The Rams got their man in the first round of this years draft. Carriker will come in and be an iunstant starter most likely and he will help out on an improving defense.
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Friday, May 11, 2007
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The Rams Go For Wade After taking a defensive lineman and a fullback, Rams fans finally have someone they can get a little excited about. Cornerback Jonathan Wade will come in and battle for playing time. With Fisher gone and Butler on his way out, it leaves the Rams with Fakhir Brown, Tye Hill, Mike Rumph, and Lenny Walls. Wade will battle for the 3rd or 4th CB spot most likely. He used to be a WR and is still learning at the CB spot, but he is still very talented. Good pick by St. Louis.
Bio from nfl.com
Jonathan Wade Height: 5-10 Weight: 192 Position: Cornerback College: Tennessee
OVERVIEW Wade is an emerging talent who came into his own as a senior, his first season as a full-time starter. A versatile athlete, he was originally recruited as a wide receiver, playing with the offensive unit during his first two years at Tennessee before shifting to the defensive backfield as a redshirt sophomore in 2004. Wade also excelled on the Volunteers' track team. He was a member of two of the three fastest 4x100-meter relay teams in school history, capturing 2005 indoor and outdoor All-America recognition. The outdoor 4x100-meter relay team placed third at the NCAA Finals with a time of 38.83 seconds, third best in school history. He was the squad's top 200-meter sprinter in 2004 with a season-best 20.79 and sprinted to the team's best 55-meter time of 7.36 at the Tennessee Invitational. He also anchored Tennessee's 2003 SEC champion and NCAA outdoor runner-up 4x100-meter relay that clocked 38.72 in the NCAA finals, the second-fastest time in Volunteers history. Wade was an All-America selection by Tom Lemming and Super Prep, adding Class 5A all-state honors as a senior at Evangel Christian High School. He started three seasons at cornerback and twice started as a wide receiver, leading the team to a 54-3 record, three Class 5A state titles and the 1999 national championship. Wade recorded 24 tackles with 30 pass deflections and three interceptions as a senior. He was also an accomplished track-and-field athlete, winning the 200-meter dash title with a time of 20.95 at the 2001 World Youth Championships. He also won the 2001 state 100-meter and 200-meter titles. He set the state record in 200-meters (21.03) and his best 100-meter time was 10.15, earning him Louisiana 2001 Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year and all-state MVP honors in track by The Shreveport Times as a junior. He also excelled in the classroom, earning Principal's List and Honor Roll student accolades. After enrolling at Tennessee in 2002, Wade appeared in the final 12 games, starting three games as a receiver. He caught eight passes for 84 yards (10.5 avg.) and rushed nine times for 78 yards (8.7 avg.). He also played on special teams, posting two tackles. A left shoulder injury against Marshall required surgery, shutting down Wade's 2003 season after only two games. He had a five-yard reception, but lost 10 yards on a reverse. When he returned to the field in 2004, he shifted to left cornerback, starting five of 13 games. While adjusting to his new position, he posted 24 tackles (19 solos) with a pass break-up and a forced fumble. Wade started seven of 11 games he played in during 2005. He came up with 32 tackles (26 solos) with 1.5 stops for losses and a fumble recovery. He batted away five passes and intercepted two others, adding one more tackle on special teams. The All-Southeastern Conference choice started all 13 games at left cornerback in 2006. He was credited with 52 tackles (44 solos) and six stops behind the line of scrimmage. He caused a fumble and posted three special teams stops. He had 13 pass deflections and four interceptions while also gaining 18 yards on a kickoff return. In 51 games at Tennessee (14 on offense), Wade started three times as a receiver and 28 times as a cornerback. He finished with 110 tackles (90 solos) and 7.5 stops for losses of 22 yards. He recovered one fumble, caused two others and posted six special teams stops. He had 19 pass deflections with six interceptions for 112 yards in returns (18.7 avg.), including a touchdown. He rushed 10 times for 68 yards (6.8 avg.), caught nine passes for 89 yards (9.9 avg.) and had an 18-yard kickoff return. ANALYSIS Positives: Has a lean, angular frame built for speed, with knotted calves, tapered muscles, long limbs and outstanding quickness … Gets a quick break on the ball and, while he is a bit of a gambler, he has the recovery speed to get back into the play … Can allow a big cushion because of his explosive closing burst … His experience on offense was beneficial, as he is alert to the receiver's route progression and moves … Has the natural hands to catch the ball cleanly and away from his frame … Has the change-of-direction agility and flexibility to make plays from sideline-to-sideline … Best when playing in man coverage, as he does a good job of using his hands to jam and re-route … Has very good recovery skills, but needs to refine his backpedal, as the shuffle-and-bail technique he uses affects his quickness coming out of breaks … Better when playing off the receiver, as he has the speed to close on plays in front of him … Does a good job of using his hands to knock the receivers off their rhythm … Shows nice feet and loose hips to turn and trail, but must develop better route anticipation (can lose position at times) … When he doesn't use his shuffle technique, he gets a much quicker break on the ball … Will flash nice feet to plant-and-drive out of transition cleanly (when not shuffling) … Opens his hips properly to turn and run with the backs along the perimeter … Has the second gear needed to recover and close … Showed good improvement covering on the go route and shows the body control and adjustments to compete for the ball at its high point … Plays bigger than his size indicates due to his fine leaping ability … Will sell out to break up the pass and is best when competing for the ball in flight … Catches the ball cleanly and is a good open-field runner with the burst to separate after the interception … Worked hard in the 2006 off-season to improve his strength, and while he is still a work in progress in run support, he showed improvement staying square to make the open field tackles (still need wrap-up technique work). Negatives: Has only dedicated one off-season to football (spent his first four years competing with the track team in the spring) and still lacks an ideal feel to read the play (slow to see it develop) … Gets fooled often on play-action and screens … Could be even quicker in his coverage ability if he abandons the shuffle technique he uses in his backpedal … Has loose hips, but his explosion is sometimes negated because of his marginal pedal … Will eyeball the backfield too long, causing him to miss the route progression working in the zone … Improved a bit in 2006, but seems to lack courage when asked to step inside the box to lend run support (shies away from contact) … Lacks the hand punch to defeat blocks in closed quarters and doesn't stay low enough in his pads to make an impact taking on a lead block … More of an ankle biter as a tackler, getting reckless by grabbing rather than wrapping and securing … Has a good break out of his pedal, but sometimes opens his hips too early in transition … Needs to keep his arms more active in order to prevent bigger blockers from reaching him. Compares To: Fred Smoot, Washington -- Wade looks the part as a man coverage defender, but you really have to question his desire to hit, especially against running plays … He needs to refine his backpedal technique and must add more bulk, but the additional weight could affect his quickness … A former track man, he has only one year of full-time starting experience … His speed will bring good value as a nickel back, but unless he can develop better courage, he will be a liability against running plays. INJURY REPORT 2003: Suffered left shoulder AC joint damage against Marshall and underwent surgery on Sept. 22, missing the rest of the season. AGILITY TESTS Campus: 4.45 in the 40-yard dash … 335-pound bench press … 450-pound squat … 300-pound power clean … 35-inch vertical jump. Combine: 4.46 in the 40-yard dash … 1.62 10-yard dash … 2.64 20-yard dash … 4.4 20-yard shuttle … 11.58 60-yard shuttle … 7.07 three-cone drill … 40½-inch vertical jump … 10-foot-6 broad jump. HIGH SCHOOL Attended Evangel Christian (Shreveport, La.) High School, playing football for head coach Dennis Dunn … All-America selection by Tom Lemming and Super Prep, adding Class 5A all-state honors as a senior … Started three seasons at cornerback and twice started as a wide receiver, leading the team to a 54-3 record, three Class 5A state titles and the 1999 national championship … Made 24 tackles with 30 pass deflections and three interceptions as a senior … Also an accomplished track-and-field athlete … Won the 200-meter dash title with a time of 20.95 at the 2001 World Youth Championships … Won the 2001 state 100-meter and 200-meter titles … Set the state record in 200 meters (21.03) and his best 100-meter time was 10.15, earning him Louisiana 2001 Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year and all-state MVP honors in track by The Shreveport Times as a junior … Also excelled in the classroom, earning Principal's List and Honor Roll student accolades. PERSONAL African American Studies major … Born Jonathan Charles Wade on Mar. 27, 1984 … Resides in Shreveport, La.
Piscitelli Rounds Out Round 2 An interesting round, in which 3 QBs were selected and Trent Edwards still has not been taken. Kenny Irons, Chris Henry, Brian Leonard, and Brandon Jackson were all taken from the running back position. One pick I like is Josh Wilson in Seattle. Though I am a Rams fan, I like Wilson and he should have a good career. Steve Smith to the Giants may help out Eli, but the Giants still need blockers. To end the round, the Buccs selected safety SabbyPiscitelli, my favorite player in this years draft. Piscitelli is a hard hitting safety who players a lot like Adam Archuleta did.
Rams Select Brian Leonard With the 52nd overall pick in the draft, the Rams took FB/RB, Brian Leonard from Rutgers. Leonard is very versatile. As an inside runner, he shows nice vision, agility, and balance. He can run, block, and catch. I'm not so sure he'd the best pick for the rams here, but he'll be good for us.
Bio from NFL.com
Brian Leonard Height: 6-1 Weight: 238 Position: Fullback/Running Back College: Rutgers
OVERVIEW While the fullback position has evolved over the years, Leonard's hard-nosed, aggressive style is reminiscent to that of former Green Bay Packers great Jim Taylor. Not since Purdue's Mike Alstott (1991-95) has a collegiate fullback been able to determine an outcome of a game on such a consistent basis as Leonard did throughout his career. Whether breaking free for a long run, powering his way into the end zone in goal-line situations, providing a devastating block for halfback sensation Ray Rice or making the clutch catch in traffic, Leonard is the type of player defenses always need to account for. Leonard was a standout running back and linebacker at Gouverneur High School (N.Y.), where he led the team to a 9-1 record and the Class B Section X championship as a senior. He was a two-time all-state selection and the Watertown Daily Times Athlete of the Year, in addition to being named All-Northern Conference Most Valuable Player three times. He closed out his career as the state of New York's all-time scoring leader with 696 points, totaling 107 touchdowns while rushing for 5,854 yards. As a senior, Leonard rushed for 2,398 yards on 234 carries (10.2 avg.) and 47 touchdowns, adding seven two-point conversions; he also caught 23 passes for 529 yards and produced nine consecutive 200-yard rushing games that year. As a linebacker, he recorded 64 tackles, including 41 solo stops, one sack and two interceptions. He rushed for 354 yards and four touchdowns in the Wildcats' 28-22 win over Ogdensburg Free Academy in the title game and scored eight touchdowns in the Wildcats' victory over Cornwall High. Leonard was also a standout basketball player. He garnered first-team all-league recognition and PrepStar All-American honors. In track, he competed in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the long jump. He posted impressive wins in both the 100 and 200 at the Section VII/X Track and Field Championships. Leonard was a four-time honor roll student. The younger brother of former Scarlet Knight linebacker Nate Leonard (1999-2001), Leonard enrolled at Rutgers in 2002 and spent the year as a halfback on the scout team while his brother served as a graduate assistant. Brian Leonard exploded onto the collegiate scene in 2003, earning Freshman All-American honors as he was also named Big East Conference Freshman of the Year. He started 10 of 12 games at halfback, leading the team in rushing with 880 yards and nine touchdowns on 213 carries (4.1-yard average). He also led the Scarlet Knights with 53 receptions for 488 yards (9.2 avg.) and five scores. He ranked fifth in the Big East with an average of 114.0 all-purpose yards per game and scored 84 points. He also had two solo tackles and a fumble recovery. Leonard shifted to fullback in 2004, earning Pro Football Weekly All-American honors. The first-team All-Big East Conference pick missed the Syracuse game with a leg bruise, but he still led the conference with an average of 125.0 all-purpose yards per game. He led the team with 199 carries for 732 yards (3.7 avg.) and seven touchdowns and ranked second on the squad with 61 catches for 518 yards (8.5 avg.) and two scores to finish with 54 points. Leonard also had three tackles (two solos). In 2005, Leonard was again named to Pro Football Weekly's All-American team, in addition to picking up All-Big East Conference accolades. Taking on a more traditional fullback role with the arrival of halfback Raymell Rice, Leonard still finished second on the team with 173 rushes for 740 yards (4.3 avg.) and 11 touchdowns. He led Rutgers with 55 receptions for 568 yards (10.3 avg.) and six scores. His average of 8.5 points scored per game ranked fourth in the Big East while his average of 4.58 catches per game ranked second. He scored a career-high 102 points and averaged 109.0 all-purpose yards per game. As a senior, Leonard was again named a first-team All-American and landed on the All-Big East Conference second team. He was used more as a blocker, producing 14 touchdown-producing blocks. He carried 93 times for a career-low 427 yards (4.6 avg.) and five touchdowns. He caught 38 passes for 294 yards (7.7 avg.) and totaled 667 all-purpose yards with 30 total points and two solo tackles. In 47 games at Rutgers, Leonard started 45 times. He holds the Big East record with at least one reception in 47 games. He holds the school record with 207 career receptions, on which he gained 1,868 yards (9.0 avg.) and scored 13 touchdowns. He rushed 678 times for 2,779 yards (4.1 avg.) and 32 scores. He holds the school record with 272 points scored and recorded seven tackles (six solos) and a fumble recovery. Leonard holds the Rutgers record with 5,961 all-purpose yards, averaging 129.59 yards per game. ANALYSIS Positives: Solidly built with above-average strength, thick thighs and calves, good bubble, tight waist, broad shoulders and good arm-muscle definition … Has excellent speed for his position, showing the upper body strength and leg drive to create and maintain a rush lane as a lead blocker … Has a good short area burst through the creases and the change-of-direction agility to make the initial tackler miss … Shows the plant-and-drive agility to make precise cuts … Has very good balance and body control throughout his stride, demonstrating fluid flexibility and quickness getting to top acceleration … Has good vision to locate and neutralize the blitz and an excellent feel for the soft spots in the zone, consistently getting there, to make the underneath catch … Comes out of his stance quickly and with good urgency, running at the proper pad level with legs churning to push the pile … Has the quickness to explode through the holes and the cutback agility to make the initial tackler miss … Generates the speed to pull away from linebackers and safeties after the catch and is quick enough in his stride to be a valid deep threat … Has the loose hips to elude and makes sharp cuts to separate in his patterns … Displays good field vision, showing patience setting up his blocks when carrying the ball … Alert to stunts and blitzes, showing good slide to neutralize edge rushers … Has the strong base and balance to bounce off of tacklers and maintain his stride … Bruising runner between the tackles with the loose hips to change direction quickly … Picks up his feet nicely to get through traffic and is nimble enough to redirect and cut back outside when the inside hole is clogged … With his sharp cutting agility and burst, Leonard has had good success separating after the catch … Holds the ball secure to his chest when running inside and in the outside hand when turning the corner … Shows very good hands on toss plays and, even when he gets erect in his stance, he is conscious of protecting the ball … Has the speed to separate after the catch and the power to obliterate the smaller defender that tries to get in his path … Is especially effective on swing and middle screens, flat and wheel routes … Has good hip snap maintaining blocking position to protect the pocket and shows urgency facing up … Good cut blocker who shows alertness picking up the blitz. Negatives: When he gets too erect in his stance, he will lose some base and get pushed back through the rush lane … While Leonard has had success bouncing outside to gain yardage in the past, he was used mostly on runs between the tackles as a senior … Seems to have the speed to get outside, make the cut and turn it up the field, but he tends to lose his body lean and get too high in his stance, leaving his feet exposed for shoestring tackles … Runs with good forward lean between tackles, but must learn to keep the same pad level on cuts to the perimeter … Effective lead blocker, but despite his strength as a runner, he fails to generate much pop on contact with his hands … Flashes good speed cutting on the edge, but must generate a stronger kick-out and hand technique in attempts to sustain. Compares To: Justin Griffith of the Atlanta Falcons (Mississippi State) … Leonard is not the physically imposing blocker Tampa Bay's Mike Alstott is but, like Griffith, he generates excellent quickness out of his stance, precise cutback agility and natural hands to be a legitimate receiving threat … He made strides as a lead blocker, but might be best utilized as a halfback in a one-back offense. INJURY REPORT 2004: Sat out the Syracuse game (Oct. 2) after suffering a leg bruise the previous week vs. Kent State. AGILITY TESTS Campus: 4.52 in the 40-yard dash … 425-pound bench press … 535-pound squat … 335-pound power clean … 34½-inch vertical jump … 30¼-inch arm length … 9-inch hands … Right-handed. HIGH SCHOOL Attended Gouverneur (N.Y.) High School, playing football for head coach Joe Whal … Led the team to a 9-1 record and the Class B Section X championship as a senior … Two-time all-state selection and Watertown Daily Times Athlete of the Year, adding All-Northern Conference Most Valuable Player accolades three times … Closed out his career as the state of New York's all-time record holder by scoring 696 points, totaling 107 touchdowns while rushing for 5,854 yards … As a senior, Leonard rushed for 2,398 yards on 234 carries (10.2-yard average) and 47 touchdowns, adding seven two-point conversions, as he also caught 23 passes for 529 yards … Produced nine consecutive 200-yard rushing games during his final season … As a linebacker, he recorded 64 tackles, including 41 solo stops, one sack and two interceptions … Rushed for 354 yards and four touchdowns in the Wildcats' 28-22 win over Ogdensburg Free Academy in the title game and scored eight touchdowns in the Wildcats' victory over Cornwall High … Was also a standout basketball player … Garnered first-team all-league and PrepStar All-American honors … In track, he competed in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the long jump … Posted impressive wins in both the 100 and 200 meters at the Section VII/X Track & Field Championships … Four-time honor roll student. PERSONAL Labor studies major … Younger brother of former Rutgers linebacker Nate Leonard (1999-2001), whose career was cut short by a knee injury. Nate Leonard served as a graduate assistant at Rutgers during Brian Leonard's first season with the Scarlet Knights in 2002 … Born Feb. 3, 1984 … Resides in Haisborough, N.Y.
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