Why the Rams Should Draft Sam Bradford Number One Overall

With April nearly upon us, expect NFL draft coverage to become even more pervasive. Mock drafts will be everywhere, and every talking head will debate which players should go to what teams. So it's time for me to put my two cents in. As a lifelong Rams fan, I'm excited for the possibility that they might draft a good quarterback this year. Although the Rams left Los Angeles after 1994 season, I still root for them every year. It is not at the level of my passion for the Lakers and Dodgers, but I do consider myself a fan. The last pro football game I attended was in 1994 when the Rams lost to the Raiders at Anaheim Stadium. And while I prefer these uniforms over these uniforms, and this logo to this logo, it's hard for me to not get excited about my boyhood team. So I bring to you my reasons for the Rams drafting Sam Bradford number one overall:

Amidst the Rams awfulness last year, there were a few bright spots. James Laurinaitis, Chris Long, and Oshiomogho Atogwe are each good young players with bright futures (Atogwe's free agent limbo notwithstanding). So despite their horrible record, the Rams still had a tough defense, but their offense was so bad that they didn't stand a chance. The defense would keep them in games before finally wearing down in the second half after the offense would fail to move the ball. Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo is a fiery leader and a great defensive coach, so I expect the Rams to continue to improve defensively.

Now the other side of the ball was a different story. The Rams drafted offensive tackle Jason Smith with the number two overall pick after seriously contemplating taking Mark Sanchez. While that might be a smart move over the long haul, the quarterback position was an enormous black hole all season long. Mark Bulger struggled before getting injured. Kyle Boller did his best Kyle Boller impression. And 6th round draft pick Keith Null looked intimidated and overmatched. The Rams have rebuilt the offensive line over the last few years, and while the line is still not good, it is at least a respectable unit. With Steven Jackson still a top running back, now would be the time to draft a quarterback. Sam Bradford injured his shoulder last season after a Heisman winning year as a sophomore in 2008. If Bradford's shoulder continues to check out okay, he should be the Rams guy. Bradford has a very accurate arm and can make the short to medium passes with consistency. He is also a big body, standing 6'4" and weighing in at 236 pounds at his pro day on Monday. He has above average arm strength and mobility, and led Oklahoma to the BCS National Championship game in 2008. So it appears that Bradford has everything it takes to be a good quarterback at the NFL level. He took most of his snaps out of the shotgun in college, but with his feel for the game I don't expect him to struggle adapting to playing under center. The one question mark is the condition of his shoulder, but if team doctors feel comfortable with his progress then it is worth the risk.

The other main reason for drafting Bradford is the paucity of others worth being selected number one. Ndamukong Suh is a beast, but with the Rams being so bad on offensive it is not smart for them to commit 40 million dollars to a defensive tackle. The same thing can be said for Bradford's teammate at Oklahoma, defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. The draft's quarterback options, while deep, are not top heavy. Guys like Jimmy Clausen, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow might turn out to be solid pros, but are not worth drafting number one overall. For that reason, I think Bradford makes the most sense for the Rams.

Chances are the Rams will draft Bradford number one. But they do have a few other options if they decide they want to do something different. They could always trade down, draft a different player, and take a quarterback like McCoy in the second round. They could also decide Suh's potential as a defensive disruptor is too much to pass up. But I doubt they will. Sam Bradford has the talent to become a very good quarterback for the Rams. Here's hoping they make right decision in New York City on April 22nd.