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.
Bulger Deal Coming?
Saturday, May 26, 2007
The Rams have gotten good at keepiing their stars off the free agent market in recent years. As the end of Marc Bulgers contract nears, the team's number one priority this season is to give the star quarterback a new contract. Bulger is coming off his best season as a starter.Bulger has been quoted ""I'd love to finish my career here." This is a good sign for Rams fans. It appears a deal is close to being made, but may not come too soon. The sooner the deal gets done, the less Bulger has to worry about the future. If a deal gets done before the season begins or not, Bulger still should put up big numbers playing in St. Louis' high powered offense this year. As of now, Bulger's backup is Gus Frerotte. Frerotte has 13 years of experience of his own and his career is coming to an end. The team has seen what third string QB, Ryan Fitzpatrick, can bring to the field in 2005 when injuries let him step in. The team may look into a long term backup in the near future for a safety pin in case Bulger gets hurt again.
The Rams brought in big 350 lb Sam Adams for a tryout on Thursday. This coming just ten days after Adams was released by Cincinatti. Though no contract was offered, there does appear to be some interest in bringing in Adams to fortify the nose tackle position. Adams does have some injury concerns, but when he is healthy, he can do a great job clogging up the middle.
DE James Hall Victor Adeyanju Eric Moore As of now, this is James Hall spot. Carriker may come in and take it in training camp, but he is listed as a DT now. Adeyanju will see his playing time, but he won't be a starter. DT Jimmy Kennedy Adam Carriker Clifton Ryan Kennedy never played up to his potential, but he still is in a starting role. If Carriker does stay at DT, He will push for the spot. DT La'Roi Glover Claude Wroten Unless Wroten shows the coaches a lot, he won't be starting any time soon, this is La'Roi's spot. DE Leonard Little Michael Brown Trevor Johnson Little is one of the best players to wear the Blue and Gold in the last 10 years. He has been dominate and consistent for the most part. No chance for him to get benched. OLB Pisa Tinoisamoa Jon Alston Pisa is becoming a major part of this defensive unit. Each year he has gotten better. Alston is a good enough athlete to see the field sometime. If the coaches do choose to move him to a safety position, It may allow Bartell to move back to CB. Otherwise, Alston can dominate special teams. MLB Will Witherspoon Chris Draft Tim McGarigle Witherspoon was a great addition last offseason. He is the centerpiece of this defense and will continue to be. Bringing in Draft is just to add depth and help out on special teams. OLB Brandon Chillar Raonall Smith Chillar started to become a decent starter last season. I think he will improve more this year and become a decent starter. CB Fakhir Brown Jerametrius Butler Lenny Walls The Rams are short of depth at CB. Brown is the start, but it is unsure if Butler will even make the squad. CB Tye Hill Mike Rumph Jonathan Wade Hill is the other starter at CB. Rumph is another guy who may not even make the roster. Wade may get playing time if all plays out right. I think Bartell should move back to CB, and Todd Johnson could fill his spot at backing up Atogwe. FS Oshiomogho Atogwe Ron Bartell Oshiomogho came on strong late last year and will be the starter again this year. He has enough talent to become one of the Leagues better safeties. Bartell is his backup for now, though as i said before, he should play CB. SS Corey Chavous Jerome Carter Todd Johnson Chavous played pretty well last year. He is the starter without much contest. Carter has played well too when he sees the field, but it wont move him to a starter role. Johnson just adds depth at both safety spots.
First Team Primary Backup Backups QB Marc Bulger Gus Frerotte Ryan Fitzpatrick Drew Tate Bulger is the starter, hands down. There is no competition, there won't be for a long time. Most likely, Frerotte will be his backup, and Tate will have to impress the coaches to make the roster. RB Steven Jackson Brian Leonard Travis Minor Kay-Jay Harris Same situation here, Jackson is the starter, hands down. He is emerging as an elite back in this league and has his best years yet to come. Rookie Brian Leonard will probably slip into the second spot on the depth chart due to the lack of talent after Jackson. Leonard will get his carries when Jackson gets tired or injured. Other backs that aren't listed will have a tough time making the active roster. FB Madison Hedgecock Unless a free agent comes in or they move one of their current RBs to FB, this is Hedgecock's job and he is getting better at it. FB really isn't used too much in the Rams offense. LWR Torry Holt Drew Bennett Dominique Thompson Willie Ponder Holt is the man at WR. He will go for another Pro Bowl year, and chances are, he may get it in this offense. Bennett was brought in to help replace Curtis and McDonald. He should be able to do that and more. He can still be a big threat. 5th WR is a battle between a few players. The losers may not make the squad. RWR Isaac Bruce Dane Looker Dante' Hall Marques Hagans Bruce doen't have many years left in him, but he still can be productive and he should put up good numbers. Looker will have to battle Hall for the 4th receiver slot. Hall has never been too much for a WR and his open field skills may not be what the were a few years ago. Hagans will be in the battle for 5th WR TE Randy McMichael Joe Klopfenstein Aaron Walker Dominique Byrd After drafting 2 TEs last year, Linehan brought in Randy McMichael from Miami. McMichael will come in and be another target for Bulger. They may even run more two TE formations, allowing Klopfenstein to get some catches. Walker will battle Bryd for the 3rd TE slot. ORT Alex Barron Todd Steussie Kendrick Shackleford Like most of the Rams offensive positions, This is Barron's spot and he won't lose it. Stuessie played well when he saw the field, but Barron is young and talented. Shackleford is just a rookie trying to learn. He may get his shot in the future. ORG Richie Incognito Adam Goldberg Things get a little interesting now. Incognito can be considered a G or a C. He has a shot at starting at either. If he does play C, Goldberg would move into the starting role. C Andy McCollum Brett Romberg Dustin Fry Depending on what Incognito does, McCollum is the starter. He has been for a while and probably should be.Fry will battle Romberg for a backup role. OLG Claude Terrell Mark Setterstrom Terrell should be the starter here, but there has been talks of Setterstrom slipping into this role. OLT Orlando Pace Jeremy Parquet The Rams anchor is Orlando Pace. If he can stay healthy, the run game will be better, the pass game will be better, and even the defense will be better. He helps everything. he has no chance at losing his starting spot.
Seattle Seahawks Who they Took: 2 (55) Josh Wilson, CB - Maryland 3 (85) Brandon Mebane, DT - California 4 (120) Baraka Atkins, DE - Miami FL 4 (124) Mansfield Wrotto, G - Georgia Tech 5 (161) Will Hering, OLB - Auburn 6 (197) Courtney Taylor, WR - Auburn 6 (210) Jordan Kent, WR - Oregon 7 (232) Steve Vallos, G - Wake Forrest Key Team Needs: 1. Safety 2. Cornerback 3. Defensive end 4. Tight end 5. Offensive line The Bottom Line: Drafting without a first round pick automatically puts your team in a handicap. They addressed they need of a CB right away with their round two pick. Wilson is good and he may get right into the action. They also took care of D-Line needs. After getting rid of Darrell Jackson, they took care of WR with two near the later rounds. They had a pretty good draft for their situation. Grade: C+
San Fransisco 49ers Who they Took: 1 (11) Patrick Willis, ILB - Ole Miss 1 (28) Joe Staley, OT - Cental Michigan 3 (76) Jason Hill, WR - Washington State 3 (97) Ray McDonald, DT - Florida 4 (104) Jay Moore, DE - Nebraska 4 (126) Dashon Goldson, FS - Washington 5 (147) Tarrell Brown, CB - Texas 6 (186) Thomas Clayton, RB - Kansas State Key Team Needs: 1. Wide receiver 2. Defensive end 3. Cornerback 4. Linebacker 5. Safety The Bottom Line: Drafting Patrick Willis is nothing to be ashamed of. I believe he was the best linebacker in the draft by far and he will be a dominate player in his career. The trade up to get Joe Staley wasn't really necessary. Sure a good OT is great to have around, but where they got him and where they could have got him was a different story. They solved their need of a WR by trading for Darrell Jackson and still drafted the talented receiver Hill in round three. They helped the D-Line out in the middle rounds. McDonald was a good pickup for the third round. They tried to address the DBs but not until the later rounds. I have no problem in this becasue the players they drafted will contribute well. Good draft for the most part. Grade: B Arizona Cardinals Who They Took: 1 (5) Levi Brown, OT - Penn State 2 (33) Alan Branch, DT - Michigan 3 (69) Buster Davis, ILB - Florida State 5 (142) Steve Breaston, WR - Michigan 7 (215) Ben Patrick, TE - Deleware Key Team Needs: 1. Offensive tackle 2. Cornerback 3. Linebacker 4. Safety 5. Running back The Bottom Line: Their number one goal was offensive tackle and that's what they wanted to address first. I don't believe Brown was a top five pick, but he wasn't too far behind Thomas, so it wasn't too much of a reach. I really like the pick of Branch in round two. Though it really wasn't a major need, Branch can be agreat talent if he plays hard and stays in shape. He was a top ten or even top five projected player at the beginning of the offseason and his stock kept slipping. The Pick of Davis was good. They needed an LB and Davis can be good if he can can stay in shape also. he isn't the biggest, but he plays tough. Breaston will add in the return game and he may even play some reveiver. His stock may have been higher if he came out last year. They didn't really need a TE, but patrick was sitting on the board for a lot longer then he should have been, and it was a good value pick. After Brown, they didn't really look into their needs. Grade B
St. Louis Rams Who They Took: 1 (13) Adam Carriker, DE - Nebraska 2 (52) Brian Leonard, FB/RB - Rutgers 3 (84) Jon Wade, CB - Tennessee 5 (139) Dustin Fry, C - Clemson 5 (154) Clifton Ryan, DT - Michigan State 6 (190) Ken Shackleford, OT - Georgia 7 (248) Keith Jackson, DT - Arkansas 7 (249) Derek Stanley, WR - Wisconsin-Whitewater Key Team Needs: 1. Defensive end 2. Defensive tackle 3. Cornerback 4. Wide receiver 5. Running back The Bottom Line: Carriker was just what they wanted. He is big, strong, pysical and intense.He has ben pretty consistant thoughout his career. Brian Leonard was a wildcard in this years draft. The Rams wanted a RB, and Leonard can play both FB and RB in the NFL. He will be a good power back that can catch out of the backfield. I'm sure that was one of the reasons the Rams used the pick on him. They had the oportunity to take either Darrelle Revis or Leon Hall in round one, but passed on both. Taking Wade in the third round may be a gamble. He is a converted WR that is still learing the position. The picks of Fry and Shackleford add depth to the O-Line that is still one of the better ones in the league. They could have drafted a wide reciever earlier. Dante Hall probably shouldn't be the 4th string, but may end up there. They filled their needs failey well and had a pretty good draft. Grade: B-
Rams Close Out the Draft With Stanley With the 249th overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft, the Rams took exciting wide receiver, Derek Stanley. Not much is known about Stanley to most. He went to a D3 school in Wisconsin-Whitewater. I gre up in the area and I'ver seen some of him. He has speed and talent. He ran track in college and was clocked at a 4.34. He has the feet, hips and adjust ability to develop.
Bio from draftace.com
Derek Stanley Wide Receiver Wisconsin-Whitewater Ht: 5'10 Wt: 173
Strengths: Tremendous all around athlete. Good field vision; finds the soft spot in zone coverage. Can make things happen after the catch. Good speed. Weaknesses: Undersized. Doesn't always run crisp routes. Hasn't faced top competition. Comments: Stanley was a very productive receiver at his level of competition. He is a quick, shifty receiver with some upside as slot receiver at the next level. He projects as a late round selection.
Rams Select Jackson in 7th Round With back-to-back picks to close out the Rams draft, the Rams took Keith Jackson with the 248th overall selection. The Rams wanted a nosetackle, but I still think Jackson will be another member that will struggle to make the opening day roster and may see a lot of time on the practice squad. He's undersized, so that's not going to help him out too much.
Bio from NFL.com
Keith Jackson Height: 6-0 Weight: 305 Position: Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle College: Arkansas
OVERVIEW During his final two seasons at Arkansas, Jackson made a name for himself as a physical run stuffer in the middle of the line. If his name sounds familiar to old-time football fans, his father, Keith Jackson, Sr., was a two-time All-American tight end at Oklahoma and was a six-time NFL Pro Bowl selection for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers. Jackson, Sr., is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and also serves as a radio color commentator on the Arkansas Razorback Sports Network for football games. Jackson, Jr., was rated the fifth-best overall player in Arkansas by Rivals.com as a senior at McClellan High School. He was a member of the Associated Press Arkansas Super Team as a senior. As a junior nose guard, he made 126 tackles (50 solos) while recording 4½ sacks and three fumble recoveries. As a junior fullback he rushed for 880 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a senior, Jackson had 80 tackles (eight for loss) and eight sacks. He was a member of the PrepStar All-Region VI Team and earned All-Southwest honors from Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report. He was given a 3.5 star rating by Forrest Davis. Jackson enrolled at Arkansas in 2003, turning down scholarship offers from Oklahoma State and Louisiana Tech. He earned playing time in eight games as a reserve defensive tackle in 2003, posting 12 tackles (four solos) with a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. He continued to see reserve action on the defensive line in 2004, earning his first career start against Louisiana-Monroe. He finished his second season with 26 tackles (18 solos), two sacks, 4½ stops for losses and a forced fumble. Jackson took over right defensive tackle duties in 2005 and was the only down lineman to start every game. He registered 74 tackles (44 solos) with 2½ sacks, 6½ stops behind the line of scrimmage and six quarterback pressures. He recovered three fumbles and caused another while also batting away a pass. As a senior, he earned All-Southeastern Conference first-team honors from the Associated Press. He ranked fourth on the team, recording 79 tackles (43 solos) with 2½ sacks and 7½ stops for losses from his right tackle position. In 14 games, he added 16 pressures, a forced fumble and three pass break-ups. He also intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown. In 44 games at Arkansas, Jackson started 28 contests. He collected 191 tackles (109 solos) with seven sacks for minus-65 yards, 18½ stops for losses of 87 yards and 23 quarterback pressures. He caused and recovered four fumbles, knocked down four passes and had two interceptions for 69 yards in returns, including a touchdown. ANALYSIS Positives: Has a squat, yet thick frame with a thick chest, broad shoulders, wide waist and hips, built in the lines of a nose guard … High energy type who is very effective at splitting double teams and plugging the inside rush lanes … Does an adequate job of shedding blocks and moving down the line to make plays in pursuit … Lacks great timed speed, but is effective at moving to the ball in the short area … Has made steady strides in improving his work ethic and showed the last two years that he will give full effort during the game … Has a decent feel for blocks and locating the ball in a crowd … Does a much better job firing off the pass than he does in stringing out run plays … Will generally put himself in position to make the tackle … Has the strength for two-gap activity and uses his hands well to shed … when he keeps his pad level down, he has success getting underneath the blockers to penetrate and make plays in the backfield … Has the strong anchor to hold ground against plays directed at him … Takes good angles and shows the lateral range needed in pursuit … More of a drag down, wrap-up tackler, but can generate some explosion behind his hits … Needs to use his hands better to gain separation, but utilizes them well to defeat single blocks … Has the short-area burst to gain advantage and can drive the blocker back into the pocket when he stays low and fires off the snap with his head up. Negatives: Even with his strong anchor, he can be pushed off the ball, especially when he gets too tall in his stance … Marginal pass rusher, as he is more apt to pressure the pocket than seal the deal (lacks awareness in the backfield) … Also lacks an array of moves to counter when attempting to penetrate … Active with his hands, but tends to get so involved with over-powering the blocker, he forgets about attacking the ball … When bull rushing, his arms get outside the frame, leaving his chest exposed to combo blocks … Needs to play with his head up (when he gets his head down, he struggles to recognize blocking schemes) … Has improved his work ethic, but will still get a bit lazy at times and needs monitoring. Compares To: Anthony McFarland, Indianapolis Colts … Like McFarland, when Jackson's head is into the game, he can be a disruptive force on the line … He has that low center of gravity and short area burst to get underneath the blockers, but needs to use his hands better in attempts to shed. He does well with two-gap assignments, but even though he plays with a high motor, he is better served in a sub package than as an every down lineman. INJURY REPORT 2007: Could not complete the agility tests at the Combine due to a right groin pull. AGILITY TESTS Campus: 4.85 in the 40-yard dash … 440-pound bench press … 605-pound squat … 300-pound power clean … 31-inch vertical jump … 8-foot-8 broad jump. Combine: 5.06 in the 40-yard dash … 1.72 10-yard dash … 2.95 20-yard dash … 4.56 20-yard shuttle … 7.65 three-cone drill … 30-inch vertical jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 33 times. HIGH SCHOOL Attended McClellan (Little Rock, Ark.) High School, playing football for head coach Anthony Chambers … Rated the fifth-best overall player in Arkansas by Rivals.com as a senior … Member of the Associated Press Arkansas Super Team as a senior … As a junior nose guard, he made 126 tackles (50 solos) while recording 4½ sacks and three fumble recoveries … As a junior fullback he rushed for 880 yards and 13 touchdowns … As a senior, Jackson had 80 tackles (eight for loss) and eight sacks … Member of the PrepStar All-Region VI Team and earned All-Southwest honors from Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report … Given a 3.5 star rating by Forrest Davis. PERSONAL Sociology major, enrolled in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences … Son of Valerie and Ronald Williams, and Keith Jackson, Sr. … Father was a two-time All-American tight end at Oklahoma and was a six-time NFL Pro Bowl selection for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers … Keith Jackson, Sr., is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and also serves as a radio color commentator on the Arkansas Razorback Sports Network for football games … Born Feb. 25, 1985 … Resides in Little Rock, Ark.
Rams Select Shackleford in 6th round Doesn't look very promising for Kendrick Shackleford. The negatives out weigh the positives. He will have to really show something to make the teams opening day roster, may see the practice squad this season. He didn't get that much experience at Georgia.
OVERVIEW Finally given an opportunity to start in 2006, Shackleford awarded the coaching staff for its patience by dominating the competition from the strong-side tackle position. With the massive blocker leading the way, the front wall allowed only 17 sacks for the season. Shackelford attended Villa Rica High School, where he was an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top 50 in Georgia and Class AAA first-team all-state selection. He added Times-Georgian All-Area honors as a senior, repeating those honors in both football and basketball during his junior season. He was named all-region in basketball and was selected the 2001 squad's Most Improved Player. Shackelford enrolled at Georgia, where he provided reserve duty at tackle for the school's 10-3 team in 2003. He was the recipient of the team's Iron Man Award in 2004 while serving mostly as a reserve, starting one game against Vanderbilt. He was second string at strong-side tackle in 2005, appearing in every game. As a senior, he started every game for the Bulldogs, producing 52 knockdowns. ANALYSIS Positives: Has a thick frame with muscular arms, big gut, large thighs and calves, thick ankles and big feet … Shows great balance and lower body strength to maintain position vs. the bull rush … Has the long arm reach to engulf smaller edge rushers and knows how to use his frame to lean, push and wear down the bull rusher … Despite his size, he is efficient on pulls and traps, taking good angles and locating linebackers to neutralize on the move … Comes off the snap with great force, jolting the pass rusher back … Lacks timed speed, but uses his burst off the snap to gain leverage over the defender … Maintains contact on the move and is able to create huge holes with his explosiveness … Plays with good body control when called upon to trap block … Has a good running motion for a player of his size … Shows good arm extension and power in pass protection and the foot agility to slide out to neutralize the edge rush. Negatives: Lunges and over-extends at times when his initial move fails to lock onto a defender … Needs to improve his hand technique (has the power, but seems to drop his hands too quickly on contact) … Short-arm blocks and his large frame sometimes poses problems when he has to go down low … Needs to be quicker recoiling and resetting his hands … Appears too stiff in his hips to run with a fluid stride … also must use his hands better to avoid tacklers at his legs (can be taken down easily when attacked low). Compares To: Kevin Barry, Green Bay Packers … Like Barry, Shackelford can play either tackle position … Neither is known for his foot speed, but both do an efficient job of holding off the bull rush by using their size to lean into and occupy the defender until the play is completed. INJURY REPORT No injuries reported. AGILITY TESTS Campus: 5.3 in the 40-yard dash … 460-pound bench press … 25-inch vertical jump … 8-foot-3 broad jump. Combine: 5.33 in the 40-yard dash … 1.88 10-yard dash … 3.09 20-yard dash … 5.05 20-yard shuttle … 8.35 three-cone drill … 24½-inch vertical jump … 8-foot-6 broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 28 times. HIGH SCHOOL Attended Villa Rica (Ga.) High School, playing football for head coach Lynn Rowe … Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top 50 in Georgia and Class AAA first-team all-state selection … Added Times-Georgian All-Area honors as a senior, repeating those honors in both football and basketball during his junior season … Named all-region in basketball and was selected the 2001 squad's Most Improved Player. PERSONAL Child and Family Development major … Born Feb. 2, 1985 … Resides in Villa Rica, Ga.
Rams Select Ryan More Defensive line help with this pick. Carriker will come in and probably start at DE, Ryan won't be so lucky. He will probably hardly see the field as a rookie, but creates more depth. He's athletic and the Rams seem to like that.
Bio from NFL.com
Clifton Ryan Height: 6-3 Weight: 310 Position: Defensive Tackle/End College: Michigan State OVERVIEW Ryan was originally recruited as an outside linebacker, playing that position briefly before shifting to rush defensive end in 2003. As he continued to grow in size, the coaching staff utilized him as a strongside defensive end as a sophomore and junior, shifting him to weakside defensive tackle for his final season. At Arthur Hill High School, Ryan was an All-Midwest choice by Super Prep, Prep Star and Prep Football Report. He ranked among the nation's top 25 athletes by ESPN.com's Tom Lemming and was listed among the Midwest's top prospects by Super Prep. He was rated among the state's top seniors by the Lansing State Journal, the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. He added first-team Class A all-state honors from the Detroit News as a senior and was a three-time All-Saginaw Valley Conference selection. Ryan recorded 87 tackles, including four sacks, in 2001. He also rushed for 376 yards and four touchdowns that year. He produced 108 tackles, including 11 for losses, and forced three fumbles as a junior. He also gained 250 yards (41 carries) and scored four rushing touchdowns in 2000. As a sophomore, he posted 115 stops and finished his career with 310 tackles, including 12 sacks. He also lettered in basketball and track. Ryan enrolled as a 260-pound outside linebacker at Michigan State in 2002. He played in two games before the coaching staff decided to redshirt him, as he was limited to a pair of tackles. He moved to rush end in 2003, playing behind Greg Taplin, finishing with 16 tackles (10 solos), a sack and two stops for loss. In 2004, Ryan took over strongside defensive end duties. In 12 games, he collected 41 tackles (29 solos) with 2½ sacks, seven stops for loss and seven quarterback pressures. He also caused a fumble and deflected a pass. Ryan struggled with his weight in 2005, as he played at more than 300 pounds. The strongside end managed 34 tackles (22 solos) with three sacks, as he caused and recovered a fumble. He also had three pressures. Ryan shifted inside to weakside tackle in 2006. He delivered just 25 tackles (16 solos), but produced 13 pressures with four sacks, six stops for loss and two forced fumbles. In 50 games at Michigan State, Ryan started 35 contests. He made 118 tackles (78 solos) with 10½ sacks for minus-62 yards, 19 stops for losses of 94 yards and 23 quarterback pressures. He caused four fumbles and recovered two others while also deflecting a pair of passes. ANALYSIS Positives: Has a thick frame with a firm lower body … Has good weight-room strength, but must have it translate to the field better … Shows adequate quickness out of his stance and does a decent job of stringing plays out … When he keeps his pads down, he is able to generate enough of a burst to gain advantage off the snap … Does a good job of adjusting on the move and has shown improved hand usage in attempts to shed … Gives adequate effort in his lateral pursuit and has functional pop on contact … Improved his wrap-up tackle technique, doing a better job of facing up and striking as a senior … Flashes quick hands with strength to jolt and fend off blocks, but needs to do a better job of protecting his body … Was much better in 2006 when trying to flash that extra surge after separation to close on the play … Might be a better fit for the under tackle position, as he lacks the quickness to play on the edge … When playing tackle, he showed better ability to get under the blocker's jersey and was more efficient taking on the lead blocker to clog the rush lanes … Takes better angles from the two-gap than from the edge (will take a wide loop in order to avoid when playing end) … Has the leg drive to anchor and hold ground, but needs to do it with more consistency … His 13 pressures in 2006 indicate he could be effective on stunts, and he showed better lateral mobility in attempts to push the pocket. Negatives: Frame lacks muscle tone (thick, but not well built) and is at maximum growth potential (added more than 40 pounds since his freshman year) … Slow to read and react to plays and will throttle down when not involved in the action … More of an assignment type (does what he is told) than one who plays on instincts … Has generated little production as a tackler, but shows adequate ability to pressure the quarterback … His weight room strength fails to translate to the field, as he struggles to stack and control, shed and anchor (did show better anchor working inside in 2006, though) … Doesn't have the balance to make plays in space … Slow to stunt outside, as he takes false steps in his change of direction … Has a good short-area burst, but his feet die when having to labor long distances … Needs to use his hands better to deflect passes at the line, and also must do a better job of keeping those hands inside the frame (takes wild swipes and leaves his chest exposed too often) … Might be better off dropping some pounds, as his added bulk led to tired legs and calf problems. Compares To: ORIEN HARRIS-Cleveland … Ryan might be a better fit at tackle than guard. He has some redeeming qualities to fill a roster spot, as he can play inside in a 4-3 or bounce wide in a 3-4 alignment. However, with only 118 tackles in 50 games, including 35 starts, you can see he has not been productive. He showed better run-stuffing skills at tackle in 2006, but if a team drafts him to play end, he will have a short summer in training camp. INJURY REPORT 2006: Bothered most of the year by a calf strain. AGILITY TESTS Campus: 5.14 in the 40-yard dash … Bench pressed 225 pounds 25 times … 29-inch vertical jump … 8-foot-4 broad jump … 4.83 20-yard shuttle … 7.36 three-cone drill … 32½-inch arm length … 8¾-inch hands … Right-handed. Combine: 5.1 in the 40-yard dash … 1.77 10-yard dash … 2.97 20-yard dash … 4.69 20-yard shuttle … 7.49 three-cone drill … 26½-inch vertical jump … 8-foot-6 broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 25 times. HIGH SCHOOL Attended Arthur Hill (Saginaw, Mich.) High School, playing football for head coach James Jones … All-Midwest choice by Super Prep, Prep Star and Prep Football Report … Ranked among the nation's top 25 athletes by ESPN.com's Tom Lemming and was listed among the Midwest's top prospects by Super Prep … Rated among the state's top seniors by the Lansing State Journal, the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press … Added first-team Class A all-state honors from the Detroit News as a senior and was a three-time All-Saginaw Valley Conference selection … Recorded 87 tackles, including four sacks, in 2001 … Also rushed for 376 yards and four touchdowns that year … Produced 108 tackles, including 11 for losses, and forced three fumbles as a junior … Also gained 250 yards (41 carries) and scored four rushing touchdowns in 2000 … As a sophomore, he posted 115 stops and finished his career with 310 tackles, including 12 sacks … Also lettered in basketball and track. PERSONAL Kinesiology major … Son of Regina Ryan … Born Feb. 18, 1984 … Resides in Saginaw, Mich.
Rams Select Fry After trading down and out of the 4th round, the Rams used their newly aquired 5tf round pick, 139th overall, to select center/guard, Dustin Fry from Clemson. Fry is a big, stong, powerful guy. He picks up the blitz well. Rams may keep him and work him into the system slowly for the future.
Bio From NFL.com
Dustin Fry Height: 6-2 Weight: 326 Position: Center College: Clemson
OVERVIEW The all-Atlantic Coast Conference selection was the anchor for the Tigers' front wall ever since taking over full-time center duties as a sophomore. With his low center of gravity, girth and squat frame, Fry has made it a habit of putting defenders on their pants, registering 171 knockdowns while manning the pivot. Much of the team's success running with the football is because of Fry's dominance in the middle, where more than 60 percent of the Tigers' ground yardage was attained in 2006. The hard-nose drive blocker helped elevate the team's rushing attack to fifth in the nation with 217.85 yards per game, a far cry from the Tigers' 100th place ranking during Fry's sophomore season in 2004 (team averaged 107.55 yards that year). Fry played under legendary head coach John McKissick (only coach in high school, college or professional history to win more than 500 games in a career) at Summerville High School. He earned All-American honors from SuperPrep, CBSSportsline.com and Max Emfinger, adding all-state, all-area and all-region accolades as a senior. He also picked up all-Lowcountry honors in three sports -- football, wrestling and track and field. Fry started at offensive guard and tackle during his career. He recorded 80 knockdown blocks as a senior, grading better than 80 percent for blocking consistency in every game. He was rated as one of the top four football prospects in the state of South Carolina and played in the Shrine Bowl after his final season. In wrestling, Fry captured the state Class AA championship as a junior. He finished second in the state finals in the shot put his junior campaign and was named Post & Courier Lowcountry Male Athlete of the Year. In 2002, Fry enrolled at Clemson; he chose the Tigers over Georgia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. He competed as a center on the scout team and retained freshman eligibility. The following year, Fry collected 12 knockdown blocks and earned his first career start against North Carolina. Fry continued to play behind Tommy Sharpe at center in 2004. He saw action in 10 games, sitting out the season opener against Wake Forest while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. He finished the 2004 season with 18 knockdown blocks. The following season was his first as a full-time starter. Fry was a first-team all-state pick by Orangeburg Touchdown Club and winner of the Solid Rock Award from the coaching staff among offensive linemen. He graded 83 percent for blocking consistency and registered 72½ knockdowns in 820 plays. Fry was named all-Atlantic Coast Conference second-team in 2006. He participated in 666 plays, made 68½ knockdowns and was called by the coaching staff the main reason for the team's offensive prowess. The Tigers led the conference and ranked 15th nationally with 410.92 yards per game in total offense, ranked fifth in the nation in rushing (217.85 ypg) and ranked 12th in the Division I-A ranks with 32.89 points per game. The most important figure was the protection Fry and his fellow linemen afforded the Clemson backfield. After ranking 61st in the nation by allowing 2.63 sacks per game in 2005, the front wall ranked sixth in the country and led the ACC in 2006, giving up only 1.15 sacks per game. Fry wound up starting 26 of his 46 games. He saw action in 2,192 plays and registered 171 knockdown blocks. ANALYSIS Positives: Lacks muscle tone, but has good overall body thickness, long arms, natural strength, round midsection, thick hips, thighs and calves and big bubble. … Has good knee bend and balance for a player with his girth, showing good quickness firing off the snap to block in space. … Has adequate foot movement in his kick slide and does a good job of mirroring the defender in one-on-one action. … Plays with a nasty streak and likes to use his hand punch to shock and jolt. … Made good strides as a senior to improve his marginal hand placement, appearing to be more active shooting and recoiling his hands with force. … Uses his leg drive to wall off and turn the defender while maintaining position, doing a nice job of coming off the snap to reach the interior defender. … Gets out of his stance nicely, generating good explosion to generate movement off the snap for the running game, showing functional quickness in the short area. … Uses his hands properly to set, pop and stop the bull rush charge, and learned in 2006 how to use his body mass to deliver more force behind his blocks. … Despite his girth, he demonstrates decent knee bend and flexibility, staying low in his anchor. … Plays flat-footed, making good body adjustments in his lateral slide and rolls his hips and punches with his hands to drive the defender off the ball. … Very effective at bumping the defensive tackle, climbing into the short area and redirecting to hit and land on targets in space. … Tough lineman who will compete and challenge defenders. … Smart and very instinctive, making all of the calls at the line, rarely making any assignment mistakes. … Hard worker in the weight room whose 500-pound bench press ranks among the all-time best by a Clemson player. … Has the leg base to keep his balance dropping back in pass protection (will get jerked forward by a defender when he gets too tall in his stance, though). … Does a nice job of incline blocking, adjusting to stunts on the move. Negatives: Inconsistent getting to the second level, lacking the sustained speed. Tends to get top heavy, crossing his feet and narrowing his base to make it easy for defenders to pull him down to the ground. … While he has a good hand punch, he will overextend, causing him to not sustain blocks for long. … Relies more on strength; he is not known for getting position and finessing his man. … Trips over his feet trying to get out to neutralize the linebackers. … Has an effective hand jolt, but will still revert to catching the defender rather than rocking him back at times. … Must learn to play at a lower pad level; he gets too upright in his stance. … Can handle defenders one-on-one, but is susceptible to the speed move. … Good on the short pull, but struggles to locate linebackers; he tends to keep his head down moving up field. … Has improved his hand placement, but needs to reset them quicker in order to defeat counter moves. Compares To: Richie Incognito, St. Louis -- Like Incognito, Fry plays with a lot of aggression. He is not the most sound-blocking technician (he is still learning proper hand technique), but has the strength and hand punch to shock and jolt defenders with consistency. He is very quick firing off the ball to lock on to the 1 tech defender working inside, but outside of the short pull, he doesn't have the foot speed to be effective blocking in the second level. He compensates for a lack of ideal quickness with brute strength, but when he gets too high in his stance, he can be walked back into the pocket, evident by his struggles holding off the bull rush in Senior Bowl practices. INJURY REPORT 2002: Granted a medical hardship while recovering from a dislocated right kneecap. 2004: Underwent arthroscopic left shoulder surgery (1/04/04) after the 2003 season. … The injury would force him to miss the season opener vs. Wake Forest. 2005: Underwent arthroscopic right knee surgery in January. AGILITY TESTS Campus: 5.27 in the 40-yard dash. … 500-pound bench press. … Bench presses 225 pounds 42 times. … 655-pound squat. … 410-pound hang clean. … 27-inch vertical jump. … 7-foot-6 broad jump. … 32 3/8-inch arm length. … 9¾-inch hands. … Right-handed. HIGH SCHOOL Attended Summerville (S.C.) High School, playing football for legendary head coach John McKissick. … Earned All-American honors from SuperPrep, CBSSportsline.com and Max Emfinger, adding all-state, all-area and all-region accolades as a senior. … Also picked up all-Lowcountry honors in three sports -- football, wrestling and track and field. … Started at offensive guard and tackle during his career. … Recorded 80 knockdown blocks as a senior, grading over 80 percent for blocking consistency in every game. … Rated as one of the top four football prospects in the state of South Carolina and played in the Shrine Bowl after his final season. … In wrestling, Fry captured the state Class AA championship as a junior. … Finished second in the state finals in the shot put his junior year and was named Post & Courier Lowcountry Male Athlete-of-the-Year. PERSONAL Sports Management major. … Born Dustin W. Fry on 10/03/83. … Resides in Summerville, S.C.
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.
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.
Rams Select Adam Carriker The Rams did trade for James Hall earlier this offseason, but they liked Carriker. He will have to batte for a starting job right away, but may eventually replace Leonard Little. The pick is good. Many people predicted this, nothing to special.
Bio from nfl.com
Adam Carriker Height: 6-6 Weight: 292 Position: Defensive End College: Nebraska
OVERVIEW One of the Big 12's most dominant defensive players, Carriker has drawn favorable comparisons to New England Patriots standout Richard Seymour. Both have the explosive burst to penetrate the backfield and the range to chase down ball carriers along the perimeter. The team's 2004 Lifter of the Year, not only does Carriker have impressive strength and an imposing frame, but has also excelled in the classroom. He is a three-time All-Big 12 Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll member. Carriker was a standout quarterback and rush end at Kennewick High School in Washington. Even though his team did not win a game his senior year, he still earned second-team All-Big Nine Conference honors on defense and played in the state all-star game. Carriker recorded 15 sacks, five pass break-ups, four forced fumbles and 25 tackles for loss in his only season as a defensive end. He was a three-year starter at quarterback and served as a team captain three years. He ran track one year and earned All-Conference baseball honors three times as a designated hitter and first baseman. Academically, he was named to the Principal's list. Carriker attended Big Red Football School in 2001, and also visited Washington State, Oregon and Oregon State before choosing to enroll at Nebraska in 2002, spending the season as a defensive end on the scout team. A high ankle sprain in 2003 would sideline the reserve defensive end for three games. In limited action in nine contests, he made three tackles (2 solos) with a 9-yard sack and three pressures. His ankle problems continued in 2004, which cost him one game of action. He would go on to play in 10 games, starting four at right defensive end before shifting to left end for the final four games. He produced 36 tackles (19 solos) with three sacks, seven stops behind the line of scrimmage and seven pressures. Carriker started all year at "Base" (right) defensive end in 2005. He earned first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors and was named the team's Defensive MVP. He ranked seventh on the team with 43 tackles (26 solos), but he led the conference and ranked 15th in the nation with 9½ sacks. His 17 stops for losses were a team-high and placed him fourth in the league. He added 21 pressures with three pass deflections and recovered one fumble. In 2006, Carriker was named All-Big 12 Conference first-team, Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, All-American third-team and team Defensive MVP. He started every game at "Base" defensive end, finishing with 52 tackles (24 solos), as he led the team with seven sacks and ranked second with 16 stops behind the line of scrimmage. He picked off a pass and deflected 12 others while also blocking a kick. He was also credited with 12 quarterback pressures. In 45 games at Nebraska, Carriker started 34 times. He collected 134 tackles (71 solos) with 20½ sacks for minus-156 yards and 41 stops for losses totaling 184 yards. He posted 43 quarterback pressures and recovered one fumble. He also batted away six passes, picked off another and blocked one kick. ANALYSIS Positives: Has a well-built frame with long arms, good chest muscle definition, tight waist, good bubble and decent thickness in his thighs and calves … Lacks sudden explosiveness, but shows the initial quickness, balance and body control to charge hard in his backside pursuit … Keeps his pads down nicely for a player of his size, allowing him to gain position and hold his base well vs. double teams … Has the functional change-of-direction agility to work his way down the line … Demonstrates a punishing hand punch and excellent overall strength to easily handle multiple blockers, stack and control … Plants his foot into the ground to anchor at the point of attack and is quite effective at shooting the gaps when working in-line … Leader by example type, but the staff says he will not only play with pain, but simply refuses to come off the field when hurt … Has a strong work ethic and is a good program type who does not hesitate to mentor the younger players … Just adequate coming off the line, but uses his long arm reach and strength to gain advantage out of his stance … Might be a better fit for tackle due to his lack of edge quickness, but he has the strength and size to destroy interior blockers on contact and bull rush with consistency … Shows valid instincts and great vision to quickly locate and run to the ball … Aware of blocking schemes and does a good job of locking out blockers and locating the ball at the X's … Solid wrap-up tackler whose strength lets him quickly disengage from blocks … Has the lower-body power in his anchor to neutralize double-team action, consistently stacking while holding ground … Has enough speed to slip off some blocks and uses his hands well to keep the opponent off his body … His arm strength lets him consistently gain separation, stuff and shed … Also has the feet to adjust on the move … Shows good desire and effort in his lateral pursuit (more on short-area play than going long distances) … Does a nice job of neutralizing the outside run and forcing it back inside … His long arms let him engulf ball carriers, showing good strike form to wrap, secure and take down … Presses the corner well and uses his strength to compensate for adequate speed in attempts to pressure the pocket … Gives a good second effort in attempts to disengage … Lacks the extra burst to close on the quarterback, but will collide and push blockers back into the pocket … Has enough functional quickness to pursue from the backside. Negatives: More of a power-oriented pass rusher than an explosive edge rusher, making him a better candidate to play one-gap as a defensive tackle … Has a strong hand punch, but needs to recoil and set quicker when engaging blockers … Also must keep his hands active; he lacks ideal chop-and-rip moves when trying to disengage … Lacks an array of moves as a pass rusher and is more of a "meat and potatoes" type who prefers to punish the blocker rather than try to avoid … Might be at maximum growth potential; the added bulk on his frame in 2006 impeded his explosion off the snap. Compares To: Richard Seymour, New England -- Carriker is more suited to play like Seymour does in the 3-4 alignment -- out on the edge as a run stuffer and inside as a pass rusher. He has outstanding strength and size, but needs to develop better hand usage in his attempts to disengage. He does a good job of splitting double-teams and does a good job of keeping his feet when moving through trash. He won't spend most of his time chasing down quarterbacks; he doesn't have the explosive closing speed. But he is very effective at pushing blockers back into the pocket. With his size/strength combination, using him as anything outside of the way Seymour plays would be wasting his athletic ability. INJURY REPORT 2003: Suffered a high ankle sprain vs. Utah State (9/06), missing the next three games vs. Penn State, Southern Mississippi and Troy State. 2004: Sat out the Pittsburgh contest after suffering a high ankle sprain vs. Southern Mississippi. AGILITY TESTS Campus: 4.85 in the 40-yard dash … 440-pound bench press … 600-pound squat … 370-pound power clean … 33 5/8-inch arm length … 9 5/8-inch hands. HIGH SCHOOL Attended Kennewick (Wash.) High School, playing football for head coach Warren Hull … Played quarterback and defensive end … Even though his did not win a game his senior year, Carriker still earned second-team All-Big Nine Conference honors on defense and played in the state all-star game … Recorded 15 sacks, five pass deflections, four forced fumbles and 25 tackles for loss in his only season as a defensive end … Was a three-year starter at quarterback and served as a team captain three years … Ran track one year and earned All-Conference baseball honors three times as a designated hitter and first baseman … Academically, he was named to the Principal's list. PERSONAL Graduated in December 2006 with a degree in Business Administration … Three-time Big 12 Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll member … After graduation, he was married to the former Angela McBride, the sister of former Husker defensive end Jeff McBride … Volunteers his time as part of Nebraska's hospital visitations and as a speaker during American Education Week … Born 5/06/84 in Hastings, Nebraska … Resides in Kennewick, Wash., where his family moved to when he was 3 years old.
In an effort to solve one of the Rams team needs, the Rams went out and gave up their 5th round draft choice this year to acquire the "X-Factor" Dante Hall. Though Hall has been no more then average the past few seasons, he still has big play potential in the return game. On offense however, don't expect too much out of him. He may work to become 5th on the depth chart of wide receivers, maybe 4th if he can out battle a rookie. Before Hall, it was unknown who would start at the return game. At the beginning of 2005, the Rams traded Robert Thomas to the Packers for return man, Chris Johnson. Johnson played well in his first year, even scoring a touchdown but he never saw the field in 2006. Willie Ponder and JR Reed took care of most of the kick return duties last season while Shaun McDonald handled punts. Hall is probably an upgrade over all of them. Last season Hall recorded 1207 yards in kick returns alone. The Rams top 3 return men totaled 1139 yards. The Chiefs have been looking for a taken on Dante Hall for most of the offseason, and the Rams just happened to be the team to give up a 5th rounder. He should be a decent fit for a few years still.
After every team passed up on signing restricted free agent line backer Brandon Chillar, Chillar decided to resign back with the Rams to a one year, , $850,000 contract. Chillar was the Rams' starting starting strong-side linebacker, and he should keep his job for this season. Chillar is entering the fourth year of his career. last season was his best season so far where he totaled 57 tackles, had 2 sacks, and forced one fumble. Though he is still young, coaches are not to pleased with his progress. He should be playing at a higher level then he is. He may lose some snaps to Chris Draft or a rookie coming in, but I still think he'll record more then 50 stops.
Trades Unlikely It appears now that any move that would land either Ricky Williams or Kris Jenkins is highly unlikely at this point. The Rams aren't willing to give up a first round draft pick for Kris Jenkins. Instead, they will probably use their first pick on the line. Even though Linehan has been quoted saying they were going to take the "best player available," I still believe that means on the defensive line. As for Ricky, Linehan said he was interested, but that is as far as that got. Since Linehan coached WIlliams in Miami, he knows what kind of player he is and would've loved to have him around. Most likely, Williams will stay in Miami this season and split some time with Ronnie Brown. The Rams are looking for a running back on the first day of the draft. They may look at the following backs in round 3; Lorenzo Booker, Florida st Dewayne Wright, Fresno st but i think they will go with Chris Henry from Arizona
1 LaDainian Tomlinson, SD, RB Turner knows how to keep the rock rollin' on ground 2 Larry Johnson, KC, RB KC wants to use Bennett more to ease LJ's load 3 Steven Jackson, StL, RB McMichael, Bennett adds may drop his catches a bit 4 Shaun Alexander, Sea, RB 15+ TDs still very likely in this offense if healthy 5 Frank Gore, SF, RB '07 goal is breaking Eric Dickerson's rushing record
Obviously Jackson is expected to put up big numbers. Being ranked behind only LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson should be a huge honor. Plus, he is the highest ranked NFC player in the entire league. If he can put up the numbers that people expect, then the Rams may be looking at a playoff birth.
Other Rams on the list 19 Torry Holt, StL, WR McMichael, Bennett additions means a lil' more sharing 41 Marc Bulger, StL, QB Loaded: S-Jax, Holt, McMichael, Bruce, D. Bennett
it's true, the Rams are "loaded" Bulger should be a good guy to have this season. Though there may be more "sharing," don't expect Torry Holt's numbers to diminish very much. He will find a way to get well over 1,000 yards and about 100 catches.
On Friday, the Rams resigned restricted free agent G Adam Goldberg to a one-year, $850,000 contract and LB Raonall Smith to a one-year contract. Also DE Brandon Green visited with the Seahawks this week. All three players arn't stars by any means. They have contributed, but they arn't needed. All three ould be backups the the team. Green, who has recorded four sacks in the last two seasons, would like to move on, howver, i feel moving on still will not bring a starting role to him. Smith may look to do his best work on special teams waiting for an injury or two to let him see the field on defense.
If Ricky Williams can really stay off of drugs, would he be worth it to have on the team? I would say yes. Williams can be a good running back when healthy and not suspended. Now, with his reinstatement coming in the near future from his one year suspension, the Dolphins have to decision of what the are going to do with him. Reportedly, Scott Linehan is interested in the idea of Williams being Steven Jackson's backup. Both players play with the same style. Jackson is in his prime while Williams may be on the downfall. Though he isn't too old yet, things have hurt his career. Williams played under Linehan back in 2005 when Linehan was the Dolphins offensive coordinator.
"Based on how he played and the kind of person he was to be around, and the professional he was, I would certainly consider it," Linehan said Thursday. "He's proven himself with me. I know there would a certain amount of risk involved on that. . . I would have to look into it a little bit more."
Williams tried to play last season during his suspension from the NFL by playing for Toronto in the Canadian Football League. He rushed for 526 yards on 109 carries, and caught 19 passes for 127 yards. Injuries held him back as he missed two months with a broken arm.
