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With the NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror we take the St. Louis Rams "Off The Clock" with pick-by-pick analysis, the Bible's take and our grade.
 (1-2) Jason Smith, OT (Baylor): After parting ways with Orlando Pace during the off-season, St. Louis fills an obvious need. By adding Smith, the Rams will provide sturdy protection for their quarterback, which is an area they have struggled with in recent past. New head coach Steve Spagnuolo is a big believer in east-coast smash-mouth football so look for the Rams style of play to reflect that with a heavy run game in ’09 behind Smith.
(3-35) James Laurinaitis, ILB (Ohio State): St. Louis has solidified their defense up the middle with the selection of Laurinaitis to go along with Adam Carriker. Expect the Ohio State product to thrive under the new defensive scheme implemented by Coach Spags.
(3-66) Bradley Fletcher, CB (Iowa): Back-to-back Hawkeyes go off the board to start the third round as the Rams fill a need at cornerback. He is a sleeper we liked, but this is a bit high for the former Hawkeye. He has very good size, length and instincts, but lacks the ideal fluid hips teams look for in a corner and could be vulnerable in one-on-one coverage.
(4-103) Dorell Scott, DT (Clemson): Scott had a less than stellar year this past season, but he has strength and is very quick for his size. He ran in the low 4.9 range for the 40, which is a great time for a man of his size. He should be able to fit nicely into the Rams’ defensive schemes. He has good upside and the hope is his best football is ahead of him.
 (5-160) Brooks Foster, WR (North Carolina): With the loss of Torry Holt, the Rams drafted a receiver whom they hope to groom as a potential starter down the road. Foster will be a nice addition for Marc Bulger and the Rams’ offense, and can also be a special teams guru with his set of skills. Foster was never very productive as a Tar Heel, but does possess the speed to stretch the field. (Pick From Atlanta)
(6-196) Keith Null, QB (West Texas A&M): Null is a tall quarterback, standing at 6’3”. He also has a great arm, solid accuracy, and exceptional speed. He will probably start out as the third stringer on the Rams’ roster. A bit of surprise and in our estimation their were better quarterback prospects remaining on the board when they Rams made this pick. (Pick From Atlanta)
(7-211) Chris Ogbonnaya, RB (Texas): The Rams added much-needed depth at the running back position with this pick. Ogbonnaya has the potential to be a spot starter in St. Louis who excels coming out of the backfield as a pass catcher. The former ‘Horn has excellent hands, runs crisp routes and is very good job with the ball after the catch.
Team Needs: OT, DT, CB, WR, LB
Needs Filled: Five of five.
Bible’s Take: The Rams got the help they needed on the offensive line by getting Jason Smith. He will try to keep Marc Bulger on his feet, which happened very little last season. Then they got a very solid pick in picking up James Laurinaitis at the linebacker position in the second round, a spot where they really needed help. They added help on offense to keep both Steven Jackson fresh, and to help out sophomore wide receiver Donnie Avery. The Rams took care of their top five needs with their first five picks, but a team that needed so much help should have been more flexible in taking the best player on the board.
Grade: B-
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