Rams News

Rams' 6th-round pick
knows beans, football
04/19 11:19 PM

By Jim Thomas
Of the Post-Dispatch Staff
Many NFL draft picks are considered leaders in their field.
Clemson offensive guard Glenn Rountree is no different. Only his isn't a field of dreams. It's a field of beans.
Rountree, selected by the Rams in the sixth round Sunday already has his degree in agronomy.
``It's more or less farming,'' Rountree said. ``Crop science.''
Without much prodding, Rountree eagerly discussed one of his more recent agricultural triumphs. Just before he got married last June, Rountree planted some soybeans on the family farm.
``Our soybeans averaged more than our corn, which is very, very uncommon,'' said Rountree, who is from Virginia. ``We averaged around 49 bushels an acre in soybeans and only 37 in corn. You're not going to find that anywhere else in the country.''
So usually the yield on corn is higher than the yield on soybeans?
``Oh, absolutely,'' Rountree said.
Rountree may be the only Rams draftee ever to make the All-America team selected by Successful Farming magazine. But he did.
``Glenn Rountree is a reach,'' coach Dick Vermeil said. ``We decided to take him because offensive linemen were dropping off our board. We did not draft him based on his performance as a senior, we drafted him based on his performance as a junior. He had a very good junior year. . . . He looked like a very dominating offensive lineman at that time.''
But Rountree was bothered by ankle problems almost the entire '97 season. Although he didn't miss a game, the ankle needed arthroscopic surgery after the regular season.
As a four-year starter, he opened up plenty of holes over his college career for Raymond Priester, a Clemson running back selected by the Rams in the fifth round. Priester ended his stellar college career as Clemson's record-holder for most yards rushing in a game (263), a season (1,345), and a career (3,904).
At 6 feet 2, 228 pounds, Priester is a big, tough runner. ``He's the best contact runner I saw on tape this year, in regard to yards after the first hit,'' Vermeil said.
The reason Priester lasted until the fifth round, No. 129 overall, is he has only 4.8 speed in the 40-yard dash. The Rams plan to look at him at fullback as well as running back. Priester and Rountree were college teammates of Rams defensive back Dexter McCleon.
The Rams began the day by taking two players in the fourth round -- wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim of San Diego State and tight end Roland Williams of Syracuse. The team had Texas A&M offensive guard Steve McKinney targeted for selection in the fourth round, but McKinney was taken by Indianapolis with the first pick of the round.
Williams will compete for a roster spot behind Ernie Conwell, as the Rams look for improved depth at tight end.
``He's a big kid,'' Vermeil said. ``Runs well -- in the high 4.7s. He's potentially a fine blocker.''
But Williams' pass-catching skills need work. He played in an offensive system at Syracuse where the tight end wasn't utilized much in the passing game, catching only eight passes last season.
The Rams closed out the day by drafting Washington defensive end/linebacker Jason Chorak late in the seventh round, with a compensatory pick awarded to the team in the days leading up to the draft.
In 1996, Chorak was the Pacific-10 Conference defensive player of the year and a first-team All-American by The Sporting News, when he recorded a school-record 14 sacks. But his production slipped to seven sacks in '97, when he was bothered by a nagging knee injury.

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