NFL Draft 2011: 10 Wide Receivers the St. Louis Rams Should Consider Drafting
The St. Louis Rams have some serious question marks at wide receiver.
Donnie Avery, Dominique Curry and Mark Clayton are coming off knee injuries. Danario Alexander has shown promise for a guy entering his second NFL season, but has had five surgeries on his left knee over the last four years. Danny Amendola is tough as nails, but how much abuse can one body take as the leading receiver and primary kickoff and punt returner? And he's not exactly a big-play threat—with 85 receptions and a paltry 8.1 yards per catch. Can Mardy Gilyard absorb an NFL playbook? Do the Rams actually have a viable No. 1 big-play receiver?
The answer to most of those is yet to be determined, but the overwhelming opinion to the final question is no.
Whether the Rams find that top-flight, go-to guy via free agency—which has not begun because of the lockout—or in the draft, there are 10 guys the Rams may want to consider selecting in this year's NFL draft.
Julio Jones, Alabama
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This one is easy. Jones is considered one of the two can't-miss receivers in the draft, along with Georgia's A.J. Green.
If Jones slips to the 14th overall pick, the Rams should run, not walk, their card up to commissioner Roger Goodell.
Jones ran a 4.39 40 at the combine and had a 38.5-inch vertical leap, both phenomenal for a guy his size—6'3", 220 pounds.
His hands may be inconsistent, but Jones is a winner and plays through pain. He reportedly worked out at the combine on a broken foot.
Leonard Hankerson, Miami
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Hankerson ran an impressive 4.43 40-yard dash at the combine. Hankerson is big at 6'2" and 209 pounds, and with that type of speed and excellent hands, the Rams could have their big-play threat.
The Rams were on hand for his pro day, where he performed well in position drills. He could slip out of the first round because of the fear that he may be more of a practice player, as he displayed some inconsistent hands during games.
Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
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Baldwin is big at 6'4", 228 and fast—ran a 4.49 40-yard dash at the combine. He's got great hands and is nearly impossible for any one cornerback to cover. He'd be a great second-round pick for the Rams if Jones isn't available at 14.
So why would this player with great ability slide to the second round? Apparently he's got a bit of an attitude and can be difficult to work with.
If St. Louis head coach Steve Spagnuolo, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and receivers coach Nolan Cromwell can get his attitude in check, Baldwin could emerge as the draft's best receiver.
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Greg Salas, Hawaii
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Salas has good size at 6'1", 210 and is simply a very good player. His toughness—both physical and mental—would make him a great third-down receiver who isn't afraid to catch a pass over the middle.
He's not going to win many foot races—he ran a 4.56 40—but what Salas has is a remarkable work ethic and just somebody you want to root for. He caught the ball extremely well at the combine and was one of standouts in positional drills. He then backed that up a month later with a very solid pro day.
He had 285 receptions for 4,345 yards and 26 touchdowns at Hawaii and is the school's career leader in receiving yards.
Torrey Smith, Maryland
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Projected as a late first- or early second-round pick, Smith could be the selection at 47 if Jones and Baldwin get snatched up by other teams.
Smith worked out with Rams receivers coach Nolan Cromwell at his pro day and performed well.
He's 6'1", 204 and ran a 4.41 40. His speed, start-and-stop quickness and upper-body strength are all impressive. What could keep him out of the first round and to the Rams in the second round is his inconsistent pass-catching ability.
He looks great in shorts, runs well and catches the ball with fluidity, but in games he can tense up and drop balls.
But, hey, I think another guy named Torry, who played football in the ACC, worked out well for the Rams.
Greg Little, North Carolina
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Teams are hoping Little can be the next Desmond Bryant.
The 6'3" Little is the biggest of all the draft-eligible receivers at 231 pounds. But he isn't particularly fast (4.51 40) and was suspended for the entire 2010 college season for maintaining an inappropriate relationship with an agent.
That could cause him to slip significantly—possibly as low as the third round. If that happens, background checks aside, the Rams have to consider selecting him.
His talent catching the football is unquestioned. As a junior, he turned in the fifth-best season in North Carolina school history with 62 catches for 724 yards and five scores. His body control is remarkable, with an uncanny ability to contort his body and make the difficult catches in tight spaces. He's got great leaping ability (38-inch vertical, 10'10" broad jump) and even ran some Wildcat offense for the Tar Heels.
Terrence Toliver, LSU
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Toliver wasn't super-productive at LSU, finishing his career with 126 receptions for 1,820 yards and 12 touchdowns. But he's a big player (6'4", 211) with incredible upside and toughness.
The Rams had scouts at LSU's pro day, and here's what NFL.com's Gil Brandt had to say about Toliver following that workout:
"Toliver an 4.54 in the 40 and pulled his right hamstring, but before that he had a vertical jump of 33 inches and did a 10-2 broad jump. Somehow, Toliver recovered enough to do position workouts, and he was outstanding. He caught everything thrown his way and put on a great, gutsy performance."
Edmond Gates, Abilene Christian
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If the Rams simply want a fast guy who can outrun everybody and get to the deep ball, then Gates is their man.
He was the fastest receiver at the combine—initially clocked at 4.31 but later given an official time of 4.37—and is a freakish athlete. He's a developmental project though. He's lanky at 6'0", 192 pounds and is a raw route runner. But he can turn a short pass into a huge gain in the blink of an eye.
He could find value in the fourth round and be a viable threat with the deep ball and in the kick return game.
Gates leaves Abilene Christian ranked second in career receiving yards (2,885), third in receptions (158), tied for first in touchdown catches (27) and fourth in scoring (194 points).
Dwayne Harris, East Carolina
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Dwayne Harris isn't the biggest guy (5'10", 200) or the fastest guy (4.53 40) but what he does is simply make plays.
Whether it was catching passes (101 receptions for 1,123 yards and 10 touchdowns), rushing the ball (16 carries, 104 yards) or as a return man (19-222 on punt returns, 41-839 on kick returns), the former high school quarterback (he even threw a touchdown pass last season) was named Conference USA's MVP last season and set the ECU mark for receptions in a single season.
He's got great burst and explosiveness with an amazing ability to make people miss and break tackles. His strength is a strong suit, but he was inconsistent catching the ball at the Senior Bowl and did nothing to stand out at the combine.
But, as a late-round pick, Harris could turn out to be a steal.
Stephen Burton, West Texas A&M
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The Rams have taken a player from West Texas A&M in the sixth round each of the last two seasons—quarterback Keith Null in 2009 and defensive end Eugene Sims in 2010—so why not make it a third year?
Rams GM Billy Devaney joked with reporters, myself included, following last year's pick of Sims that the Rams "own West Texas A&M," and told me at the combine that Burton is "our guy" because of the Canyon, Texas connection.
The 6'1", 221-pound Burton caught 70 passes for 1,021 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior. He had a 40 time of 4.38 and turned in a 35-inch vertical and 10'4" broad jump to go with 19 reps on the bench press at his pro day.
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