Pro Football Weekly and Riddell present ...
2002 NFL draft
Rams, Thomas a perfect match
St. Louis reaches again, but fills its only real need
By Andy Hanacek, Associate editor
April 20, 2002
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| Heading into the Rams’ first-round pick at No. 31 overall,
ESPN’s draft analysts claimed the Rams had no holes to fill. They said that the Rams
and Steelers were pretty much in the market for the best available athlete at that point. But
after thinking about it, I realized that St. Louis had lost LBs Brian Allen, London
Fletcher and Mark Fields this offseason and only added Jamie Duncan. Hmmmm, that’s a
3-1 difference, if I’m doing my math right.
So that means that linebacker was a need position, and the Rams didn’t let
a very weak class dissuade them from going after their biggest need. With the 31st overall
pick, the Rams took UCLA MLB Robert Thomas, who most draftniks believed would last well
into the second round.
This may have been a bit of a reach, but this is becoming almost tradition for the
Rams, who reached last year when they selected Ohio State DT Ryan Pickett at pick No. 29
overall. Pickett didn’t make a huge impact in 2001, but he did play in 11 games.
Thomas may not necessarily start with St. Louis, but if he pans out (unlike his
brother, 1991 Bears’ first-round pick, Stan Thomas), he could be a starter down the
road. Because the Rams’ only real need was at this position, this pick is a good
move.
Plus, there’s no guarantee Thomas won’t start right away. Right now, the Rams
have Duncan, Don Davis and second-year man Tommy Polley. After that, there is basically
nothing. So at the least, Thomas will get a significant amount of playing time this fall.
All in all, this is a pick that works out for both sides. The Rams fill their main
need, and Thomas goes to a team and a situation where he’ll get a significant amount
of playing time. Plus, he’ll get more money jumping into the first round, which
I’m sure has him pleased. |
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