even help in the return game.

Then at pick 25 in the second round, Detroit got what I think was a first round talent in Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure.  Rated by some as the best running back in this draft, Leshoure is big at 6’0” and 227 pounds, very strong, and has enough speed with a 4.56 40.  He’s the physical back Detroit has been missing, a guy that can carry the ball effectively 20 times per game.  Leshoure should perfectly complement the scat back contributions of Best, and together they could form one of the league’s best young backfields.  Stafford, Best, Leshoure, Johnson, Pettis, and Pettigrew are a really impressive nucleus of young talent on the offensive side of the ball.

Though the first three picks were, I thought, fantastic, the Lions only selected two more players in the whole draft.  Fifth rounder Douglas Hoge (LB, Syracuse) is an athletic player who will most likely find his niche on special teams.  Johnny Culbreath in the seventh round is an offensive tackle who has an outside chance at making the team.

Fairley and Leshoure can be Pro Bowl players in my opinion, and I love that the Lions just decided “Hey, wouldn’t it be cool to have the best defensive tackle duo in the league for the next decade?”  Pettis, an excellent slot receiver and multi-purpose player, could take this offense to another level.  Like the Bears, Detroit only had a few nice picks and not much else, but the Lions’ top three choices really blew me away.

Grade: B+

Green Bay Packers

The Packers had the luxury of having minimal needs heading into this draft.  They’re coming off a Super Bowl performance in which several key starters weren’t even healthy enough to play, and they still won.  With most of those starters back in the fold this coming year, in effect this draft was just icing to an already scrumptious cake.

If there was a need on this team, it was offensive line.  Sure that unit was solid last year, but it wasn’t spectacular.  It’s aging in spots, and Aaron Rodgers is the single most important player in the league to protect.  With that, I loved the pick of Mississppi State tackle Derek Sherrod with the last pick in the first round.  He is a solid, first round talent, and many projected him to go higher than thirty-second.  At 6’5”, 321 pounds, he has the prototypical build to play offensive tackle in the NFL.  Having started his last three seasons, 50 total games in the rugged SEC, Sherrod should be used to pressure environments and a high level of physicality.  He’s quick for his size, smart, and has long arms.

Sherrod certainly brings a great attitude and an immense amount of talent to an improving Packer line.  Providing depth behind the Packers’ two starting tackles Brian Bulaga and the aging but still productive Chad Clifton, Sherrod may even slide in to play guard.  Bulaga, Sherrod, and guard Josh Sitton create a wonderful young foundation for the Green Bay offensive line.

If it’s possible, I like the Packers’ second round choice even more than their first.  Drafting a receiver wasn’t a need, but in getting Kentucky wideout Randall Cobb, the Packers took an already electric offense to off the charts territory.  Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, James Jones, and Jordy Nelson represent the league’s best receiving corps, but none of those guys is the smallish, cat-quick, slot-type receiver that can find openings underneath defenses.  Cobb is that man.  He has a lightning quick first step and is surprisingly strong, which helps him get his release off the line of scrimmage.  Plus, he has great hands and runs tremendous routes.  Scouts say football is his first love and they expect him to be a dedicated pro.  Cobb also brings intriguing talent to the return game, where his sudden quickness and agility might lead to some game-breaking returns.

In the third round the Packers continued to add weapons to the arsenal by bringing in the talented and bruising running back from Hawaii, Alex Green.  Green is 6’0”, 225 pounds and ran a 4.45 40-yard dash.  A punishing, make-one-cut-and-go runner with surprisingly good hands and very good acceleration, Green should make an impact right away, especially in short yardage situations.

The Green Bay receiving corps is deep, but the running back group is stockpiled as well with returning star Ryan Grant, last year’s breakout performer James Starks, and the rookie Green.  When the Packers run the ball, they’ll have an improved line and three talented backs to give the ball to.

In the fourth round the Packers continue their perfect weekend by selecting New Mexico State corner Davon House, who many had rated as a mid-second round prospect.  House will join the stud group of Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, and Sam Shields.  If House is ready to make an impact as a nickel corner, that will free up Woodson even more to continue to rove between safety, corner, and blitz linebacker.  Essentially, the selection of House makes the league’s best secondary even more versatile.

In the fifth round, the Packers were clearly trying to make my head explode when they got my top-rated tight end in the draft, Arkansas’ DJ Williams.  Williams played in Bobby Petrino’s pro-style offense, had laser-armed quarterback in Ryan Mallett, and was hugely productive in the toughest college conference, the SEC.  At 6’2” and 245 pounds, Williams joins Cobb as a great middle of the field target.  He will be a nightmare for linebackers or safeties to cover with his 4.59 40 speed, soft hands, and great route running.

Williams and the returning mega-talent Jermichael Finley give the Packers the best tight end duo in the league.  Add to that to the best quarterback in the league, the best receiving corps in the league, a three deep running back rotation, and a much improved offensive line. Shnikees.

The Packers finished out the draft by adding depth and developmental players to the offensive and defensive lines.  Guard Caleb Schlauderaff from Utah was a nice pick in the fifth round.  He’s not overly talented but was a third team All-American as a senior and started virtually his entire career at Utah.  He’s considered a guy that should make the team, provide quality depth, and maybe even challenge for a starting spot.  The Pack may have also nabbed a steal in the sixth round with defensive lineman Ricky Elmore, who has a really quick first step and a knack for getting to the quarterback.

A team that didn’t need much improvement drastically improved.  They got a stud offensive tackle and a guard that should certainly make their final roster.  They got the one type of receiver they’ve been missing, a lightning-quick slot man who also returns kicks.  They added a physical, fast, punishing back to an already talented backfield.  They got a cornerback in the fourth round that could have gone early in the second and will give an already versatile secondary even more options.  They also got the best tight end in the draft, and can now pair him with the most athletically gifted tight end in the league.  With the coaching the Packers have in place, all of these players can reach their highest potential, and that is a frightening for the rest of the league.

Grade: A+

Minnesota Vikings

Maybe Christian Ponder will be a really nice quarterback in this league.  He’s athletic with a good but not great arm, a very talented player.  But that’s not quite the point.  Just like Jake Locker—who went eighth to the Titans—Ponder could have been had later in the draft, perhaps in the second round.  I suppose if the Vikings loved Ponder, it’s an okay move, but why not try to move back in the draft, accrue more picks, and look for Ponder in round two?

I digress…onto Ponder as a prospect.  With good size at 6’2” and 230 pounds, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds, joining Locker, Cam Newton, and Colin Kaepernick in what was an incredibly athletic QB class.  Ponder is a good kid that wants to win and was a leader at Florida State.  When he makes the correct read, he can be very accurate.  It’s just that he often has trouble reading defenses and makes a lot of ill-advised throws.  That only figures to get worse as a rookie starter in the NFL.  Ponder may well get to an elite level, but it’s going to take at least three years.

On the bright side for Ponder, he’s stepping into a system with weapons like Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice, and fellow rookie Kyle Rudolph.  Notre Dame’s Rudolph was widely regarded as the best tight end in this draft.  He’s a big, smooth athlete with soft hands, good speed, good size, that came from a pro system.  He’s an effective route runner as well, the type of player that could be good right away but may never be great.

I really like their next three picks.  Christian Ballard (DL, Iowa) is a really good player that could have gone in the late second round, but the Vikings got him in the fourth.   At 6’4” and 283 pounds, he is big and strong enough to play defensive tackle.  Running a 4.75 40 at Ballard’s size was also very impressive, which indicates he’s athletic enough to be a pass rushing end as well.  Versatile, talented, and tough, if nothing else, Ballard provides quality depth to the line in his first season.

Getting Utah corner Brandon Burton in the fifth round may have been a slight steal; he definitely adds depth to a position of need on the Vikings.  His measureables aren’t mind blowing, but they’re adequate, and he’s a smart, instinctive, and tough player.

Demarcus Love (OT, Arkansas) was a great value in the sixth.  At 6’4” and 315, Love is a strong run blocker that could move to guard in the NFL.  He’s an imposing, nasty presence that started 37 games in the SEC and was a team captain.  In other words, he’s been through a lot of wars in the trenches of a tough conference and was a leader on his team.

Ponder was taken too high, but he is a gifted player and the Vikings needed a quarterback badly.  Rudolph adds a really nice talent to an already loaded offense.  Ballard and Burton will both see the field and could become starters, and I think the selection of Love will reap immediate benefits.  The Vikes also had five more developmental picks in the late sixth and seventh rounds.  One or two of those players will probably surprise and make the team.  Overall the Vikings got better in this draft, and the only time they reached was on a very talented player at a position of major need.

Grade: B

--from Adam

2011 NFL Draft Preview: Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams

#13 Detroit Lions

What They Need: Wait a minute.  The Lions aren’t picking in the top-5?  What happened?  What happened is the Lions are at long last trending in the right direction.  If their ultra-talented quarterback Matthew Stafford can stay healthy next year, this team could make the playoffs, especially with the right pick here.  Cleary then, quarterback is not a need.  Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew, and Tony Scheffler provide a nice array of receiving targets for Stafford, though another wideout could certainly help.  Jahvid Best is an explosive back but not an every down player.  He’s best served getting fifteen touches per game split between handoffs, receptions, and the occasional kick return.  To me, adding a feature running back could be a smart pick unless they think incumbent Kevin Smith can handle that load.  The offensive line has been a work in progress for years now that finally showed small signs of improvement last year.  They still should regard that unit as a major area of need, especially with the premium on keeping Stafford healthy.  Defensively the Lions took enormous strides last year.  Ndamukong Suh was one of the best defensive tackles in the league the moment he stepped on the field.  Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril provide good pressure and solid play at the defensive ends, and Corey Williams is a talented player next to Suh on the interior.  They need talent in the linebacking corps, but I don’t think they’ll address that position here.  Corner should be at the forefront of the Lions’ minds here, and safety is a need too, though there won’t be a prospect at that position worthy of the 13th pick.  With Louis Delmas at safety, and by drafting another playmaker for the back four, this group could start to hold its own.

Who They Might Pick: Combining needs and the crop of prospects available, I think the Lions will look at offensive line, cornerback, wide receiver, and maybe running back with this pick.  Jeff Backus and Gosder Cherilus are a decent offensive tackle duo, but by drafting a guy like Tyron Smith, Anthony Costanzo, Gabe Carimi, or Nate Solder, Backus could slide to guard and bolster that position.  Smith and Costanzo are the highest rated overall tackles.  If Julio Jones somehow drops to this point in the draft, they’d have to consider taking him.  Pairing Jones with Calvin Johnson would create perhaps the most physically gifted wide receiver duo in football.  Other than Jones, taking a receiver at this spot would be a reach as the next tier of pass catching prospects are seen as second round talents.  In terms of corner, Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara should be long gone.  Jimmy Smith could easily still be on the board though I have him being picked by the Vikings at pick 12.  If Smith is still available he would be a huge upgrade for this beleaguered secondary.  Aaron Williams from Texas and Brandon Harris from Miami are cornerbacks seen as late first or early second round picks, but if the Lions loved either guy, I’d have no problem with them taking one.   If the Lions are going for sex appeal with this pick or think they can address offensive line and secondary later on, they could target Mark Ingram here, the Heisman-winning running back from Alabama.  Ingram should be available, has great character, and runs with tremendous balance and vision.  He seems to be a guy that could come in and carry the load instantly.

My Advice: I’m enamored with the idea of adding Ingram to an already riveting group of young offensive players, but thinking long-term, offensive line has to be the way Detroit goes.  If they can’t protect Stafford it won’t matter who runs the ball, because Shaun Hill isn’t taking anybody to the Promised Land.  Detroit should take Anthony Costanzo, the offensive tackle from Boston College.  He is 6’7” and came into college weighing just 220 pounds.  He’s bulked up to 311 but retains the athleticism of a smaller man.  Scouts say he has a passion for being the best at what he does, and he started fifty-three straight games at BC.  An athletic, durable left tackle who’s a perfectionist sounds like a great way to improve Detroit’s offensive line.

At pick thirteen, the Detroit Lions select Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College.

#14 St. Louis Rams

What They Need: Sam Bradford has completely turned around a franchise that had won six games over the three seasons before he arrived.   So yeah, quarterback is not a need.  Usually a team that’s been really bad that drafts a quarterback number one overall needs offensive line help, but the Rams don’t.  Center Jason Browns is a beast, one of the most physically gifted players at his position.  Last year’s second round pick Roger Saffold played awesomely at tackle last year, and he’s bookended by recent second overall pick Jason Smith who is getting better and better.  Jacob Bell is an above average guard.  Stephen Jackson is a monster at running back that can run through you, past you, and catch the ball like a wide receiver.  He’s certainly got mileage on his legs, but he hasn’t declined yet.  Starting wide receivers Donnie Avery and Mark Clayton are good players who missed most of last year with injuries.  That made Bradford’s success all the more impressive.  While Avery and Clayton are good players, both are smallish and lack the physicality to be great targets in the red zone or to move the chains as possession receivers.  If the Rams could land a big-time wideout their offense really could click into gear.  Defensively the Rams have some nice building blocks.  Chris Long is steadily improving, and though he may have been a reach as the second overall pick a few years back, he is definitely one of the better players at his position league-wide.   James Laurinitis is going to be a star at linebacker.  After those two young players, the Rams defense is a collection of average players that are solid but unspectacular.

Who They Might Pick: If Julio Jones is here, it’s an open and shut case; they’ll pick him.  At 6’4” and 220 pounds with a 4.34 40 yard dash, Jones is exactly the physical specimen the Rams need on the perimeter.  The Rams could look at Florida center Mike Pouncey if they wanted to use him at guard and really make the offensive line an elite unit.  However that just isn’t a big need.  Defensively the Rams could look for a pass rusher opposite Long, the primary targets being Robert Quinn from UNC or Aldon Smith from Missouri.  That’s not a huge need with James Hall netting 10.5 sacks last year, but he’s 34 years old and probably doesn’t have many double digit sack years left.  Phil Taylor, Stephen Paea, Corey Liuget, JJ Watt, and Adrian Clayborn could all be options as defensive tackles.  Jimmy Smith and Aaron Williams could be options if St. Louis looks to address corner.

My Advice: Easiest choice yet, take Julio Jones.  He’s ready to play well right now.  He’s going to be bigger, faster, and stronger than every corner he lines up against, and Bradford is as accurate a quarterback a rookie could ask for.  Adding Jones would improve the Rams as much as any pick would improve any team in this year’s draft.  With Jackson as a top-5 running back, Bradford a rising superstar, a good offensive line, and two receivers in Avery and Clayton to be secondary threats, Jones could make this offense scary.

With the fourteenth selection, the St. Louis Rams take Julio Jones, WR, Alabama.

--from Adam

(first image from ncaagridirongab.com, second from zimbio.com)