Rams News

St. Louis Rams
Team Report posted April 19, 1998
by tsn correspondent
JIM THOMAS St. Louis Post-Dispatch

An analytical look at the Rams' draft:

IMMEDIATE IMPACT

The Rams filled two of their three glaring needs in the top 37 picks. Nebraska's Grant Wistrom, taken No. 6 overall, will be the starter at right defensive end. He is being counted on to provide a speed rush on a defensive unit that registered only 38 sacks a year ago, better than only five teams in the league.

The question is how well Wistrom stands up to the 320-pound offensive tackles he will see every week in the NFL. Wistrom beefed up to 270 pounds in the offseason, about 15 more than he played at in college. But it's questionable whether that's enough bulk, or even if Wistrom will be able to keep the weight on once he sweats out a Dick Vermeil training camp in July and August.

In any event, look for the Rams to rotate in veteran Jay Williams on running plays next year. After missing out on Curtis Enis of Penn State, the Rams were more than happy to grab running back Robert Holcombe of Illinois early in the second round. The Rams had Holcombe rated as the fourth running back in the draft, behind Enis, Florida's Fred Taylor, and Georgia's Robert Edwards, and some in the team's scouting department feel he can be a better NFL back than Enis.

Holcombe, a tough north-and-south runner, will compete with three-year man Jerald Moore for the starting job. Holcombe did most of his running between the tackles at Illinois, but has enough speed (4.5) to occasionally turn the corner.

JURY'S OUT

Fourth-round pick Az-Zahir Hakim of San Diego State, figures to contribute in three-receiver sets, especially if Eddie Kennison struggles again in 1998.

Hakim is swift and very elusive in the open field and could help on punt and kickoff returns right away. But he's tiny at 5 feet 9, 175 pounds, and it remains to be seen how he will stand up to the pounding of the NFL.

Leonard Little of Tennessee was an intriguing pick in the third round. He's a pure speed rusher, but a linebacker/defensive end 'tweener at 6-3, 237. Little is probably better suited to a 3-4.

The Rams run a 4-3, but plan to use him as a designated rusher in nickel situations while trying to develop his skills as an outside linebacker. The Rams took another 'tweener in the seventh round, Jason Chorak of Washington.

Chorak was a TSN All-American in 1996 and the Pacific-10 defensive player of the year. But his play leveled off in '97 when he was slowed by a nagging bursa sac injury in his knee. Like Little, Chorak will be tried as an outside linebacker in running situations and a designated pass rusher in the nickel.

The team's three other selections were depth picks: Clemson running back Raymond Priester, Clemson offensive guard Glenn Rountree, and Syracuse tight end Roland Williams will be battling just to make the roster. Priester has the best chance of the three to do so, especially if he shows some promise at fullback.

HOLES TO FILL

By failing to take an offensive guard in the early rounds, or sign a topflight one in free agency, the team is resigned to going into the '98 season with basically the same offensive line.

That means the team is counting on improvement across the board, particularly second-year players Orlando Pace and Ryan Tucker, and right guard Zach Wiegert. The Rams would have been very tempted to take LSU's Alan Faneca had he slipped into the second round, but Pittsburgh grabbed him late in the first.

They had Texas A&M's Steve McKinney targeted for one of their two fourth-round picks, but Indianapolis took him with the first pick of that round. Rountree, the guard from Clemson, was drafted in the sixth round based on his 1996 performance more than what he did in '97, when he was hampered by an ankle injury all season.

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