It was clear someone would take a chance on Janoris Jenkins. The St. Louis Rams became that team Friday, selecting the troubled-but-talented North Alabama cornerback in the second round of the NFL draft.
Rams general manager Les Snead told SI.com's Peter King "it would have been tougher to take a chance" on Jenkins had St. Louis not piled up picks via trade.
"Draft picks are like stocks," Snead said late Friday night. "But our draft, as a whole, is sort of like a mutual fund."
Translated out of Patrick Bateman terms, the Rams surmised their glut of draft picks -- including four in the first 50 choices alone -- afforded them the right to swing for the fences in at least one instance.
They sent Jenkins to the plate ... but he won't be there alone. His personal life is a wreck -- four children with three different women and marijuana-related issues -- but the Rams have put safeguards in place. Snead or another Rams official will call him every day, a system of checks-and-balances aimed at keeping Jenkins out of trouble.
Said Snead: "I look the kid in the eye and said, 'It's you and me.' "
The idea a team would even put this policy in place seems like reason enough to avoid Jenkins like the plague, however, the Rams are riddled with holes and decided to gamble for a quick fix in the secondary. Jenkins represents one hell of a roll of the dice.
