Due to the size of the contract it is likely going to take to get the first overall pick signed to a deal, team with the first overall pick are generally locked into taking an impact rookie. More times that not that means that they will select a QB first overall and 2010 marked the second straight year a QB was taken first overall.
While many have said that taking Sam Bradford with the first overall pick was a no brainer, I don’t really see it that way. The Rams, as an organization, made a decision to fix the offense first. They could very have taken Ndamukong Suh with the first overall pick and gotten a rookie with which they could have possible rebuilt their defense around.
Only time will tell if they were right, or if they made a very big mistake. The failure rate of QB’s taken first overall is high enough to be a very big concern, but under the current NFL system teams with the first overall pick are forced into making decisions like this one.
Personally if I were going to make this large of an investment in a rookie QB, I would be using the rest of my draft to insure that they had all the weapons he needed to be successful.
The Rams used their second round pick (33rd overall) on an Offensive Tackle and that is a solid move. They also added two TE prospects in the mid to late rounds, and picked up WR Mardy Gilyard in the 4th round (99th overall).
That is a solid strategy, but the Rams failed to land a backup to RB Steven Jackson. That good be a cause for concern as a rookie QB’s best friend is a solid running game, but all in all this draft class looks pretty good.
My favorite pick is the second round (33rd overall) selection of OT Rodger Saffold. Many had given this kid a first round grade, and when you draft a rookie QB adding a stud OT is always a sound policy.
Now a more complete look at the 2010 St. Louis Rams draft class:
Round One (1)- QB Sam Bradford Oklahoma
Round Two (33)- OT Rodger Saffold Indiana
Round Three (65)- CB Jerome Murphy USF
Round Four (99)- WR Mardy Gilyard Cincinnati
Round Five (132)- TE Michael Hoomanawanui Illinois
Round Five (149)- DE Hall Davis Louisiana Lafayette
Round Six (170)- TE Fendi Onobun Houston
Round Six (189)- DE Eugene Sims West Texas A&M
Round Seven (211)- CB Marquis Johnson Alabama
Round Seven (226)- DE George Selvie USF
Round Seven (254)- LB Josh Hull Penn State
Related Links:
• St. Louis Rams news and notes
• 2010 NFL Draft initial team grades
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