Rams News

Rams draft Nebraska's Wistrom
04/18 10:16 PM

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff

ST. LOUIS -- In their extensive background checks on draft picks, the Rams found only a couple of potential flaws in No. 6 overall draft pick Grant Wistrom, the defensive end from the University of Nebraska.

For one, there's that ``B'' grade Wistrom received in high school in Webb City, Mo. His one and only ``B.'' The rest were ``A's.''

``I tried to talk to the teacher about it, but she wasn't hearing it,'' Wistrom said. ``I think it was in English, too. And my mom's an English teacher.''

There is also one worrisome item listed on the official player information sheet Wistrom filled out for the Rams. Under the category: ``The most interesting thing about me is . . .'' Wistrom replied: ``I have a new puppy.''

Of course, the Rams and puppies weren't a good mix last season. See: ``Pretty'' Tony Banks and his Rottweiler named Felony.

``He's a good puppy,'' Wistrom insisted. ``He's a chocolate Lab named Duke. So he doesn't give anybody any trouble.''

And no, Wistrom doesn't plan to invite Duke to training camp a la Felony.

``He'll probably stay at home with Mom and Dad for a while,'' Wistrom said.

Other than that, Wistrom and the Rams should get along just fine. Sure, Dick Vermeil would have preferred to have taken running back Curtis Enis of Penn State. But the Rams weren't about to give in to Chicago's trade demands.

``We talked again today with the Bears,'' Vermeil said after selecting Wistrom. ``They wanted either our second-round pick or Eddie Kennison. As I told Eddie on Thursday, I'm not trading him.''

Similarly, the Rams weren't going to give up their second-round pick, No. 37 overall, just to move up one spot in the draft -- from No. 6 overall to No. 5 for Enis. Enis ended up going to the Bears.

The Rams used that second-round pick to select Illinois running back Robert Holcombe, who the Rams feared might go late in the first round. They closed out day one of the draft Saturday taking speed rusher Leonard Little, a defensive end/linebacker from Tennessee in the third round. The Rams had a low first-round grade on Little.

As for Wistrom, he slept like a baby Friday night in his hometown of Webb City. On Saturday morning, he and his father Ron went out and hit some golf balls at a driving range, then returned to the family home on Ivy Road to wait for the phone to ring. On a specially installed phone line, no less, put in just for draft day. They didn't have to wait long. With about 25 friends and family members munching on barbecue and deli sandwiches, the ``Draft Phone'' rang just before noon.

Vermeil was on the other end. ``How do you feel about being a Ram?'' Vermeil asked.

``Coach, I couldn't be happier,'' Wistrom replied.

Just as that phone conversation was taking place, ESPN made the announcement that Wistrom was headed to the Rams. The Wistrom household in Webb City erupted in cheers.

``Isn't this great?'' Wistrom's father said in phone interview from Webb City. ``We are ecstatic.''

Already, the Wistroms are plotting logistics for football weekends next fall. Grant's younger brother, Tracey, is a tight end at Nebraska. ``We'll drive from Lincoln to Kansas City,
and fly to St. Louis,'' Ron said merrily. (Well, at least that will work for home games.)

Ecstatic wouldn't be a good word to describe the mood of the Dallas Cowboys. According to Wistrom's father, the Cowboys dispensed a member of their organization to Webb City late Thursday night. Apparently, his chore was to keep an eye on Wistrom and then whisk him to Dallas after the Cowboys made him the No. 8 overall pick in the draft.

Whoops.

``Once I saw Curtis go off the board, I had a really good feeling that I was going to be a Ram,'' Wistrom said. ``This is terrific. It's great being raised in the state and getting to play for the state team. Couldn't be happier.''

The same could be said for Rams defensive line coach Carl Hairston. Defensive end was the Rams' primary need entering the draft, and the team got one of the best in the college game in Wistrom.

``I like his speed, and I like the way he plays relentless football,'' Hairston said. ``He's a guy who never gives up, and a guy with that type of ability will be a guy who makes plays.''

At Nebraska, Wistrom registered 28 sacks over his four-year career and 58 tackles for losses. He is a two-time All-American, an academic All-American and the 1997 winner of the Lombardi Award, which goes to college football's best lineman.

Some question Wistrom's relative lack of size. He played last season at about 255 pounds but has bulked up to 273 entering the pros. The Rams don't sound worried.

``One thing that people fail to realize is this guy plays with great leverage,'' Hairston said. ``He uses his hands very well. . . . If you play with leverage and hands, you'll win most of the battles. That's what he does.''

ARCHIVE

HOME