St. Louis Rams Mock Draft: Pre-Free Agency 7-Round Team Prediction

The St. Louis Rams will have cleared nearly $20 million in cap space by the end of today after releasing five players (Ron Bartell, James Hall, Fred Robbins, Justin Bannan and Jason Brown), according to this column from Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

That extra cap space puts St. Louis in position to be aggressive in the 2012 NFL Free Agency period before the 2012 NFL Draft.

That said, let us jump right in and take a look at the post cut (in reference to the Rams releases above), post No. 2 pick trade (for Robert Griffin III) and pre-free agency edition of the St. Louis Rams 2012 Mock Draft. 

Round 1 (6): Fletcher Cox, DT

Previous Pick: No. 4 - Justin Blackmon, WR 

Although there is a possibility that Justin Blackmon falls to No. 6, I would not hold my breath waiting. If he, left tackle Matt Kalil or cornerback Morris Claiborne fall to the Rams, any of them would likely be selected here. 

However, I have all three of those off the board by the time the Rams make their first pick of the 2012 NFL Draft, so St. Louis would have to look elsewhere if staying at six.  

Another distinct possibility is that the Rams could again trade down after moving out of the No. 2 slot in the trade for RG3 with Washington.

According to David Cole of Yahoo! Sports, the Rams would be interested in doing so:

"Jason Cole ‏ @JasonColeYahoo

Rams hoping market for QB Tannehill heats up. They'd be willing to trade down again from 6.

"

However, if the Rams stay at No. 6 and the aforementioned players are off the board, I feel great about grabbing defensive tackle Fletcher Cox of Mississippi State.

I feel Cox is the safest and best of the defensive tackles available in this year's draft in terms of NFL career projections.  

Cox is looking more and more like he a top 10 pick.  Two examples of Cox going in the top 10 come from new mock drafts from cbssports.com, as seen here.  NFLdraftcoundown.com specifically mentions the possibility of Cox at No. 6 for the Rams (or other defensive tackles like Dontari Poe.)

Cox would round out a terrific trio of defensive line pass rushers with Chris Long and Robert Quinn and will be a perfect compliment to those two bookends. 

The Mississippi State product would be an ideal three technique DT for Jeff Fisher's Rams defense. 

Warren Sapp said that Fletcher Cox was "his guy" during coverage of the the 2012 NFL Combine on theNFL Network. 

If Cox is good enough to be the "guy" for Sapp, arguably one of (if not the best) defensive tackles ever, he is good enough for me.

Cox looked amazing in Indianapolis during on-field drills while excelling off of it.

The big defensive tackle out of Mississippi State ran a 4.79 40-yard with a highly impressive 10-yard split (the time that matters for defensive tackles) while checking in at 6'4" and 298 pounds. Cox displayed exceptional strength as well, with 30 reps in the bench press despite his long 34 1/2-inch arms.

Cox possesses elite athleticism for the DT position. He has very good pass rush and change-of-direction skills and is explosive off the snap while playing with a consistently high motor.

Cox has the ability to push the pocket, something that the Rams have lacked, costing Chris Long and the Rams a slew of sacks during the last two seasons. 

Like Robert Quinn from a year ago, Cox has a staggering upside. Along with Quinn and Long, he should help form the nucleus of an explosive and highly productive defensive line.

Round 2 (1): Stephen Hill, WR

Previous Pick: Zach Brown, OLB 

Stephen Hill of Georgia Tech has the size and speed of Calvin Johnson or Randy Moss and some other very similar traits and abilities, too.

Of course, he is raw after playing in Georgia Tech's triple option offense, but the talent and skill set clearly appear to be in place.

I believe that selecting Hill makes sense here in part due to my confidence that the Rams will go hard for a veteran receiver like Vincent Jackson or Pierre Garcon.

St. Louis general manager Les Snead made it clear in an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the Rams will be aggressive in going after top-tier players. 

In addition to the expected addition of a top-shelf WR via free agency, the Rams will almost assuredly have Danny Amendola back after giving him a second-round tender as a restricted free agent. Amendola caught 85 passes for the Rams in 2010 and his presence should help Bradford immensely.

Hill boosted his stock immensely at the NFL Combine by running a 4.36 40 at 6'4" and 215 pounds. He also posted a 39.5-inch vertical leap and an astounding 11'1" broad jump. 

Hill not only timed well, but, more importantly, he excelled in on-field drills, displayed great hands and showed fluid athleticism while running routes and making highlight-reel catches. 

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Hill continued that momentum with a strong showing at his pro day.

Coming from Georgia Tech, Hill had limited opportunities in the passing game. That being the case, the NFL Combine was more important to him than many others.  

Hill averaged a mind-boggling 29 yards per catch in 2011 on 28 receptions, five of which were for touchdowns.

Adding Hill plus a Pierre Garcon, for example, could change the look of the passing game in St. Louis dramatically and give Bradford some young, premiere wide receiver talents to throw to and grow with in the coming seasons.

Round 2 (7): Zach Brown, OLB

Previous Pick: Stephen Hill, WR

Zach Brown is a St. Louis Rams fan and could soon be heading to his favorite team to become a Rams fan favorite, himself. 

I know many of you like Brown, as do I, but wonder if he could possibly be on the board this late. 

Many updated mock drafts do indeed have him being here at pick 39.  Walter Football and their newest mock draft, released on March 11, has Brown going to Buffalo at pick 41. 

Brown lit it up at the 2012 NFL Combine, posting a 4.44 40 at 6'1" and 244 pounds.  

A defense with Chris Long, Fletcher Cox of Mississippi State and former teammates Robert Quinn and Brown could form the core of one of, if not the best, pass-rushing defenses in the NFL in coming campaigns. 

Brown is a fluid athlete with outstanding change-of-direction skills, something that could help him match up with San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis in man coverage. Brown is the rare linebacker who could run with Davis in the open field.

Although he has room to improve in pass coverage, particularly man-to-man, he has the physical tools to be terrific in that regard.

Furthermore, Brown reacts quickly to developing plays.  

Brown uses his speed well against the run and should naturally get stronger at the point of attack. He has the speed to track down backs and beat them to the edge. 

The most exciting aspect to Brown's game is his potential as a pass-rusher.  

He possesses the physical attributes to become an elite pass rusher from the outside linebacker spot, something the Rams have lacked since the departure of Will Witherspoon.

Round 3 (2): Bobbie Massie, OT

Previous Pick: Bobbie Massie, OT 

I tried and tried to get away from this pick because I did not want to come off as lazy. 

That said, I cannot get away from the value of Massie at the top of round three and his potential to play both left and right tackle for the Rams.

Rams head coach Jeff Fisher has stated that his Tennessee Titans always felt that they could draft offensive linemen after the first round and develop them and Massie would be an ideal candidate.

Massie, who measures 6'6" and 316 pounds, is an impressive athlete. Massie displayed that at the Combine. He also has the long arms (35 inches) that teams love at tackle.

Although Massie primarily played right tackle in college, many scouting reports (such as this one) suggest he could swing to left tackle. 

Massie has quick feet and the potential to be a terrific pass-blocker while having the size to be a mauler as a run-blocker. Massie finishes his blocks well and plays with a bit of an attitude. He fires off the snap quickly on running plays.  

Although it appears that St. Louis will bring back 2009 No. 2 overall pick Jason Smith (who has missed most of two seasons with separate head injuries), his injury issues make drafting a tackle who is capable of protecting franchise QB Sam Bradford essential. 

For every reason imaginable including those mentioned above, Massie makes massive sense for St. Louis in round 3. 

Round 4 (1): Ronnie Hillman, RB

Previous Pick: Josh Robinson, CB

As many of you know by now, I love Ronnie Hillman.

I feel he has the chance to not only be a great backup for Steven Jackson over the next couple years, but to develop into a feature back for St. Louis when Jackson hangs up the cleats for the final time. 

Hillman will not be 21 until the season starts so waiting on the wings will not hurt his career projection like it would a 24-year-old rookie. 

Hillman looked good at the NFL Combine and showed the speed that was hoped for, running a 4.41 40 yard dash. More importantly, though, is his impressive body of work from San Diego State.

Considering that Hillman comes from the same university as Marshall Faulk and has a similar game, comparisons to the former St. Louis great are inevitable, as was the case here. 

Hillman broke Faulk's freshman rushing record with 1,532 yards in 2010. He topped those numbers in 2011, running for 1,711 yards on 5.5 yards per carry.

Like Faulk, Hillman has shown a propensity for finding the end zone, doing so a staggering 36 times in two college seasons. Hillman is a good receiver out of the backfield, making him a sound option on third-down passing situations. 

Interestingly, Hillman is built similarly and possesses similar attributes to Chris Johnson, a running back Fisher once drafted in Tennessee,

Hillman runs well inside and displays a terrific burst and terrific lateral agility.  

As would be expected, the speedy and nimble Hillman runs well outside and accelerates rapidly off the edge. He is a patient runner who can cut quickly and make defenders miss.  

Hillman coud be an ideal complement and change-of-pace back to pair with Steven Jackson.  He has also shown himself to be remarkably durable, a trait most needed by the Rams considering that Jackson missed several games last year and will be 29 next season.

Round 6 (1): Quentin Saulsberry, C

Previous Pick: DeAngelo Peterson, TE

Nfldraftscout.com has Saulsberry gone by round five; however, centers sometimes fall in the draft. If so, I would love Sausberry here. 

After the cut of Jason Brown, the Rams need a center. Tony Wragge filled in for Brown last year but is unlikely to return. The only other center on the roster in 2011 was Tim Barnes of Missouri, who spent time on the practice squad.

That said, the Rams must shore up the center spot and Saulsberry can fill the bill. 

Saulsberry has good burst and explosion off the snap and above average quickness and range, as reported by cbssports.com. 

What I really like about Saulsberry is his Fisher-like aggressiveness.  In contrast to the just-released Brown, Saulsberry displays a high motor and consistent intensity

Saulsberry displays a tough demeanor and would fit right in next to right guard Harvey Dahl, who displays plenty of the same.

Saulsberry is a legitimate 300 pound center and has good strength to go with his mobility.

Saulsberry was a four year starter in the SEC, starting games at four different positions. That versatility has to be seen as a plus. If he does not pan out as a starter, St. Louis will have a versatile backup capable of filling in at multiple positions.

For a later round prospect, Saulsberry has a lot going for him in regard to his potential to become a plus-starter and his ability to play multiple spots on the offensive line.  

Round 7 (2): Coty Sensabaugh, CB

Previous Pick: Grant Garner, C

Nfldraftscout.com has Sensabaugh and his stock on the rise, as it should be. 

The former cornerback from Clemson, who had a good senior season, was very impressive at the NFL Scouting Combine. 

For a seventh-round prospect, that is noteworthy. 

Sensabaugh ran an unofficial 4.37 40, was third in the three-cone drill and fourth in the vertical jump at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine.

Sensabaugh is very quick and fast and shows good agility as well.  Furthermore, he has good size, checking in at 6'0 and 189 pounds. 

Sensabaugh played a lot of press coverage in 2011 and performed well.  

The ability to play that type of coverage could appeal to the Rams brass, as they are likely to blitz often. If Sensabaugh can thwart receivers off the line, it could create some problems for opposing offenses. 

According to cbssports.com, he is smart, durable and productive—three great characteristics desirable that you would want to see in any player. 

It is also encouraging that he is accustomed to playing against top-flight receivers after playing in the SEC.  

Overview

In this mock draft, the Rams address needs at DT, OLB, WR, OT, RB, C and CB. There is no way to address every need through the draft when you are a team like the Rams, who need to upgrade at a multitude of positions.

Keep in mind, however, that the Rams now have some nice cap space to fill other needs in free agency.  

For example, the Rams need help at left guard.  I look for Rams GM Les Snead to target a left guard in free agency, making it less imperative to do so in the draft.

This mock draft helps the Rams get quicker and faster, something that Snead has said is a key factor in evaluating players. I kept that in mind when researching and evaluating players for this mock.

Shane Gray covers the St. Louis Rams year-round. You are encouraged to check out the rest of his work here and to follow him on Twitter.