St. Louis Rams’ 2013 Draft: Day 2 Breakdown

There is no doubt the Rams had a solid day one selecting Tavon Austin and Alec Ogletree in the first round.  The Rams did not choose in the second round and would have to wait until the 71st selection to be on the clock. The Rams were thought to maybe move back into the second round, but Snead had a plan and he stuck to it and stuck in the third round. How the Rams could match their results on day two , or do even better without a second round pick was a mystery, however the Rams did just that.

With the 71st selection the Rams chose safety T.J. McDonald from USC. McDonald will bring a physical presence to the safety position, and due to the lack of depth at safety, he will more than likely start. McDonald is fast, running a 4.59 40 and has being 6’2 will help him in jump ball situations. McDonald is seen as an in-the-box safety that has some questions in coverage. A lot of that will be able to be fixed, either way the Rams upgraded.

With the 92nd selection the Rams selected the teammate of their first first round selection Stedman Bailey. Bailey and Austin played together at WVU and made the WVU offense dynamice and extremely hard to defend. Bailey didn’t get as much recognition due to Tavon Austin stealing the show. However, Bailey actually scored more touchdowns that Austin. Bailey runs good routes and uses his physicality to create separation. He is a smart, reliable receiver which is exactly what the Rams lost with Danny Amendola. Bailey doesn’t have ideal speed and size for an outside receiver, but he is an extremely reliable target and has great hands. Sam Bradford has to be happy with what the Rams have done so far in the draft.

The Rams once again picked up two starters on day two which is all you can ask for in a draft. The fact that the Rams did it on day two makes it that much more incredible. McDonald and Bailey will be able to come in day one and contribute on the team and will more than likely end up eventually starting. Bailey looks to be the better of the two picks and the one that fans are the most excited about, but both picks look like great additions. According to ESPN the Rams are in the group of teams that have had a very successful draft as of now. If Snead and Fisher can do just as well in the third round, the Rams will have had the draft that every Rams fan was asking for, a successful one that will help the Rams make the leap to the playoffs.