By Anthony Caruso III
Posted: December 23rd, 2013 at 4:31 am EST
While the St. Louis Rams got devastating news on Sunday with the loss of offensive tackle Jake Long, the Rams could get good news next week. With a loss to the New York Giants next week, the Rams will receive the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
The Rams would also need the Houston Texans to beat the Tennessee Titans to ensure the No. 1 overall pick for the Rams. The Texans have clinched a top two pick in the draft no matter what happens in the game with the Titans.
Jadeveon Clowney (Getty Images)
Jadeveon Clowney (Getty Images)
If the Rams are able to defeat the Giants and end the season on a two-game win streak, they are ensured a draft pick in the top 5. The Rams would end the season 8-8, but this draft pick in question is from the Robert Griffin III trade two years ago with the Washington Redskins.
While the Rams management has supported quarterback Sam Bradford and look at him as their future quarterback, the Rams will not draft a quarterback. However, according to a source, the team would be looking to give a look at the quarterbacks available in the NFL draft if they get either the No. 1 or No. 2 overall draft pick.
Should the Rams decide not to draft a quarterback, the Rams management could trade down and get more draft picks. But if they stay within the top two draft picks, the Rams are going to target South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney.
Clowney, a junior, has not declared for the NFL draft yet. However, after South Carolina’s bowl game, he is expected to declare and be a top draft pick.
This season, Clowney had 36 tackles with 3 sacks. He did miss the Kentucky game on October 5th and the Coastal Carolina game on November 23rd.
Clowney would give the Rams potent defensive end to put alongside Chris Long. The NFC West and the entire NFL would have their hands full trying to deal with Clowney and Long coming at their quarterbacks at the same time.
The last time the Rams used a first round pick on a defensive end was in the 2011 NFL draft. That’s when the Rams used the 14th overall pick on North Carolina defensive end Robert Quinn.
One would have to go back to the 2008 NFL draft to find the past time the Rams used a top two pick on a defensive end. The Rams used the No. 2 overall pick on Virginia defensive end Chris Long that year.