2012 NFL Draft: How Morris Claiborne Factors into the Rams Dealing Pick No. 2

Morris Claiborne has suddenly become the NFL draft's most important player.

The St. Louis Rams covet the star cornerback out of LSU and will be looking to land him early in the first round, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

New general manager Les Snead is looking to trade the second overall pick to a team desperate to land Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. However, if Claiborne is their main target, the trade options become more limited, because it's highly unlikely he'll survive past the Jacksonville Jaguars at pick No. 7.

The scary part for the Rams and their potential trade partners is that the Minnesota Vikings, who hold the third overall pick, are also in need of a corner. Leslie Frazier and company drafted Christian Ponder last season, which of course takes them out of the Griffin sweepstakes.

Therefore, they could play mind games by playing up their interest in Claiborne. That would force the Rams to make a tough decision between guaranteeing themselves a player they really want or getting top-notch value for the pick.

If Minnesota can force St. Louis to stand pat, the value of its selection will skyrocket. Don't think the Vikings front office doesn't understand that. They'll do everything within their power to send out mixed signals now that the Rams' interest in Claiborne has become widely known.

It shouldn't be a major surprise that the LSU cornerback, who is widely regarded as the class' top defender, interests a Rams squad that allowed more than 25 points per game last season.

One reason for those defensive struggles was injuries. Several key defensive backs, including Ron Bartell and Bradley Fletcher, went down, which left the Rams shorthanded in the secondary.

The return of Bartell and Fletcher will provide a boost, but Claiborne would bring a different level of playmaking skills to the mix. The Rams intercepted just 12 passes last season and had only one defensive touchdown.

Those types of game-changing plays are what every team needs to succeed, and Claiborne has the potential to provide them. He picked off six passes last season and led the nation in yards off those interceptions.

Another area where he will upgrade the Rams is on kick returns. St. Louis finished 22nd in return average, which meant an already-struggling offense was often forced to start deep in its own territory.

Claiborne doesn't have elite speed, but he was still quick enough to average more than 25 yards per return in his final season at LSU. He also had a 99-yard kick return touchdown.

The question is, is he worth sacrificing a tremendous pick package for?

The only way the Rams could be 100 percent sure of landing his services is by selecting him at No. 2 overall. They are also in a rare situation of supreme power, though. Draft pick packages like the ones they can demand for Griffin don't come around every year.

It might come down to just how highly the team values Justin Blackmon. If the Rams, who are certainly in need of another wide receiver, believe his skills are worth drafting inside the top six, he will provide them enough of a safety blanket to call Minnesota's potential bluff.

If not, standing pat is the better option, even if it's an unpopular one. Snead has to make his mark on this roster immediately to make it his own. If he believes Claiborne is the one prospect who can turn everything around, everything else becomes irrelevant.

The No. 2 pick will be the most discussed draft topic between now and April, with the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins among others anxiously standing by to see what the Rams decide.

As of right now, Claiborne holds the key to it all.