days 1 & 2, general reactions

Rams identity comes with no ambiguity

Nick Wagoner, ESPN

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/18077/rams-identity-comes-with-no-ambiguity

EARTH CITY, Mo. — In case the St. Louis Rams’ decision to draft running back Todd Gurley with the 10th overall pick Thursday night left any questions about what the team is trying to become offensively, they put those queries to rest quickly and emphatically Friday night.

After weeks of listening to public pleas to fix an offensive line with as many as three available starting jobs, and repeated assurances that they were aware of the concerns, Rams coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead offered a slight delay in round two before pushing their chips into the center and doubling down to solve their biggest need.

In a span of 15 picks, the Rams found two massive bodies to fill equally massive holes.

After trading the 41st overall selection to the Carolina Panthers for the 57th pick plus a third- and sixth-round choice, the Rams picked mammoth Wisconsin tackle Robert Havenstein. With the 72nd overall choice, they followed by grabbing Louisville offensive lineman Jamon Brown. Even when the Rams didn’t pick a lineman, they opted for the biggest quarterback option on the board with Oregon State’s Sean Mannion, who stands at 6-foot-6, 229 pounds.

Essentially, the Rams dropped a 13-foot, 644-pound wrecking ball in the gaps where the vacancies on their offensive line once stood. The goal was quite simple.

“It really helped with both the offensive linemen and Todd yesterday,” Fisher said. “We are building this team for the future and I think we are establishing an identity right now.”

That identity comes with a complete lack of ambiguity. After years of saying they want to be a power rushing team and infrequently attempting to invest in those words, the Rams spent their first three picks in this year’s draft trying to turn those words into actual results. It started by trading quarterback Sam Bradford, who while talented and oft-injured, was never going to be worth the $16 million plus investment, especially if his primary job was going to be handing off.

No, with Havenstein and Brown now looking to clear holes for the likes of Gurley and Tre Mason, the Rams are doing everything they can to grind teams down on both sides of the ball. If that means 3-0 victories on a weekly basis, so be it.

Whether Havenstein and Brown become starters remains to be seen, but it’s certainly a real possibility for both. Even after drafting the duo, Fisher said the Rams remain interested in keeping Joe Barksdale and also acknowledged that they are considering a veteran lineman to add to the young group (Justin Blalock, anyone?).

In the meantime, Fisher said the 6-foot-7, 321-pound Havenstein projects at right tackle while the 6-4, 323-pound Brown offers more versatility, which likely means he will kick inside to guard.

With Havenstein leading the way, the Badgers rushed for a school-record 320.1 yards per game in 2014. In his career, Havenstein played in 54 games, starting 42. Brown comes with similar experience, starting 39 consecutive games for the Cardinals over the past three seasons.

“We’ve got two big, strong, physical players that extend plays, that finish plays, that go downfield, mauler types,” Fisher said. “They’re very, very aggressive and they’re going to fit our style.”

In the past 24 hours, what that style is has become abundantly clear.

Rams add some beef, then grab Oregon State QB

By Jim Thomas

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/football/professional/rams-add-some-beef-then-grab-oregon-state-qb/article_9c27b160-3c8d-5add-bcd2-029f0bdc2b30.html%5B

It finally happened. The Rams added some beef. Thanks in part to a second-round trade with Carolina that gave them an extra third-round pick, the Rams added Wisconsin offensive tackle Rob Havenstein in the second round, and then added Louisville offensive guard Jamon Brown in the third on Day 2 of the NFL draft Friday.

The Rams then used that extra third-round pick from Carolina to get a quarterback, Sean Mannion of Oregon State. Mannion had a great 2013 season for the Beavers and received a third-round grade from the NFL advisory board.

But without star wide receiver Brandin Cooks in 2014, his production fell off this past season. He threw only 15 TDs in ’14 after tossing 37 the year before. Mannion has a bit of a long delivery but played in a pro-style offense at Oregon State, which should help him make a quick adjustment to the NFL.

“Obviously, quickening my release is something that I had been wanting to do,” Mannion said. “Focusing on my footwork and always throwing from the same base in the pocket can really speed up my delivery and get the ball out very fast.”

Mannion has been working with former NFL quarterback Jordan Palmer, now a QB trainer for the EXOS athletes performance firm during the offseason on just that.

He was taken No. 89 overall. Rams starter Nick Foles was taken No. 88 overall when drafted by Philadelphia in 2012.

But back to the offensive line. Havenstein and Brown definitely do their clothes shopping at the Big & Tall store. Havenstein is massive at nearly 6-7 1/2 and weighing 321 pounds. And that’s a trimmed-down Havenstein. When he arrived at Madison as a college freshman, he tipped the scales at 380 pounds.

On his conference call with reporters in St. Louis, Havenstein said he gave up junk food, particularly soda, to lose the weight. (There goes that Pepsi endorsement.)

Almost giddy to get the call from the Rams late in the second round, Havenstein gave this reply when asked how his name was pronounced: “It’s Frankenstein, with a ‘Haven.’ ” He was projected by some as a middle-round pick, at best, so getting called in the second round definitely fell into the category of unexpected for Havenstein.

“It was definitely a surprise,” said Havenstein, who was at home in Mount Airy, Md., when the Rams called Friday. “I’m still kind of speechless right now. It’s an unbelievable opportunity and I’m so excited right now.”

Havenstein projects as a right tackle in the NFL, but Fisher said the team still remains interested in re-signing free-agent Joe Barksdale, the team’s starting right tackle in 2013 and ’14.

From 2012 through 2014, Havenstein started 41 consecutive games at right tackle for Wisconsin, a program known for its run-blocking. Known as a scrappy mauler-type, Havenstein isn’t the most gifted athletically but didn’t have a holding call in 2014.

Havenstein didn’t make a pre-draft visit to St. Louis. There was a report shortly before the draft that he had a private workout with the Rams, but Havenstein said that wasn’t the case.

“Just the pro day,” he said, when asked about getting worked out by the Rams. “I’ve had a decent amount of contact (with the Rams). Coach (Paul) Boudreau was at the pro day — he was the one who ran it.”

Boudreau is the Rams’ offensive line coach. Havenstein said he met with Boudreau during the pro day and went over some classroom stuff with him.

He was taken at No. 57 overall, after the Rams traded down from their original second-round spot at No. 41. In exchange for moving up 16 spots in the round (to take Michigan wide receiver Devin Funchess), Carolina sent the Rams a third-round pick (No. 89) and a sixth-round pick (No. 201).

“When you’re picking early in the second round, there’s still good players left on the board and teams kinda identify one player,” general manager Les Snead said. “They kind of simmer on it all day, and say, ‘That’s the guy we want.’ ”

So the Rams had a lot of calls from teams wanting to move up. And in those 16 picks between 41 and 57, only two offensive linemen were chosen, leaving the Rams with some options.

The Rams used their original third-round pick, No. 72 overall, to take Brown, another wide-body at just under 6-4 and 323 pounds.

Brown began his college career at defensive tackle but switched to offense as a freshman in 2011. He started two games at left guard in ’11, started 13 games at right tackle in 2012, and then had a combined 26 starts at left tackle in 2013 and ’14. His projected NFL position is right guard.

Brown did make a pre-draft visit to Rams Park on April 1, a day in which the Rams also entertained Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper, Stanford offensive tackle Andrus Peat, and Duke offensive guard Laken Tomlinson. All three went in the first round Thursday.

“I got to spend a little time with those guys,” he said, speaking from Louisville on a conference call. “Those are good guys and great football players. The visit up there I had fun.”

Brown was more than happy to get the phone call from the Rams in Round 3. Some pre-draft projections had him going in the fourth- to fifth-round area.

“I’m just appreciative that I have the opportunity,” Brown said. “I was just waiting for the phone to ring, and I’m grateful that it rang when it did.”