The 2014 NFL Draft has come and gone and that means grading how the St. Louis Rams did this year with their selections. The first three rounds saw the Rams select four players and while a lot of the attention will be on their seventh-round draft pick Michael Sam, the players picked ahead of them each have a bright future with the team. Here is a look at how the Rams did early in the 2014 draft.
Round 1 (Pick 2)- Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
The Rams were looking to bookend their tackle position with this selection of Robinson to go with Jake Long on the left side. Robinson is a massive lineman at 6-5 and 332 pounds and while he hasn’t been a starter for long, he is a player who is perfect for the right side of the line to begin his pro career. If Long leaves at some point, the team knows that they have a player in Robinson who can step right in and fill his shoes. The right pick with the second overall selection. Grade: A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9Yn2pO-3fM
Round 1 (Pick 13)- Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
Many experts thought that Donald was the best defensive tackle in the draft and now the Rams can put him into a new Fearsome Foursome line with Chris Long and Robert Quinn at the ends and Michael Brockers in the middle with Donald. He dominated the Senior Bowl workouts and should be a fixture on the St. Louis defensive line for years to come. It capped off a nearly perfect first round for the Rams with the selection of a talent like Donald. Grade: A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMmpIKvvnV4
Round 2 (Pick 41)- Lamarcus Joyner, CB, Florida State
Joyner may not be the tallest defensive back at just 5-8 but he plays like he is much bigger than that. He may have had just two interceptions for the national champion Seminoles but he has great speed shown with a 4.47 40 at the combine. It is an intriguing pick for the Rams as he can have some issues in pass coverage. St. Louis may not be starting Joyner right away and he may turn into a nickel back only but it is a solid pick in the second round. Grade: B
Round 3 (Pick 75)- Tre Mason, RB, Auburn
Mason saw a lot of his new teammate Joyner in the BCS Championship game. He is likely going to be the team’s main return guy to begin his career, likely alternating with Joyner to take some pressure off of Tavon Austin in that position. Mason rushed for 1,621 yards last season at Auburn with 22 touchdowns. He seems to be the perfect change of pace back to have alongside Zac Stacy and could be in line for 6-8 carries a game especially in third down situations. Grade: B
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_jaPIrNPfQ
Overall, it was a very good draft for the Rams who used their extra selection from the Robert Griffin III trade to get Robinson to protect Sam Bradford and added a dominant player in Donald. St. Louis could be on the rise in the NFC West in 2014.
