Rams Finish Up Strong Draft

The third day of the draft might not be as exciting as the first two, but that didn’t stop the Rams from making some noise. The team added five more picks to their 2012 class, and in the process they said goodbye to a veteran who has been with the team for the last several years.

The Rams kicked off Saturday by taking WR Chris Givens out of Wake Forest. Givens is a name I heard a lot in connection to the Rams over the weekend, so it wasn’t much of a surprise. He is a speed guy who is smaller at 5-foot-11, but his 4.3 40 turned plenty of heads.

Next up was OL Rokevious Watkins from South Carolina. I like this pick quite a bit. Watkins is massive at 6-foot-4 338 lbs., and he can play both guard and tackle. Versatility is important for guys drafted on the third day, and it looks like he could be a nice fit with his size and ability to move positions.

The biggest surprise came in the form of kicker Greg Zuerlein from Missouri Western. Zuerlein has a major-league leg to go along with excellent accuracy, and the team likes him so much that they parted ways with Josh Brown after the selection. To get rid of a veteran like Brown, the Rams must be highly confident that Zuerlein is the real deal.

The last two picks of the day were Hawaii linebacker Aaron Brown and Abilene Christian RB Daryl Richardson. Brown was first-team all conference as a senior, and Richardson is an explosive back who catches the ball well out of the backfield.

After the draft, the Rams continued to plug holes by picking up some u drafted free agents. I have heard quite a few names, but not all of them have been confirmed. It looks like punter John Hekker from Oregon St. is a sure thing, as is LSU tight end DeAngelo Peterson. Syracuse OL Michael Hay also looks to be on the list.