With the 2014 NFL Draft still more than a month away, there are plenty of rumors out there connecting teams to multiple prospects, and those reports seem to change daily. But one story that has remained the same for weeks now is that the St. Louis Rams are looking to trade the second overall pick. That was further confirmed on Wednesday.
Draft insider Tony Pauline claims the word around Orlando at UCF quarterback Blake Bortles’ pro day, was that the Rams are “actively” shopping the No. 2 pick in the draft. We’ve been hearing that story for quite a while and now Pauline is confirming it.
Rams general manager Les Snead has said before that the team was interested in trading the pick, but with the draft you’re never sure if public comments are just a smokescreen. If the Rams do move the pick, it’s likely to be sent to a team looking to move up to select one of the top three quarterbacks available (Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater or Johnny Manziel).
Another scenario is that a team desperate for a pass rusher could move up in order to select South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Either way, the Rams could make out big in that kind of deal, like they did when they sent the second pick in the 2012 draft to the Redskins so Washington could select Robert Griffin III. In that deal the Rams received the sixth overall pick, first-round picks in 2013 and 2014 and a 2012 second-round pick (No. 39). St. Louis then sent the sixth pick they got from the Redskins to Dallas in exchange for the Cowboys’ first-rounder (No. 14) and second-rounder (No. 45).
That sequence of deals helped the Rams add Michael Brockers and Janoris Jenkins, while they further traded the 45th pick (received from Dallas) to the Chicago Bears for the 50th and 150th picks. With those they added Isaiah Pead and Rokevious Watkins. While Watkins is no longer with the team, the three other players are.
Trading such a high pick could wind up being huge for the Rams’ future. But if there isn’t an attractive deal out there, the team could stay put and make a selection. In that case we think the most likely scenario would have St. Louis selecting Auburn offensive tackle Greg Robinson and moving re-signed tackle/guard Rodger Saffold inside. Clowney would probably be option No. 2.
Basically, the Rams are in a phenomenal position as the draft approaches. If no one trades up, they will still be able to select an All-Pro caliber talent with the second pick.
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