St. Louis Rams: Full 7-Round 2012 NFL Mock Draft Prediction

If you missed it, here is the last seven-round mock draft from back in November. I will be releasing a new seven-round mock every month until the draft. 

This is the January edition. 

Back in November, Steve Spagnuolo was still the head coach, so things were a little bit more predictable as far as the direction of the team's development.

While offense was clearly the primary focus a few months ago (and still is), the newly hired Jeff Fisher is a defensive-minded coach like Spagnuolo but will likely want to make his own mark on St. Louis Rams defense. This means the defense may have more holes than we once thought, as Fisher will want players that will fit his scheme. 

But whether or not Fisher wants to make his mark on defense, he's smart enough to know the Rams' woes are primarily a result of the offense, so don't expect the Rams to use the No. 2 overall pick on anything else. 

And with that, here is the January edition of the Rams' 2012 mock draft.

Round 1 (No. 2): Justin Blackmon, WR (Oklahoma State)

School: Oklahoma State Cowboys

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 215

November Mock's Pick: Justin Blackmon

Nothing has changed here from last November. The Rams need firepower on offense more than anything else. 

Offensive tackle Matt Kalil (USC) is another option, but if you look at teams like Miami (Jake Long) and Cleveland (Joe Thomas), who used high picks on franchise left tackles, it has not equaled more wins for those franchises. 

But when you look at teams like Green Bay (Chad Clifton), San Francisco (Joe Staley), Baltimore (Bryant McKinnie) and New England (Matt Light), they all have found a way to win without using a high pick on a left tackle. 

Also, if there is another lineman besides Harvey Dahl playing at an acceptable level, it's left tackle Rodger Saffold. And since Saffold has the left tackle spot locked up, there's not another position on the line worthy of a No. 2 overall pick. 

So having said that, the choice has to be Justin Blackmon. 

Even if the Rams can trade down the No. 4 with Cleveland and pick up some extra picks (we're not going to predict trades here), it still makes sense to target Blackmon at No. 4 overall, assuming Minnesota passes on him. 

If the Rams re-sign Brandon Lloyd, that's fine, too, but it would be wise to draft Blackmon, regardless. 

Lloyd would be the No. 1 receiver for the next two years or so, while Blackmon would be the long-term answer as the team's No. 1 wideout. 

At 6'1" he lacks the elite height that you see in Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss or Larry Fitzgerald; however, if he can leap in the air and grab a ball just like a 6'4" receiver, then what difference does it make? 

Blackmon will also offer something that no other receiver on the roster can offer: physicality. 

Round 2 (No. 33): Jerel Worthy, DT (Michigan State)

School: Michigan State Spartans

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 310

November Mock's Pick: Levy Adcock, OT (Oklahoma State) 

Fred Robbins will turn 35 in March and Justin Bannan was below average, and the Rams had the second-worst run defense in the NFL, sacrificing 152.1 yards per game on the ground. With Jeff Fisher on board, there will be some changes on defense. It's probably safe to assume that defensive tackle will attract most of Fisher's attention this offseason.

Albert Haynesworth was a key part of Fisher's defense in Tennessee, so don't be surprised if he uses a high pick to select the best defensive tackle available, which could very well be Jerel Worthy in the second round.

In 40 games at Michigan State, Worthy had 12 sacks and 27.5 tackles for a loss.

If Worthy is the pick, expect him to start immediately alongside Robbins (assuming he doesn't retire). 

Round 3 (No. 66): Lucas Nix, G (Pittsburgh)

School: Pittsburgh Panthers

Height: 6'6"

Weight: 310

November Mock's Pick: Ben Jones, C (Georgia)

The Rams desperately need help on the offensive line, so if no lineman is selected in the first two rounds, it's probably a safe bet they'll try to find a starting lineman in the third round. 

It's not likely there will be a capable tackle available in the third round, but they can still find one of the best guards in the draft, which could possibly be Lucas Nix. 

Nix is a three-year starter for Pittsburgh, but probably the most attractive aspect about him other than his towering size is his ability to play either right guard or right tackle. 

After all of the offensive line injuries the Rams dealt with in 2011, it's clear they need linemen who are flexible with their position. 

Round 4 (No. 96): LaMichael James, RB (Oregon)

School: Oregon Ducks

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 185 

November Mock's Pick: Marcus Forston, DT (Miami)

Realistically speaking, the Rams might need to trade back into the third round if they want a shot at LaMichael James, but given his small frame, there's a chance he will slip to them in the fourth round. 

The Rams tried to answer their demand for a backup running back last year by signing Cadillac Williams and Jerious Norwood in free agency, but neither of them really stood out as a solid No. 2 behind Steven Jackson. 

While James is too small to carry the entire load if Jackson gets injured, he's still an explosive weapon and a home-run threat the Rams offense desperately needs. 

James rushed for 1,805 yards and 18 touchdowns during his final season in Oregon. And in three years at Oregon, he finished with 5,082 yards and 52 touchdowns. 

With the addition of Blackmon and James, it's hard to believe the Rams offense would average a laughably low 12.1 points per game again in 2012. 

Round 5: No Pick

Just a quick reminder to everyone there was no error here: The Rams traded their fifth-round pick to the Denver Broncos in exchange for wide receiver Brandon Lloyd. 

Round 6 (No. 160): Chris Galippo, MLB (USC)

School: USC Trojans

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 250

November Mock's Pick: Chris Galippo, MLB (USC)

As it was mentioned in the November mock draft, which also had Chris Galippo as the selection in the sixth round, the Rams defense depends too much on James Laurinaitis. 

If Laurinaitis were to go down with an injury, it would result in the Rams' season being shattered. Also, with Laurinaitis entering free agency in 2013, it wouldn't hurt to have a backup plan in place. 

Galippo would provide the Rams with depth at middle linebacker, and it would give them a player to develop to replace Laurinaitis if they are indeed unable to sign him to a new contract. 

If the Rams can get Laurinaitis to sign a new long-term deal, there's a chance Galippo could play outside linebacker in a pinch. 

Round 7 (No. 192): Jaye Howard, DT (Florida)

School: Florida Gators

Height: 6'3"

Weight:  295

November Mock's Pick: Steven Johnson, OLB (Kansas)

The Rams' situation at defensive tackle is very desperate. 

Not only should they use a high pick on a defensive tackle, but they should grab another prospect later in the draft as a developmental project. 

Jaye Howard just finished his fourth season with the Florida Gators and played mainly on a rotational basis, but he has the size and the athleticism required to make an NFL roster. 

He would be a special teams player at first, but with the proper coaching he may end up as a solid rotational player or even a starter.