Ten for No. 10: Randy Gregory – part of a series – Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/17584/ten-for-no-10-randy-gregory

Nick Wagoner, ESPN St. Louis Rams reporter

EARTH CITY, Mo. — Today we continue our series of 10 for No. 10, a look at 10 players who could be in the mix for the St. Louis Rams with the 10th overall selection in the upcoming NFL draft.

For the purposes of this exercise, it’s a little more difficult to peg who will be available and who won’t but out of the 10 we evaluate here, there’s a good chance that some will be on the board when the Rams pick. Based on early returns, we’re going to eliminate Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams and Florida defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. from the conversation. Those three, above all else, seem all but certain to be gone when the Rams pick.

We’ve already looked at Iowa offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, Alabama receiver Amari Cooper and Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota.

Why the Rams should consider him: At first blush, taking a pass-rusher seems a bit outrageous for a team that is well-stocked with defensive ends. But things aren’t necessarily what they seem in the big picture. Starting end Chris Long is scheduled to count more than $14 million against the cap in 2016, the final year of his contract, and backups William Hayes and Eugene Sims will be free agents after this season. Considering those moving parts and the talent at the position in this draft, it’s entirely possible the best player on the board when the Rams pick will be a defensive end. That certainly could be the case if Gregory falls. Many view Gregory as one of the three best defensive players in the draft after he posted 17.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Gregory is one of the draft’s most athletic pass-rushers and boasts one of the quickest first steps of any pass-rusher in the draft.

Why they shouldn’t: Obviously, the Rams have bigger needs than a pass-rusher, but this one in particular comes with quite a few questions. First and foremost, Gregory recently admitted to testing positive for marijuana, which isn’t out of the ordinary but is at least a bit of a red flag. The Rams have had no qualms with drafting players with some red flags, but the bigger concern here might be the scheme fit. Gregory is listed at just 235 pounds and many believe he’d be better off as a 3-4 edge rusher. Gregory could theoretically become a Von Miller type of 4-3 linebacker or add weight to try to be a defensive end, but having fit as a question entering the NFL isn’t exactly a good sign for a possible No. 10 overall pick. Gregory has also had durability issues, missing two games last season with a left knee injury and the entire 2012 season because of a broken leg.

Chances he’s available at No. 10: On talent alone, one would expect Gregory to be off the board before No. 10, but obviously there are bigger issues at play. It’s hard to know how any team views the positive test or any off-the-field indiscretions, but with so many talented pass-rushers in this draft, it stands to reason teams might prefer to take a prospect of similar talent but without the baggage. Still, there’s no guarantee Gregory falls to No. 10. Tennessee, Jacksonville, Oakland, Washington, the New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons could all use pass rush help and might be willing to look the other way to land a player of Gregory’s ability.