St. Louis Rams: Complete 2015 NFL Draft Wrap-Up and Analysis

The 2015 NFL draft is now complete, and the draft class for the St. Louis Rams is official. 

The draft wasn't as wild or action-packed as we've seen in recent years, but the Rams entered the draft knowing exactly what they wanted and got it done. 

General manager Les Snead was not as trigger-happy with trades as he usually is, but he did hammer out a few swaps. 

According to Pro Football Talk, the Rams traded back with the Carolina Panthers in the second round. The Panthers gained St. Louis' No. 41 pick, and the Rams received Carolina's second and third picks overall (No. 57, No. 89). 

In addition to the swap with the Panthers, the Rams also traded running back Zac Stacy to the New York Jets in exchange for their seventh-round pick.

The Rams used the additional picks to revamp the run game and improve the offensive line. And that's exactly what needed to happen in this draft. 

Read on for a complete overview of St. Louis' 2015 draft, including a look at the selections, the best and worst picks, expert comments, remaining needs and an overall grade. 

The Selections

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Round 1, No. 10: RB Todd Gurley, Georgia

Round 2, No. 57: T Rob Havenstein, Wisconsin

Round 3, No. 72: OL Jamon Brown, Louisville

Round 3, No. 89: QB Sean Mannion, Oregon State

Round 4, No. 119: OL Andrew Donnal, Iowa

Round 6, No. 201: WR Bud Sasser, Missouri

Round 6, No. 215: G Cody Wichmann, Fresno State

Round 7, No. 224: LB Bryce Hager, Baylor

Round 7, No. 227: DE Martin Ifedi, Memphis

The first round of the NFL draft started with a bang. 

The common consensus was that the Rams would draft some much-needed help on the offensive line with the No. 10-overall pick. Instead, St. Louis stuck with its "best player available" mentality by making the shocking selection of Todd Gurley. 

Gurley gives the Rams an elite playmaker in the backfield. 

Even so, the Rams know they can't run the football without fixing the offensive line. For that reason, the Rams used four of their next six picks on linemen. 

Rob Havenstein and Jamon Brown are two reliable run-blockers, while Andrew Donnal and Cody Wichmann will also compete for starting jobs. 

As if that wasn't enough offense, the Rams selected two more skill-position players in Round 3 and Round 6. 

Third-round pick Sean Mannion will compete for the No. 2 job and will eventually be the team's long-term backup behind Nick Foles. Sixth-round receiver Bud Sasser is a reliable target for Foles, but he has an uphill battle when it comes to earning a roster spot. 

In the final round, the Rams finally addressed defense. St. Louis grabbed linebacker Bryce Hager and defensive end Martin Ifedi. 

Hager will add depth and immediately contribute on special teams. Ifedi has potential, but he'll struggle to earn playing time on St. Louis' stout defensive line. 

Best Pick: Todd Gurley

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This pick was heavily criticized due to St. Louis' desperate need for linemen at the time and the fact that drafting a top-10 running back is far too retro for today's NFL. 

But make no mistake: Gurley is perhaps the most talented overall player of this entire class. If he pans out, his potential will have him mentioned in the same breath as Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch. 

Considering the Rams finished 28th in yards per game last season (314.7) and a modest 21st in points per game (20.7), it's a bit baffling how anyone can complain about the team drafting perhaps the best offensive weapon of the class. 

The Rams didn't just blindly draft Gurley and hope for the best. St. Louis went on to draft four run-blocking linemen in the following rounds. In other words, the Rams didn't simply select Gurley. They decided to revamp the entire offense around his talent. 

The injury concerns are not too alarming, either. Tre Mason and Benny Cunningham are competent backs, so the Rams have the luxury of benching Gurley until he's 100 percent healthy. 

It's a risky pick. If Gurley doesn't become an elite player in this league, the Rams will be criticized for spending a top-10 selection on a back. But if he pans out, he'll transform the Rams into an instant contender. 

Worst Pick: Jamon Brown

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The Rams entered this draft desperately in need of offensive linemen. The second-round selection of Havenstein was not enough, so it was inevitable that the team would pick up more linemen throughout the draft. 

The concern here is not with the position. It's about the player.  

The Rams selected Louisville's Jamon Brown in the third round. And while he's not a horrible prospect by any means, it seems that the third round is a bit early for this selection. 

The CBS Sports profile of Brown had him pegged as a seventh-rounder or possibly even a potential undrafted free agent. Walter Football had one of the friendliest grades for Brown, but even that site had him going between the fourth and sixth round. 

The pick made sense given St. Louis' need on the offensive line. It just seems like he could have been taken a little later down the line. 

However, if his run blocking helps Gurley piece together an Offensive Rookie of the Year season, Brown's draft status will quickly be forgotten. 

What the Experts Are Saying

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Bryan Fischer of NFL.com

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As Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk said during NFL Network's broadcast of the draft, Gurley is the whole package at running back and should give the Rams' ground game a huge boost when he gets on the field. Yes, the medical issue will be in the back of everybody's mind, but the Rams landed one of the best tailback prospects to come into the league since Adrian Peterson. Havenstein should set up shop at right tackle, and Brown gives the Rams a solid run blocker. A lot of folks around the league liked Mannion's potential, and he found a good spot in St. Louis.

"

Bryan Fischer echoes some of the same sentiments I mentioned regarding Gurley. 

The medical issues cannot be overlooked, as stated. That said, how can an inept offensive team such as the Rams turn down the opportunity to secure an elite weapon? With St. Louis' already-stout defense, the Rams are instantly a playoff team the second Gurley fulfills his potential. 

Since this class was loaded with offensive linemen, the pick made sense. As Fischer mentions, the Rams drafted decent linemen later on. It was a deep class for that position. However, drafting a once-in-a-decade offensive talent is not an option beyond Round 1. 

Walter Football on Todd Gurley Pick

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I ordinarily wouldn't be a fan of a team drafting a running back in the top 10 of the NFL Draft, but we've spoken to enough teams that were super high on Todd Gurley. In fact, one team considered him to be the next Jim Brown. If it wasn't for his torn ACL, Jacksonville probably would've chosen him at No. 3. Gurley definitely could be considered the top prospect available, so this is a solid choice. However, the need is questionable after Tre Mason looked so good last year. Still, I don't know what the Rams could've done otherwise. They wanted either Ereck Flowers or Brandon Scherff, but both were off the board. 

"

It's true that Tre Mason had an impressive rookie campaign. He has a bright future ahead of him. Still, no team should pass on an elite talent in favor of a "pretty good" talent. 

If the Rams adopted that mentality, Kendall Langford would still be a starter in St. Louis and Pro Bowler Aaron Donald would be terrorizing quarterbacks for another lucky team. 

Will Brinson and Pete Prisco of CBS Sports

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Gurley is an explosive, game-breaking playmaker, but CBSSports.com's Pete Prisco doesn't like the pick, giving it a C+ as a luxury pick of sorts.

"I don't think the Rams are in a spot to be able to take a back this high," Prisco said. "But then again it's Jeff Fisher. He loves to run it."

"

Was it technically a luxury pick for St. Louis since running back was not an immediate need? Yes. Is it unorthodox to draft a back this high? Usually, but not always. 

Still, I don't know what it means to say the Rams aren't in a spot to take a guy like Gurley. How can a team that finished 28th in yards per game not be in a spot to take an elite offensive weapon? 

Would it have been more convenient to take an average lineman, such as Andrus Peat, and allow the NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals to reap the benefits of Gurley? How exactly would that have done the Rams any favors?

It seems the Rams can draft a Peat-like player any year. The same can't be said for a player of Gurley's caliber. 

What's Left to Address?

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The Rams have very few pressing needs in the starting lineup. Here are a few things that should be looked at before training camp:

Offensive Line

Yes, the Rams grabbed four linemen in the draft, and hopefully they all contribute in some way. However, St. Louis is trying to fill three starting spots on the line. 

Expect the Rams to sign several free-agent rookie linemen. Additionally, they still need to bring in a cheap veteran or two.

There's a lot of youth on this new line. Adding a veteran leader to the group could be beneficial, as long as the Rams don't repeat past mistakes by depending too heavily on that veteran. 

Linebacker

The addition of Hager in Round 7 helps the cause. He should be a contributor on special teams but nothing more. 

The team needs a reliable backup behind veteran James Laurinaitis. He has started all 16 games every year since being drafted, and that's not going to last. 

The three starting linebackers are solid—Laurinaitis, Alec Ogletree, Akeem Ayers—but the team needs a reliable No. 4 who's an upgrade over Jo-Lonn Dunbar. 

Final Grade

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Overall, this was an unconventional but necessary draft. 

The Rams grabbed four offensive linemen and seven offensive players in the first six rounds. The fact that St. Louis did so under the guidance of a defensive coach is highly unusual. 

It was surely difficult for Jeff Fisher to go against his defensive roots, but he knew that revamping the offense was completely necessary. He didn't let his impulses or defensive obsessions get in the way. The Rams entered the draft knowing what needed to be done, and they did it. 

For years, the Rams have lacked a superstar weapon on offense. They have many capable role players, but they don't have a Peterson, Lynch, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, DeMarco Murray or Calvin Johnson. With the selection of Gurley, it's possible they finally have that guy. 

Another thing that has haunted the team for years is the health of the offensive line. The team has been too dependent on aging veterans and injury-prone players. 

With the addition of four young, healthy rookie linemen, that problem should be resolved for good. 

The third thing that has weighed down the team in recent years is the lack of a capable backup quarterback. St. Louis lost Sam Bradford to injuries in back-to-back years, so it was time to find depth at the position. 

We're not sure if Mannion is that guy, but he has the potential to be. 

The primary complaint from this draft is that many of the drafted linemen were slight reaches. They were necessary selections, but it seems they were drafted just a little too high. 

Other than that, this was an intriguing draft class.

Overall Grade: A-