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Tracking Rams' pre-draft visits
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/7622/tracking-rams-pre-draft-visits
For the better part of the past three weeks, the St. Louis Rams have spent most of their time welcoming a variety of NFL draft prospects to Rams Park and traveling around the country to see players in private workouts.
As is always the case at this time of year, it can be hard to nail down exactly who has gone where and what's taken place. But with each team allowed to welcome 30 prospects to their cities, reports both in this space and elsewhere have accounted for about two thirds of the team's possible visits.
In the Rams' case, many of the known visits are top prospects, players who will go in the first round or early in the second at the latest. In noting that, we can also reasonably assume the Rams won't be able to draft more than one or two of the players on the following list because they have two first-round choices, Nos. 2 and 13 overall.
It's safe to assume many of the visits are a sign of legitimate interest but it's also important to remember that visits can also be a final way of fact checking and gathering information that they weren't able to glean from a 15-minute scouting combine interview. Likewise, just because a prospect doesn't visit doesn't mean the Rams have no interest.
Since the Rams don't release the names of their pre-draft visitors as other teams do, it may be difficult to pin down the entire list accurately, especially when it comes to names that may be a bit further off the radar from the likely early-round selections.
All of that said, here's a look at who the Rams have visited and are scheduled to visit by position. Again, this list is an aggregation of reports here and elsewhere.
Local visits (college players from the area who don't count against the top 30): Missouri DE Kony Ealy, Missouri Western TE Reggie Jordan, Utah State safety Maurice Alexander.
QB: Pittsburgh's Tom Savage
WR: Clemson's Sammy Watkins, Florida State's Kelvin Benjamin, Texas A&M's Mike Evans, South Carolina's Bruce Ellington
OL: Michigan's Taylor Lewan, Auburn's Greg Robinson, Texas A&M's Jake Matthews, Nevada's Joel Bitonio, North Dakota State's Billy Turner
DL: Notre Dame's Stephon Tuitt, Pittsburgh's Aaron Donald, South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney
LB: Ohio State's Ryan Shazier, Buffalo's Khalil Mack
CB: Oklahoma State's Justin Gilbert, Michigan State's Darqueze Dennard, Virginia Tech's Kyle Fuller
Some further notes on visits and workouts:
At quarterback, Savage is the only known visitor to Rams Park among the "top 30" but the Rams have expressed interest in Fresno State's Derek Carr, Georgia's Aaron Murray, SMU's Garrett Gilbert and South Carolina's Connor Shaw. It was reported that Carr had a private workout for the Rams, but whether that workout took place already or not is unconfirmed. The Rams had a contingent at Georgia for Murray's pro day. Also, Clemson's Tajh Boyd was throwing to Watkins at his private workout late last week.
Speaking of private workouts, in addition to Watkins, the Rams also took a look at fellow Clemson receiver Martavis Bryant. Coach Jeff Fisher said the Rams had a workout scheduled with Matthews at some point, and Clowney said he was going to have a private workout with the Rams but canceled additional workouts soon after the injury to Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas.
Donald said on NFL Network a couple weeks ago that he had a visit with the Rams set up but it's unknown whether that took place or not.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/7622/tracking-rams-pre-draft-visits
For the better part of the past three weeks, the St. Louis Rams have spent most of their time welcoming a variety of NFL draft prospects to Rams Park and traveling around the country to see players in private workouts.
As is always the case at this time of year, it can be hard to nail down exactly who has gone where and what's taken place. But with each team allowed to welcome 30 prospects to their cities, reports both in this space and elsewhere have accounted for about two thirds of the team's possible visits.
In the Rams' case, many of the known visits are top prospects, players who will go in the first round or early in the second at the latest. In noting that, we can also reasonably assume the Rams won't be able to draft more than one or two of the players on the following list because they have two first-round choices, Nos. 2 and 13 overall.
It's safe to assume many of the visits are a sign of legitimate interest but it's also important to remember that visits can also be a final way of fact checking and gathering information that they weren't able to glean from a 15-minute scouting combine interview. Likewise, just because a prospect doesn't visit doesn't mean the Rams have no interest.
Since the Rams don't release the names of their pre-draft visitors as other teams do, it may be difficult to pin down the entire list accurately, especially when it comes to names that may be a bit further off the radar from the likely early-round selections.
All of that said, here's a look at who the Rams have visited and are scheduled to visit by position. Again, this list is an aggregation of reports here and elsewhere.
Local visits (college players from the area who don't count against the top 30): Missouri DE Kony Ealy, Missouri Western TE Reggie Jordan, Utah State safety Maurice Alexander.
QB: Pittsburgh's Tom Savage
WR: Clemson's Sammy Watkins, Florida State's Kelvin Benjamin, Texas A&M's Mike Evans, South Carolina's Bruce Ellington
OL: Michigan's Taylor Lewan, Auburn's Greg Robinson, Texas A&M's Jake Matthews, Nevada's Joel Bitonio, North Dakota State's Billy Turner
DL: Notre Dame's Stephon Tuitt, Pittsburgh's Aaron Donald, South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney
LB: Ohio State's Ryan Shazier, Buffalo's Khalil Mack
CB: Oklahoma State's Justin Gilbert, Michigan State's Darqueze Dennard, Virginia Tech's Kyle Fuller
Some further notes on visits and workouts:
At quarterback, Savage is the only known visitor to Rams Park among the "top 30" but the Rams have expressed interest in Fresno State's Derek Carr, Georgia's Aaron Murray, SMU's Garrett Gilbert and South Carolina's Connor Shaw. It was reported that Carr had a private workout for the Rams, but whether that workout took place already or not is unconfirmed. The Rams had a contingent at Georgia for Murray's pro day. Also, Clemson's Tajh Boyd was throwing to Watkins at his private workout late last week.
Speaking of private workouts, in addition to Watkins, the Rams also took a look at fellow Clemson receiver Martavis Bryant. Coach Jeff Fisher said the Rams had a workout scheduled with Matthews at some point, and Clowney said he was going to have a private workout with the Rams but canceled additional workouts soon after the injury to Clemson offensive lineman Brandon Thomas.
Donald said on NFL Network a couple weeks ago that he had a visit with the Rams set up but it's unknown whether that took place or not.
