St. Louis Rams: Evaluating options with No. 10 overall pick

By Luis Tirado Jr. | Mar 4, 2015

As of right now, the St. Louis Rams have just five draft picks in the 2015 NFL Draft. With the No. 10 overall pick, there are so many different options that the Rams could take that it all really depends on who is available and what direction they feel is best to go in.

With a big question mark surrounding quarterback Sam Bradford and his health, it wouldn’t be out of the question for the Rams to possibly go quarterback with their first-round pick.

What I love about the draft is the uncertainty that it brings. You never know when a player of the magnitude of quarterback Marcus Mariota might drop lower than many predicted. Everyone was in love last season with Johnny Manziel and predicted he would have been one of the first quarterbacks taken but he ended up dropping all the way down to the 22nd pick.

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Could the same fate possibly happen to Mariota that sees him land to the 10th pick of this year’s draft? Concerns on if he can handle a pro-style offensive might be why and if he is available, the Rams might draft him to start developing him for their future.

Bradford is coming off yet another season of a devastating ACL injury that has no guarantees of him coming back fully able to compete.

Coming off a second ACL injury is incredibly hard to bounce back from and drafting Mariota as insurance is a no-brainer. Of course if Mariota isn’t available, the next best option for the Rams to take would be to bolster their offensive line.

I’ve always been a firm believer in that if you want to win plenty of football games, it all starts with the battle of the trenches. Adding top talent to an offensive line pays off incredibly well for years to come by having linemen that create gaps for rushing attempts and provide key pass protection to make passing plays execute flawlessly.

Nov 3, 2013; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams tackle Jake Long (77) blocks Tennessee Titans defensive end Derrick Morgan (91) during the second half at the Edward Jones Dome. The Titans defeated the Rams 28-21. Mandatory Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Cowboys are thoroughly enjoying all the positives that come with building a top offensive line by drafting the best available and developing them towards greatness over the past few years. The Rams would be wise to go in the same direction since they might have some positions to fill.

With offensive tackle Jake Long coming off another season that saw him get another ACL tear injury, he might not be a reliable option to depend on. Drafting someone like La’el Collins from LSU would be a good option to go since he has what it takes to step right in to start or be quality depth to develop on for the future.

With some possible salary cap cuts also coming for Long, center Scott Wells due to inconsistency and offensive tackle Joe Barksdale set to hit free agency, the Rams might have to ensure they draft a utility kind of player in Collins.

Collins has the ability to play as a tackle or guard and would fill these gaps nicely. Of course I also expect the Rams to pick up another offensive lineman via free agency since they need upgrades but drafting Collins makes a ton of football sense and would fill their needs nicely.

Of course in my honest opinion, the best route for the Rams to take is at wide receiver. Considering that most teams value Amari Cooper and Devante Parker on their draft boards, there is a possibility that Kevin White fall to their pick and be there for the taking.

Should the Rams draft him, he would be an instant starter and help everyone around him get better. He could help Tavon Austin elevate his game since he’s been disappointing as well as giving the Rams more of a deep threat that they haven’t had in years. White makes magic happen in the red-zone which is something the Rams need to help be competitive in the NFC West.

Overall, the Rams are in a good position with their No. 10 pick and just have to see the flow of the draft to determine who is the best player available to fit their needs and go with it. With only five picks this year, they must make every selection of the highest quality since it could very well be what makes or breaks their upcoming season.

Next: St. Louis Rams: Drafting Kevin White fills immediate needs

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