2010 NFL Draft: Rams Franchise Decision, No. 1 Overall?

As the NFL scouting combine is heating up and headlines begin flying out of Indianapolis, the St. Louis Rams are truly under the microscope.

With the No. 1 overall selection, the Rams seem to be in a quandary. And while there is always speculation with the first selection, the Rams seriously have an issue on their hands.

Last year, the Lions needed a franchise quarterback, looking away from the other great players they could have added to their roster and made a FRANCHISE decision. 

It’s early, and yes the Lions have the No. 2 pick this year, but they are a better team with Matt Stafford; it already shows.

In ’08, the Dolphins selected offensive tackle Jake Long and passed on the chance to draft a franchise quarterback in Matt Ryan, as did the St. Louis Rams. 

Drafting a franchise left tackle is a quarterback’s best friend and makes almost as much sense as taking a QB at No. 1. 

It worked for the Dolphins, Matt Ryan (third overall) fit perfectly for the Falcons, but the Rams now have a top 3 selection for the third time in as many years.

Don’t get me wrong, the Rams have young talent, but it has not helped them yet and they still do not have a franchise QB to work with.

The ’07 – ’01 drafts had six quarterbacks (JaMarcus Russell, Alex Smith, Eli Manning, Carson Palmer, David Carr, Michael Vick) and one defensive end, Mario Williams; he was  selected with the No. 1 overall pick. 

Eli Manning, Carson Palmer, and Michael Vick were instrumental in turning around their franchises and proved themselves worthy of the top overall selection. 

Manning has a Super Bowl MVP to his resume; Palmer, when healthy, has been a top tier quarterback; and Vick, before serving jail time, was the face of the Atlanta franchise.

Russell has yet to develop; Alex Smith had issues but is now the starter for a young 49ers team; and David Carr is a backup quarterback.

Mario Williams has played extremely well in his young career. The Texans went out and got a franchise quarterback by trading for Matt Schaub in ’07; the same year JaMarcus Russell went first overall. They have yet to make the playoffs.

All of this is important to understand because the Rams are now facing a serious decision that could shape the direction of their franchise for another five years.

The Rams need a franchise quarterback and they know it. 

The amount of money a quarterback demands as the No. 1 overall pick is extremely high and as previously documented, it does not always work out. But that is what the draft is all about.

The difference between what a QB can do for a franchise and what an exceptional DT can do is simple: QBs win championships. 

This decade alone, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, and Drew Brees make up eight of this decade’s 10 championship quarterbacks.  There is no denying that exceptional QB play wins championships in this league. 

Defensive tackles are very valuable players to a good defense, but they do not turn around teams by themselves. They are a great building block, but they themselves will not win championships. 

Since 1990, only three DTs have ever been taken first overall. They also happen to be the only DTs in NFL history to go No. 1, and only one of them, Russell Maryland, has ever made the Pro Bowl.

While this is a small sample size of DTs, other highly drafted prospects such as Gerard Warren and Cortez Kennedy (who was very, very good)—both third overall selections—were not on successful teams. 

No matter what the Rams do at No. 1, it will not instantly produce a playoff year or even a winning season, but they have to start somewhere.

This year, two exceptional DTs are widely considered the top players in the draft.  Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska and Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma have many people calling them 1 and 1(a). 

I have Suh ahead of McCoy, but it is not by much. 

In fact, since the season ended, Suh has widely been considered the top prospect and the only place he can really go is down.  It is the unfortunate side of finishing a season as strong as he did. 

Other players find momentum, he has to keep it, and he should. 

The top two quarterbacks of this class, Jimmy Clausen of Notre Dame and Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, both have question marks and injury concerns surrounding them.

The Rams have invested their past three first round picks on two defensive linemen, Adam Carriker in ’07, Chris Long in ’08, and one offensive lineman, Jason Smith, in 2009. 

The differences between Suh and McCoy are irrelevant here.  They are both exceptional players, but play the same position. In the case of argument, they are the same.

So, what exactly does this bring to the table for the Rams?

A third defensive lineman in four years still leaves the Rams with no franchise QB to speak of and means more uncertainty for years to come. 

Taking Suh or McCoy and then using a later pick on Colt McCoy of Texas or Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan, still leaves the Rams wondering if one of them will pan out.

If they wait for next year, they would almost have to assure themselves of another first  overall pick to get a shot at Jake Locker of Washington or see what becomes of Arkansas’ Ryan Mallet. 

Enter the Jimmy Clausen against Sam Bradford debate. 

In my pre-combine mock (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/347177-2010-nfl-mock-draft-2-pre-combine ) you see I choose Clausen, and here is why.

Bradford is good quarterback. He is hyper accurate; has above average athleticism; is an extremely hard worker; can make all the throws; and is a former Heisman trophy winner.

He is coming off a shoulder injury though, and the downside of his game is part of what made his ’08 Heisman numbers so gaudy. 

He completed 68 percent of his passes for 4,720 yards with 50 touchdowns and eight interceptions.  These are incredible numbers.

Unfortunately, Bradford did all of this out of a spread system, in the shotgun, with 4-5 receiver sets on almost every play—not too mention an enormous amount of talent surrounding him.

He has little experience under center; is not accustomed to reading difficult defenses or finding tiny holes to throw the ball through; and was not challenged a lot in the pocket. 

Clausen on the other hand has a different story. 

Clausen is very smart with the football; can make all the throws; is a complete competitor; excels with the game on the line; and is good on the move whether looking to pass or to take off.

Most importantly, Clausen has done all of this under the tutelage of an NFL offensive coach in a pro style system. 

He constantly improved at Notre Dame and he knows how to work a 3,5, and 7 step drop; where to have his eyes; and where to go with the football on almost every play—something spread QBs will have to learn.

On his downside, is off the field leadership issues; whether or not he has already maxed out; and the turf toe injury.

Clausen will always be scrutinized for how he acts and who he is, but on the field, he is a guy who can win football games and can do it now. 

The Rams are in position to change their franchise for the foreseeable future with this pick.  They may not win right away, but this will make them better right away, just like the Lions.

The exceptional DTs of this draft could very well be fantastic, perennial all-pro players.  Unfortunately, I do not believe an all-pro DT is going to win games for the Rams and turn the franchise around. 

Eventually they will need to get a franchise QB, why not now?

Maybe they do not think much of either of the QB prospects, and to that I have nothing to say but both of them have franchise QB potential. Like the Lions of last year, adding a franchise QB at the very least brings hope for the next few years. It is up to the coaching staff to develop the talent. 

If they go away from this, I would say Suh should be the choice.

If a QB is their choice, I am sticking with Clausen. 

There is no substitute for the experience Clausen already has under center.  What will possibly take Bradford a year to work into, Clausen already has it.  I am not knocking Bradford too far down (Redskins at four or at the very lowest Bills at nine), but if you are going to spend money at No. 1, spend it wisely.

Of course, the Rams could go out and solve it differently by trying to make Michael Vick a franchise QB once again, but that’s another story entirely.