Is Sam Bradford Worthy Of The #1 Draft Pick?

The St. Louis Rams need a fresh beginning after an abysmal season last year.  But is Sam Bradford, the praised quarterback from Oklahoma worthy of being the Rams franchise savior? 

In one simple, basic answer, yes.

Things can't get much worse in St. Louis after posting a 1-15 record.  It doesn't make sense signing a veteran QB like McNabb to the franchise when he only has a good three or four seasons left in him.  And if he does sign, who would he have to work with?  There is no offensive line in St. Louis and he would take a pounding.   

Now do you go on the opposite side of the ball and draft a defensive player like Ndamukong Suh?  It kind of worked out for the Texans when they drafted Mario Williams instead of Heisman winner Reggie Bush.  As much as I love Suh, I don't think that would be the right course of action to go either.  Simply saying, a QB puts points on the board.  Suh is a defensive playmaker on defense but he can't put up the amount of points that Bradford could in a game.  In St. Louis case, defense must come second.

With Bradford as the face of your franchise, you are showing your fans that this is a new beginning, a new era of football for the team.  Look how positive drafting a QB has been for changing the face of a franchise, for example, Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan, and I believe Matt Stafford is going to do big things for Detroit in the future.  They need to get the excitement back in St. Louis.

Best thing about drafting Bradford is that you know that they will build around him.  He is a talented QB, as scouts saw the evidence on his pro day.  His shoulder injury concerns me but let's face it, most players come with some type of baggage.

What I really like about the guy though is that you can see the leadership qualities in him.  You don't really hear the same stuff about Bradford that you hear about Jimmy Clausen.  They may have the same amount of talent but you can't just factor in talent when you hold the number one pick in your hands. 

If the Rams pass up Bradford it would be the biggest mistake of the draft.  How could you let someone with those qualities and traits slip through your fingers?  Do your fans and organization a favor and make the right decision.