Why Jake Mathews and HaSean Clinton-Dix makes sense for the Rams in Round 1

It's less than a month or so before the upcoming NFL Draft 2014 and the Rams has several key areas that needed to be address in the draft mainly the offensive line and the secondary. There are several scenarios on which prospects would the Rams draft come May 8th.

As an avid fan, I have my own opinions and I would  explain to you why these prospects makes sense for the Rams to draft in the 1st round.

Jake Mathews,  OL (Texas A&M):

Regardless if the Rams stay put at pick #2 or trade down to get additional picks drafting Offensive Lineman Jake Mathews of Texas A&M makes A TON of sense and here's why: Mathews is technically polished and can play right away from day 1. Aside from his bloodlines (for those who are unaware he's the son of Hall of Fame lineman Bruce Mathews who played for Jeff Fisher during his Oilers/Titans days), Jake Mathews is versatile enough to play all five offensive lineman position as well as a long snapper on special teams. If Jake Long is available in Week 1, he can play left guard. Having Jake Mathews would also give Rodger Saffold the chance to concentrate on playing guard and will backup both offensive tackles positions. 

HaSean "Ha-Ha" Clinton-Dix, Free Safety (Alabama):

For several year, the Free Safety position has been in flux since Aeneas Williams retired. O.J. Atogwe was though to be his replacement but injuries has derailed his career and the Rams has to settle with subpar players. The Rams could have the chance last year in Kenny Vaccaro but the Rams opted to trade up and draft playmaker Tavon Austin. This year the best Free Safety in the 2014 class is HaSean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix. He has played in the SEC and has the ability to cover deep in pass coverage as well play the run very effectively which defensive coordinator Gregg Williams preferred of his safeties.

Countdown to the 2011 NFL Draft: Julio Jones or the D-Linemen

It's obvious that the whole Rams' draft strategy will depend on 14th overall pick. It's a consensus by most draft experts that the Rams that Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones fills the urgent need "if" he's available by the time. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has a knack on developing quarterbacks and wide receivers so if the Rams where lucky enough to pick Jones, Sam Bradford' will be one happy camper.

If in case Jones is not availble, draft experts has said that the Rams will turn to drafting Defensive Linemen to atleast prepare for the eventual leaving of aging players DT Fred Robbins and DE James Hall. Prospect like defensive end Missouri's Aldon Smith,  California's DE/DT Cameron Jordan and Illionois defensive tackle Corey Liuget are basically the Rams can afford to choose from. It's common knowledge head coach Steve Spagnoulo loves to using multiple defensive ends on passing downs to which disrupts opposing teams as part of defensive packages. Drafting any of the three prospect will surely upgarde their need on their defensive line. Imagine having Chirs Long, Fred Robbins, James Hall, George Selvie plus any of those three prospect rotating every now and then will surely make those opposing offensive coordinator lose their mind.

Grid Iron Mock Draft

Regardless of the lockout, I would like to give my very first mock draft.

Round 1 - Sure pick :  DE Aldon Smith, Missouri; DL Adrian Clayborn, Iowa; DT Corey Lieuget, Illinois;
If in case: WR Julio Jones, Alabama

Round 2 - Guard: Danny Watkins, Baylor or Marcus Cannon, TCU

Round 3 -  Outside Linebacker: Mason Foster, Washington or Bruce Carter, North Carolina;
Wide Receiver: Torrey Smith, Maryland; Leonard Hankerson, Miami.

Round 4 -  Free Safety:  Jaiquawn Jarrett, Temple or Jeron Johnson, Boise State

Round 5 - Runningback: Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State;  DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma;  JacQuizz Rogers, Oregon State.

Round 7 - Anything goes OLB and WR

Rams 2011 Draft Overview

The NFL draft is forth coming (regardless of there's a new CBA or a lockout) and this year the Rams have the 14th pick to which the team management has a wide range of choices unlike last year that team picks number 1 overall ( to which the Rams did good by pick franchise QB Sam Bradford). This year the key areas that the Rams need are as follows: WR, DT, DE, OLB, RB depth, OG, Secondary depth.

Wide Receiver: It's evident the Rams need some talent on this area as they need someone that can REALLY stretch the field. Unless the Rams signs a very good veteran wideout, Bill Devaney will draft the next Torry Holt and/or Isaac Bruce. Most draft expert expect the Rams would pick Alabama's Julio Jones IF he's available if not then they might settle for either Miami's Leonard Hankerson or Torrey Smith on the second round.

Defensive Tackle: The Rams needs to upgrade this area as Fred Robbins is not gonna be there for long, and Gary Gibson maybe solid but he's a free agent. This year's draft has a lot of prospects for the position of defensive tackle which includes Corey Liuget and Stephen Paea.

Defensive End: This area is also in need of an upgrade as James Hall is 34 and he too won't be playing long enough. Spagnuolo likes his DE who can play inside and outside and the draft has at least three prospects that can do so: Iowa's Adrian Clayborn, Wisconsin's J.J. Watt and California's Cameron Jordan.

Outside Linebacker: This has been a pressing need as the Rams has been doing a musical chair on the weakside position. Veteran Na'il Diggs was solid but injuries (and age) has caught up. David Vobora and Chris Chamber where able to hold fort but they are not enough. This year's draft only one prospect that I think the Rams should pull some strings to ensure he is pick in the 2nd round is Washington's Mason Foster Foster can play all three linebacker position, has leadership skills and has good coverage and blitz skills.

Runningback: Steven Jackson has been the main man for the Rams yet he has not been given some quality back up. With Josh McDaniels handling the offense, expect some passing plays for the Running backs too and the draft has several prospects for that which includes Oklahoma's DeMarco Murray and Oregon State's Jacquizz Rodgers.

Offensive Guard: Interior lineman depth  is also a key area as the John Greco and Adam Goldberg are now unrestricted free agents. If the Rams are planning for a trade down then they could target Florida's Mike Pouncey. If not they can pick Wisconsin's John Moffit, or Baylor's Danny Watkins.

Secondary: This became a need when O.J. Atogwe decided to sign with the Redskins and also GM Bill Devaney has been "eyeing" some good defensive back prospect like Colorado CB Jimmy Smith, UCLA Safety Rahim Moore and Texas DB Aaron Williams can also be included on this list.

Rams has vast options at pick #14

Unlike the last year, the Rams will be picking virtually in the middle of the draft. At picked no. 14, the Rams has vast options on which prospect to pick. The Rams will decide on who would to they pick once the finished scouring the free agency market for more proven/serviceable veterans before drafting the unpolished but potentially talented players.

Assuming there is no free agency coming in, here are the list of prospect that the Rams could possible picked at no.14: Wide Receiver  Julio Jones, Defensive Ends Ryan Kerrigan, Aldon Smith, Adrian Clayborn and Defensive Tackles Corey Liuget and Stephen Paea.

Draft Scenario Number 2: Drafting either Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy on pick #1

Here's another draft scenario that was brewing before Sam Bradford rose his stock. Drafting either Suh or McCoy will upgrade the defensive line unit which struggles to stop the run because of injuries specially in the middle. If this is the direction that GM Bill Devaney would take then it's a clear indication that they will take a quarterback on Round 2. It's been reported that the Rams will host a private workout for Texas QB Colt McCoy before the draft keeping their options open on that position.

2nd Day Draft Picks Where So-So but solid

Based from the several articles that I read today from GM Bill Devaney's breakdown to the fan's reaction as well some of the Draft analysts analysis, The 2nd day of the Rams draft was more on "so-so" for me personally. Bill Devaney and Coach Spags like what they have picked but it could have been better.

Read Bill Devaney's Break Down of the 2nd day draft picks

Rams Day 2 Draft Picks

from espn.com

3	2(66)	Bradley Fletcher	CB	Iowa
	Fletcher is 6-feet tall and, like we said yesterday in regard to Utah cornerback Sean Smith, corners this tall can have a hard time changing directions. In Fletcher's case, he doesn't have the burst or hip fluidity to consistently match up in man coverage. However, he does a good job masking his weaknesses with instincts. Because of his long arms he doesn't necessarily have to be in perfect position to make a play on the ball.
4	3(103)	Dorell Scott	DT	Clemson
	Scott possesses the adequate size to be an effective one-gap defensive tackle. However, his quickness is just average and we'd like to see him play with more of a mean streak. We do believe he has enough strength to develop into an effective interior run-stopper.
5	24(160)	Brooks Foster	WR	North Carolina
	from Atlanta
	Foster's a relatively fluid route-runner for his size. He possesses the body control to make the tough catch away from his frame. However, he takes too long to reach top-end speed and needs to work on getting a cleaner release against press coverage.
6	23(196)	Keith Null	QB	West Texas A&M
	from Atlanta
	Null is a developmental prospect with a strong arm and limited mobility. We like his upside due to good decision-making and his maturity as a leader.
7	2(211)	Chris Ogbonnaya	RB	Texas
	Ogbonnaya is a big north-south back who possesses great overall strength. He lacks in terms of top-end speed and elusiveness in the open field, but he is able to pick up tough yards after contact.

Draft Prospect Review: Wide Receivers

The Wide Reciever position has become an urgent need when Pro Bowler Torry Holt was released so the Rams stockpiled their pre-draft visits with  a lot of WR prospects in this years draft and here's are the scouting reports of some of these prospects based from various scouting websites.

Texas Tech WR Michal Crabtree 
Height: 6-3, Weight: 209

Strengths: Sensational playmaker…utilizes his hands very well in catching the football away from his body…Crabtree is a physical player who has demonstrated that getting off a jam at the line of scrimmage is not an issue…has had the additional advantage of lining up at both flankers and slot positions, and has found success while playing both…runs crisp routes, so transition to the NFL level should be more smoothly than others…outstanding vertical leap, catches the football at its highest point…should develop into a terrific red zone threat…

Weaknesses: Top end speed is not going to be ideal, reportedly…added speculation circulates Crabtree’s 40 time as he is not going to run at the Scouting Combine, rather at individual workout…recent high-profile receivers who have not run well, Dwayne Jarrett, Malcolm Kelly, etc. have not progressed well to the NFL level…Crabtree has had an amazing collegiate career, but it was only two years, and prior to that, he was a high school QB, so as a wide receiver, he is still developing…playing in the spread offense at Texas Tech has, in all likelihood, glorified his statistics…will he be able to separate from cornerbacks at the next level…?

Overall: The one knock on Michael Crabtree’s NFL potential is his top-end speed, besides that he is, in many scouts opinion, infallible. He is extremely quick off the ball, and the more physical nature of the National Football League will be a fit for Michael Crabtree’s game. He has outstanding hands, and it is almost unbelievable to think that he has only played the position for two years. There are two schools of thought in regards to his experience or lack thereof, some may feel that there is going to be a transition phase where he struggles to the NFL level, some feel that due to his inexperience, the best is yet to come. The Andre Johnson/Larry Fitzgerald comparisons are out there, and they are accurate. Michael Crabtree is a top five talent in the 2009 NFL Draft, and the early favorite for 2009 Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin
Height: 6-1, Weight: 198

Strengths: Has sprinter speed and possesses acceleration that is second to none…ultra-talented, as he can make an impact in the passing, rushing, and returning game…has produced off the chart all-purpose yardage numbers…has been the focus of an offensive attack for several seasons now, and although the opposing defense has game planned to stop him, rarely any do…many times track stars are sloppy route runners, that is not the case in regards to Jeremy Maclin, his route running isn’t Jerry Rice caliber, but it is at least average...bottom line—if he gets a step on the defense, he’s gone…

Weaknesses: Needs work on catching the football, his receiving skills are not the smoothest…very fluid with the ball in his hands, needs to adapt that to his game prior to the ball being in his hands…the spread offense that he played in at Missouri can be a detriment to his future NFL prospects…listed at under 200 pounds, and around 6 foot, many doubt his ability to become a true #1 WR…hasn’t had to go over the middle and make the tough grab on a regular basis…not the red-zone threat that many 2009 prospects are…to get in to the end zone, an offense may have to be a bit more creative…

Overall: The comparisons have been made to Ted Ginn Jr. due to their receiving/returning skills and the fact that they are both world class speed athletes, however, the comparison falls short. For one, Maclin is a bigger receiver prospect, and two, he is just a better natural receiver than Ginn. The better comparison is a poor man’s Reggie Wayne. Maclin will immediately help an offense and on special teams, just don’t expect a legit 1,000 season right away. Maclin will take time to learn the nuances of the National Football League, but he has a ton of potential and will stretch a defense like not many in the league can.

Maryland WR Darius Heyward-Bey
Height: 6-2, Weight: 206

Strengths: Has electrifying speed and quickness…has the capabilities to take every play the distance and will provide whatever team selects him with explosiveness that they may currently lack…he possesses a unique combo of size and speed that is rarely seen—think Roddy White as a comparison…a versatile wide receiver prospect that can stretch the defense, go across the middle, and can be a factor in the red zone…plays with an edge at the WR position, gets after it in blocking the oppositions secondary down field…possibly has more potential than ANY other wide receiver in the 2009 NFL Draft…

Weaknesses: Had a very up and down collegiate career…will need to work on his hands, at times lets the ball get in on him…focusing on technique is essential in regards to progression…needs to work on refining his route running, has a tendency to get sloppy at times….statistics were nothing to write home about…could develop a little more strength to better develop his level of physicality…does he rely too much on his speed and quickness?

Overall: Some scouts and pundits are sleeping on Darius Heyward-Bey in my opinion. Critics will point to an underwhelming career at Maryland where he never dominated, but if one were to watch the Maryland football games you would clearly see that Heyward-Bey was not utilized very well at all and the passing attack, primarily at the quarterback position, of the Terps leaves a lot to be desired. Many are focusing on Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin, however, don’t be surprised if you see pundits start using the terminology "stock moving up" in regards to Darius Heyward-Bey during the Scouting Combine and thereafter. Make no mistakes about it, Heyward-Bey is going to light up the Scouting Combine, and don’t be stunned if he even runs a faster 40 time than speedster Jeremy Maclin, and opens up the eyes of scouts in the process.

Hakeem Nicks
Wide Reciever - North Carolina

Height:6-1 , Weight: 212lbs.

The 6-2 wideout has had three productive years with the Tar Heels. As a freshman in 2006 he caught 39 passes for 660 yards, both records for a North Carolina freshman. As a sophomore he caught 74 passes for 958 yards and five touchdowns. His 958 yards ranked third all-time in UNC history. He shattered the record in 2008, tallying 1,222 receiving yards. He also set a record with 12 touchdown receptions. Even with playing just three years, Nicks has been the most prolific receiver in Tar Heel history.

Nicks is not a pure speed receiver, but he has certainly been productive. At 6-2 and 210 pounds, he has decent size and could develop into a solid complimentary receiver on just about any team in the NFL. It will take a big effort to move up into the first round, but Nicks' performance at the combine should be the difference between a second and third round selection.

2/11 Update: Nicks may even be able to sneak into the first round if teams start going after wide receivers early. Nicks is looking more and more like the fifth best receiver in the draft. The difference will be how well he does in the combine. There are some speed concerns with Nicks and if he quells those concerns, he will be a first or second round selection.

Brandon Tate

Wide Reciever - North Carolina

Height:6-0, Weight:183 lbs.

A knee injury sidelined Brandon Tate for most of his senior year, but he still had a very productive career at North Carolina. During the 2008 campaign he caught 16 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns in just five games before the injury. In 2007 he totaled 1,765 all-purpose yards. A majority of those yards came from kick-off and punt returns and that skill will make him very attractive to certain NFL teams.

It will be his return skills that give him an opportunity in the NFL, but Tate could be a solid second or third receiving option on certain teams sooner or later. His collegiate production was never anything that impressive, but he did do a nice job of complimenting Hakeem Nicks, who could be a first or second round choice this year. Tate's 6-1, 195 pound frame will not allow him to be a primary receiver in the NFL and he has too many questions to answer. That means he will not likely be drafted during the first day of the draft.

However, he should show at the combine that his knee injury is behind him and that he is a quick player who can run decent routes and catch the ball in traffic. If that is the case, Tate will not last very long into the second day.

Opinion: Most of these years wide receiver prospects have the size to go with the speed which mean it's a good year for the position. The Rams will probably draft a wide receiver on the 2nd and 3rd rounds and the possibility of drafting one or two from these top picks. Personally I would go with either Heyward-Bey or Nicks on round 2 with the possibility of getting Tate on round 3. Crabtree and Maclin are sure 1st rounders unless the Rams drafts either of them on the #2 pick overall (which I doubt).