The Good, The Bad, & The Baffling

Mar 22, 2015; Tempe, AZ, USA; Defensive end Adam Carriker participates in drills during the NFL Veteran Combine at the Arizona Cardinals training facility. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

1.) CB, Tye Hill (2005) 

This may be one of the most puzzling Rams draft picks since they moved to St. Louis in 1995.  Tye Hill was taken fifteenth overall in the 2006 NFL draft.  Hill ended up only playing 41 games in the NFL, over five season, for 3 different teams.  Hill’s best season came during his rookie year when he had 47 tackles and 3 interceptions.

He would finish his career with the Detroit Lions in 2010, with a career total of 111 tackles and 5 interceptions.  Though the 2006 NFL draft won’t go down in history as one of the best drafts ever, you may be asking what could the Rams have had instead?  Well, if the Rams truly felt like they needed a good corner, they could have taken Antonio Cromartie, who went just 4 picks later to the San Diego Chargers.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Rams could have take Santonio Holmes, who went to the Steelers with the 25th overall pick.  There are a number of great players who went after Hill in the first-round, but I digress.  Hill had skill and showed signs of being a reliable player for the Rams in his rookie season.

2.) DE, Adam Carriker (2007)

 Carriker came out of Nebraska as highly touted recruit, who played for the Cornhuskers from 2004-2006, racking up 19 sacks and 128 tackles.  The Rams drafted him hoping that he would be an anchor to their defensive line for a long-time to come.  That did not go quite the way the Rams expected.

Carriker only lasted two seasons in St. Louis where he played 31 games.  Carriker later played for the Redskins for 3 season, ending his career with 125 tackles and 9 sacks.  Again, Carriker seemed to have all the talent in the world and looked to be a mainstay on the Rams defense for years to come.  Did he fail the Rams or was it the other way around?  If St. Louis would have passed on Carriker, they could have drafted the likes of Darrelle Revis, Dwayne Bowe, or Greg Olsen, all of whom are still playing in the NFL today.

3.) T, Jason Smith (2009) 

Finally, lets take a look at the 2009 second overall pick, Jason Smith.  Smith may be the biggest bust for the Rams during the St. Louis era.  In two seasons, Smith only played 23 games for the Rams and compiled a dismal 3 tackles.  This was just a bad pick for the Rams.  Not even the best of player development departments would have been able to justify Smith as a second overall pick in 2009.  Smith finished his career with the New York Jets in 2012.  He had a career total of five tackles in 39 games.  Once again, the Rams missed out on many great opportunities in 2009 by drafting Smith.  Just to name a few, the Rams could have had; B.J. Raji, Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, Percy Harvin, or Clay Matthews.

Next: Let's turn things around