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Who is Rams 3rd round pick Bradley Fletcher?
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Most everyone knows the history and backgrounds of the top picks in the draft but where teams have long-term success is getting production from later round draft picks. With the Rams having such a shallow talent pool they are in desperate need of having their later round draft picks produce immediately. This week we will examine all of the Rams later round draft picks. Today we will start with the most controversial pick of the Rams Draft, former Iowa defensive back and 3rd round pick, Bradley Fletcher.
WHY THE RAMS SHOULD HAVE DRAFTED FLETCHER: The Rams were impressed with Fletcher's athletic ability while at Iowa. Fletcher is 6'0 196 lbs. which is a good size for a cornerback. Rams General Manager Billy Devaney said that Fletcher "played well in the East-West game. We really think that he's a good solid football player." Fletcher was honorable mention All-Big 10 and had five interceptions in his time there. Fletcher is considered a strong cornerback who jams well at the line of scrimmage and could be moved to safety at some point later in his career.
WHY THE RAMS SHOULD NOT HAVE DRAFTED FLETCHER: Fletcher has two big knocks against him. First he is not considered a great man to man cover back. In the NFL that is a concern if you intend to play him at cornerback. The other knock on Fletcher is that he was suspended from the football team when he had a DWI in 2007. Both him and the Rams believe that incident is not indicative of his character and that it is over and done with.
WHAT WILL MAKE THIS PICK A SUCCESS: The pick will be a success if the Rams get Fletcher on the field this season as either a starter or as a nickel back. Fletcher needs to push Tye Hill immediately and by the end of the season he needs to be in the discussion of being a starter headed into 2010. Fletcher says "I feel I have my best football ahead of me right now and I look forward to showing that on the field." For the Rams sake I hope he is right.
WHAT WILL MAKE THIS PICK A DISASTER: If Fletcher does not push any of the current defensive backs for the starting job and does not get on the field as a nickel back. The Rams are not in the position to have anyone not produce out of this draft, especially coming from a third round pick. This is the draft pick that raised the most eyebrows around the league. Fletcher is one of the key question marks in Billy Devaney's first draft. He must produce.
I don't quite understand this pick but clearly there is something that head coach Steve Spagnuolo saw in this defensive back. The Rams put a premium draft pick on Fletcher so the expectations are high. Anything less than production out of Fletcher in 2009 will make this pick a bad one.
Tomorrow we will take a look at the Rams fourth round pick Dorell Scott. A promising defensive tackle out of Clemson.
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