St. Louis Rams 2015 Three-Round Mock Draft: Post-Declare Deadline Edition

As of yesterday, January 15th, the final list of underclassmen tossing their name into the hat for the 2015 NFL Draft was completed. Now, with a more holistic understanding of the prospects available in the class, mock drafters should have a better feel for the class, as a whole, and adjust their selections accordingly. We, at Ramblin’ Fan, are no different. With that in mind, here is our post-declare deadline, three-round mock for the St. Louis Rams.

First Round

DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville

Most draft analysts seem to firmly believe that both Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota will be gone long before the St. Louis Rams have an opportunity to call their name on Draft Day. Unfortunately for the Rams, that may also be the case with many in the offensive tackle class, as Brandon Scherff, Andrus Peat, and even players like Ereck Flowers are creeping higher and higher up draft boards on a (seemingly) weekly basis. That leaves the Rams with a handful of options: Trade back (likely), draft the third- or fourth-best offensive tackle in the class (unlikely), or make a “splashier” selection with the No.10 pick.

With Kenny Britt being an unrestricted free agent, Brian Quick’s health being a question mark, and Chris Givens falling to the bottom of the depth chart by the end of last season, it wouldn’t be unthinkable for the Rams to opt to give Sam Bradford (or their new quarterback) and their soon-to-be hired offensive coordinator a new toy to play with; enter DeVante Parker. The Louisville stud is arguably the most gifted receiver in the class, loading a fit, 210 lbs. build on an impressive 6’3 frame. His soft hands, leaping ability, and unparalleled body control made him one of the toughest players to defend in college football. Parker is one of those rare “always open”-type of receivers, something the Rams don’t have (and haven’t had) on their roster in a long, long time.

Second Round

Cameron Erving, C/OT, Florida State

The St. Louis Rams snagging Cameron Erving at the bottom of the Top 50 would be a dream scenario for a team that has been plagued with inconsistency and flat-out horrendous play at the center position over the last three seasons; if not longer. Cameron Erving is a day one, plug-and-play starter on the Rams offensive line. Tre Mason and the bevy of running backs in the Rams “committee” would greatly benefit from the road grading presence on the interior. Sam Bradford could take a giant leap forward with a new general on the offensive line; particularly one that isn’t a regular liability in pass protection. Jeff Fisher will love his versatility, with Erving having the skill set, athleticism, and experience to play three different positions on the offensive line. Win-win-win selection.

Third Round

Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor

In his last game at Baylor, Petty did nothing to suggest he isn’t ready to compete at the next level. As a prospect, the Bear’s senior signal caller has everything you want in a quarterback: excellent size, outstanding collegiate production, and is highly efficient and accurate with throws. While many will point is his inexperience as a “progression” quarterback and propensity to take risks down the field, his intangible, primarily his coachability, should go a long way in lessening his learning curve in the NFL.

With no prospect in this class likely to out-duel a healthy Sam Bradford for the starting gig this offseason, Petty would be well-served learning the ropes as a professional quarterback in his rookie campaign. In a worst case scenario, Petty has the experience and arm talent to step in and immediately produce, particularly with a revamped offense line, a stable of capable running backs, and (in this mock) a myriad of young, extremely-talented receivers at his disposal.