Looking Back At The Rams 2011 Draft Class

Earlier today we took a look at this year’s draft class, but they say it takes three seasons before you can fully evaluate a draft class and the impact they have made. Therefore, we will take a look at the Rams 2011 draft class, grade the player and selection, see where the Rams went wrong and see what they could have done.

The Class

DE- Robert Quinn

TE- Lance Kendricks

WR- Austin Pettis

WR- Greg Salas

SS- Jermale Hines

DB- Mikail Baker

LB- Jabara Williams

FS- Jonathan Nelson

Draft Analysis and Grade

Of the eight players that the Rams drafted only three players remain on the current roster three years later. The 2011 draft for the most part was a disaster starting in the mid-late rounds. The Rams got Robert Quinn and Lance Kendricks right, Austin Pettis doesn’t have much of a future on the Rams,  and nobody else remains on the roster.

For a grade the Rams get an F. Other than a premier pass rusher in Robert Quinn, the Rams got role players in Kendricks and Pettis, the Rams could have done a lot better to get this team where many expected in 2011.

What Went Wrong and What The Rams Could Have Done

This was the third draft of the Billy Devaney and Steve Spagnuolo regime. The Rams were coming off a 7-9 record and were looking to get over the hump. Put a bad regime in charge of a team ready to take the next step and thats a disaster.

I think the Rams stick with who they chose in the first and second rounds. Robert Quinn has turned into a superior pass rusher, one area Steve Spagnuolo could draft, while Lance Kendricks has turned into a pretty good role tight end.

I think the Rams stick with Pettis only because there really wasn’t anybody else obviously better. In the fourth round and the rest of the draft is where I believe the Rams would go in different directions.

In the fourth the Rams took Greg Salas who was a complete bust. Instead of taking Salas, the Rams select Cecil Shorts. Shorts has been the best offensive weapon on the Jaguars since he’s been there having 1, 786 yards receiving and 11 touchdowns.

In the fifth round the Rams traded back with Atlanta, if they would have known then what they know now, I don’t believe they make that trade, but instead get one of the best defender’s in the NFL.

The Rams addressed the secondary in the round by drafting a saftey. The Rams stick to the secondary here, but instead take Richard Sherman, the most dominant cornerback in the league as of now.

In the seventh round the Rams only have two picks because they didn’t make the trade with Atlanta earlier in the draft. In the seventh round the stick with who they took. Nobody else really sticks out as a better selection.

That leaves the Rams with this:

DE Robert Quinn

TE Lance Kendricks

WR Austin Pettis

WR Cecil Shorts

CB Richard Sherman

DB Mikail Baker

LB Jabara Williams

And with that the Rams have themselves a pretty decent draft and maybe get over the hump or at least win more than two games. Steve Spagnuolo and Billy Devaney may still be in St. Louis and Jeff Fisher never comes to St. Louis.

The RGIII trade probably never happens and the Rams are a completely different team than they are now. A lot can happen with the decisions made in one draft…