Line of Scrimmage: Draft Notebook - Rams Go Long, Too

Posted: Sat Apr 26 7:35 PM

*** Line of Scrimmage: Draft Notebook - Rams Go Long, Too *** By Tony Moss, NFL Editor

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - If the St. Louis Rams ever want to see what they passed up in the 2008 NFL Draft, they can drive across the Show-Me State to Kansas City.

The Rams' choice with the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NFL Draft presumably came down to Chris Long, a versatile defensive end-type who would fill an immediate team need, and Glenn Dorsey, a space-eating defensive tackle rated higher overall by many services.

St. Louis went for the need and drafted Long, precipitating Dorsey's short fall to Kansas City at No. 5. Rams fans will be sure to monitor the progress of the LSU product, even as they enjoy watching Howie's eldest son chase quarterbacks.

"They are both great players," said Rams head coach Scott Linehan of Long and Dorsey. "That was really the hardest part, it's kind of like you pick one of your children or something. But at the end of the day, Chris is really what the doctor ordered for not only our defense or football team, but for an organization because of his ability level."

The decision likely came down to fit. Long can immediately step in at right end in place of average incumbent James Hall, and if aging and injury-marred Leonard Little struggles to regain his form, Long can potentially help pick up the pass-rushing slack.

Tackle was less of an immediate requirement need for the team thanks to last year's first-round selection of Adam Carriker, who has reportedly bulked up to 300-plus pounds to help solidify his permanent move to the inside.

"I think it just comes down to needs," conceded Long in regard to his selection ahead of Dorsey. "Glenn would have been a great pick, too. Some selection ahead of Dorsey. "Glenn would have been a great pick, too. Some other people might have been good picks. He shot out of there and was great inside and it just came down to needs."

Not that Long is assuming anything as far as a spot in the starting lineup is concerned.

"I will have to earn whatever I get," said the highly-decorated, All-ACC end. "There are guys that have been busting their tails there and make no mistake about it, my first order of business is to come in and try to work hard and earn the respect of the veterans and learn from them."

Some other news and notes from the first-round:

AT THE TOP...

Despite many speculative reports to the contrary, there were no trades within the first six picks, and those selections went more or less according to logic.

After Jake Long (Miami) and Chris Long (St. Louis), the Falcons selected their quarterback of the future in Matt Ryan; the Raiders indeed made the big splash by nabbing Darren McFadden; the Chiefs went with Dorsey, and the Jets were somewhat fortunate to have pass rusher Vernon Gholston fall to them.

By the way, The Sports Network had the top four selections correct in our most recent mock draft (and yes, we had Jake Long before it was announced he would go first), and had Gholston and Dorsey going No. 5 and 6, rather than the other way around.

As for the rest of the first-round, well, we're still trying to figure out who Duane Brown is.

KEEP ON MOVING

The New England Patriots kicked off a flurry of round one deal-making by trading the No. 7 pick to the Saints in exchange for the No. 10 selection and a third-round pick. The Saints, hungry for a defensive tackle, moved ahead of the Ravens in order to select USC's Sedrick Ellis.

Seven more trades would be made in the first round following that swap, including deals made by the Eagles, Redskins, and Packers that took them out of the first-round altogether. For Philadelphia, it was the second straight year the franchise moved out of the first, but the Birds did pick up a round one selection in 2009 in their deal with Carolina.

Other notable moves had the Jaguars moving up to No. 8 to take Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey; the Ravens finding their way to No. 18 to select Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco; the Panthers finding Pittsburgh tackle Jeff Otah at No. 19 after dealing with Philly; the Falcons finagling a second first-round pick in a deal with the Redskins, and targeting USC tackle Sam Baker; and the Jets swapping selections with the Packers in order to make tight end Dustin Keller (Purdue) a first-rounder.

TOUGH DAY FOR WIDEOUTS

The Sports Network wasn't the only organization that predicted that several wide receivers would be taken in the middle range of the first-round, but NFL personnel people apparently didn't share that view.

The likes of Devin Thomas (Michigan State), Malcolm Kelly (Oklahoma), Limas Sweed (Texas), DeSean Jackson (Cal), and James Hardy (Indiana) all saw the first round come and go without having their names called, the first time since 1998 that no wideouts went in round number one.

Surprisingly, University of Houston's Donnie Avery was the first wide receiver taken, with the second pick of the second-round by the Rams. Thomas went one pick later to the Redskins, and Jordy Nelson (Kansas State) went ahead of Kelly, Jackson, Sweed, and Hardy.

ALSO ON THE DESCENT...

Another player who had to wait a little longer than expected to hear their names called included South Florida cornerback Mike Jenkins (25th, Cowboys), who was considered by some to be the most skilled and polished corner in the Draft but fell far from the Top 10 due to attitude and character concerns.

Others who did not hear commissioner Roger Goodell utter their names were Clemson defensive end Phillip Merling, Auburn linebacker Quentin Groves, and Virginia Tech cornerback Brandon Flowers. Merling (Dolphins) and Flowers (Chiefs) were both selected early in the second round.

REACHING FOR THE STARS, OR JUST REACHING?

The first truly shocking pick of the first-round came at No. 18, when the Ravens put to rest all of the talk about Flacco being a second-round selection. The former Delaware star, a transfer from the University of Pittsburgh, is seen by many scouts as a project who must work on his touch and mobility in order to be an NFL starter.

Other first-round head-scratchers included East Carolina running back Chris Johnson (No. 24 to the Titans) and Virginia Tech tackle Duane Brown (No. 26 to the Texans), both of whom were considered to be second-rounders at best by most scouting services.

Johnson, who ran a 4.24 40-yard dash at the combine, likely benefited from the fact that Jonathan Stewart (Oregon) and Felix Jones (Arkansas) were both off the board by the time the back-hungry Titans were on the board.

Brown, who was rated by Pro Football Weekly as the 119th best player in the Draft (putting him in the third-fourth round range), went to a Houston team perennially in need of offensive line talent.

First-rounders viewed erroneously by The Sports Network as early-second round talents included USC tackle Sam Baker (21st, Falcons), Arizona cornerback Antoine Cason (27th, Chargers), USC defensive end Lawrence Jackson (28th, Seahawks), and Purdue tight end Dustin Keller (30th, Jets).

STAY TUNED

Visit sportsnetwork.com on Sunday night for a detailed team-by-team 2008 NFL Draft overview.