Rams' new foundation set in second round

ST. LOUIS – A legacy has begun. Coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead will make selections in the last four rounds, of course, but the foundation of the St. Louis Rams' first NFL Draft under new leadership was set early Friday night.

There were various messages sent with the three players taken in the second round: Snead and Fisher trust their instincts when evaluating potential stardom at wide receiver, they're willing to gamble on a player with obvious character flaws but major upside, and they consider this a necessary time to add a change-of-pace running back to complement Steven Jackson.

Years from now, wide receiver Brian Quick, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and running back Isaiah Pead will be studied to learn how Snead and Fisher fared in their first public test.

If the incoming rookies succeed, their additions – along with defensive tackle and 14th overall pick Michael Brockers taken Thursday – will be viewed as the catalyst that began a turnaround for an embattled franchise. If they fail, they'll be presented as proof of a missed opportunity and a severe misread of talent that set the Rams back years.

"I think … it was a good day for us," Snead said. "I think it was a very good day. I think every player we got is going to help us next year."

The Rams hope so, because Snead and Fisher enjoyed the position of controlling the second round. Since the pair arrived at Rams Park this offseason, it became obvious that they approached the draft as a key resource to fill their team's many holes on both sides of possession.

Trading the second pick to the Washington Redskins was wise, sending the sixth pick to the Dallas Cowboys for another second-round selection was strategic, and moving the 45th pick to the Chicago Bears for the 50th slot and a fifth-round selection was a display in how savvy Snead and Fisher could be in stockpiling chances to remake their roster.

Starting this fall, though, we'll learn whether those draft-room decisions will translate to production on Sundays. They must, or any hopes for a Rams recovery will be delayed.
 
"Obviously, we felt because of the value of the (second overall) pick and the deal with Washington and the fact that we got the two (second-round selections), that this was going to be our day," Fisher said.

For a variety of reasons, the Rams' day brought optimism because of their second-round selections.

Both Fisher and Snead were excited about Quick, who caught 202 passes for 3,418 yards and 31 touchdowns at Appalachian State. Quick's athleticism stunned Fisher during a private workout in Boone, N.C., last week, and the 6-foot-3, 222-pound prospect became a coveted option to provide Sam Bradford with a deep threat after the Jacksonville Jaguars snagged Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon on Thursday.

"My strengths are my yards after the catch, just trying to get the extra yards," Quick said. "I have great hands. I have good speed. I wouldn't say I have any weaknesses, but I will tell you this, I have a lot that we can work on at the next level. I have to get myself prepared for the next level and the defenders. It's going to be a little tougher. I have to get my mind prepared and get myself prepared physically and mentally for what I'm about to face."

Meanwhile, Jenkins is a risk, but he has potentially elite skill. The 5-10, 193-pound North Alabama product spent three seasons at Florida and might have gone in the first round if not for his checkered history: He has been arrested three times – twice for marijuana possession – and has fathered four kids with three different women. Still, sometimes change requires taking a chance, and his selection shows that Fisher trusts him enough to help push the Rams forward.

"That's my past," Jenkins said of his off-the-field problems. "I've got a new chapter, and I'm happy to be a Ram now, so I'm going to put that in my past and I'm ready to move forward."

Finally, Pead means relief for Jackson. At 5-9, 193 pounds, he ran for 3,288 yards and 27 touchdowns while at Cincinnati. Fisher praised his speed – he clocked a 4.41 40-yard dash time – and his quick-cut running style (think Darren Sproles) also is a positive. Clearly, Jackson remains the face of the Rams' rushing game, but Pead will give St. Louis a contrast in styles when working alongside the workhorse 28-year-old veteran.  

"I'm going to be in Steven Jackson's hip pocket learning everything," Pead said. "He's a pro, and he's a pro for a reason, and a successful one. … Of course, I'm going to compete. I'm going to learn as much as I can and try to make my career last as long as his."

The careers of all three second-round selections will go a long way in determining the Rams' foundation under Snead and Fisher. For St. Louis, this draft has meant renewal, a chance to embrace new vision.

In no other area was that opportunity more evident than in the second round. In no other area will Snead and Fisher be judged more.