Which Rookies Will Be Day One Starters?

It’s official, all seven Rams rookies of the 2013 draft class have agreed to contracts. That means no holding out, no getting set back, and most importantly no falling behind. With the Rams rookies for sure going to be at training camp, the question is, which of the seven will come out and be starters week one? Will Zac Stacy beat out Richardson and Pead? Will Stedman Bailey beat out Brian Quick? Here are all the answers.

Tavon Austin

There is no doubt that Tavon Austin should be the starter when week one finally rolls around.The Rams traded up to get Austin in the top 10 and in today’s NFL you expect a player to contribute right away when you draft them in the top 10. Fully expect Austin to be making plays from everywhere on the field when the 2013 NFL season finally arrives.

Alec Ogletree

Once again, fully expect Alec Ogletree to start week one. He is the best option for the Rams at OLB and will be a nice addition to the front seven. The Rams wanted an elite front seven and that’s exactly what they got when they drafted Ogletree. There may be some growing pains along the way, but when all is said and done Ogletree will be a nice pickup at number 30 and have other teams wishing they would have taken him instead.

T.J. McDonald

There will definitely be some growing pains with T.J.  McDonald, but by the end of training camp it would surprise me if he wasn’t the starter. The Rams really don’t have any other option. After the departures of Dahl and Mikell, the Rams have been left pretty thin to say the least when  it comes to the safety position. The Rams drafted McDonald in the second round for a reason and they will expect him to make plays for them right away.

Stedman Bailey

I am a huge fan of Stedman Bailey and believe he has what it takes to be a good player in the NFL, unfortunately he is only a rookie and I think Brian Quick is ready to take the next step in his development. Bailey will get his opportunities and if Quick falters, Bailey will be a good replacement. Bailey may not be the starter week one, but if he gets his opportunity to shine, you better believe he will take it and succeed.

Barrett Jones

Barrett Jones is very much in the same situation as Bailey. He is good enough to start, but might not be the starter right away. Jones could start week one as Rokevious Watkins has been suspended. If Jones plays well and proves what kind of player he can be, the coaches could just stick with him, however if not Jones will be a good depth player for now, but will surely get more opportunities to start in the future.

Brandon McGee

McGee will be a good special teams player and a good player to have for depth at the CB position. The Rams are just stacked at the position right now with Finnegan, Jenkins, and Johnson I just don’t see McGee starting he may not ever start for the Rams as Jenkins and Johnson are young and Finnegan still has at least four years left in him. Like I said McGee will be good for depth and you can never have too much of that.

Zac Stacy

It’s hard to bet against this guy. He is capable of carrying the load and would be a good replacement to Steven Jackson. Unfortunately I just don’t see him starting this season. It is likely he could in the future, but I just don’t see it this season. I like Richardson to win the starting role this season as he showed potential he can carry the load last season. Stacy will definitely be worked into the rotation and will get reps throughout the season, but I don’t see him being the week one starter.

After training camp is all over with and the 2013 season comes underway I see Austin, Ogletree, and McDonald being for sure week one starters with Bailey, Stacy and Jones having a legitimate chance. The training camp battles will be interesting and will definitely be something to keep and eye on throughout the offseason. And who knows, some undrafted player that nobody has heard of may surprise everybody and steal a starting job.