Rueben Randle, Stephen Hill, Alshon Jeffery. Any one of these wide receivers seemed like the logical choice for the St. Louis Rams on Friday.
The Rams, though, surprised us all by selecting Appalachian State's Brian Quick 33rd overall to kick off Day 2 of the NFL draft. All of those FBS studs at St. Louis' disposal, and instead, general manager Les Snead and Co. saw something in an FCS standout that none of us apparently did.
This was just the first of many risky picks that had NFL Network draft guru Mike Mayock talking all night.
The next came from the Rams again, when they selected North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins 39th, whose off-the-field troubles resulting in his transfer from Florida have been well publicized.
"We wondered if they could get their wide receiver with the first pick of the second round, and then come back and get Jenkins here," Mayock said of the Rams' strategy. "He's one of the most gifted corners in any draft class."
Jenkins had company as a player who had off-the-field troubles but on whom a team took a chance. Ohio State left tackle Mike Adams, who tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Scouting Combine, went 56th to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"He would've been a first-round pick had he not failed the drug test at the combine," Mayock said. "He's got left-tackle feet. There's some off-the-field issues, but he's a gifted left tackle. Now with him and (Stanford's) David DeCastro in the first round, this is a completely different offensive line."
Winners, losers from Day 2
Plenty of talent still remained as teams kicked off the second day of drafting. Chad Reuter recaps who made out like bandits and who really whiffed. **More ...**
Off-the-field issues weren't the only reason for teams to feel concerned about their picks. Take, for instance, the Tennessee Titans, who selected North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown 52nd overall. Mayock questioned his guts.
"This is one of the most gifted athletes in this draft. He's the fastest linebacker, he flies all over. That's the good news," Mayock said. "The bad news is that he's somewhat allergic to contact. He's a great 'Will' linebacker to rush the passer, but he struggles at the point of attack."
The New York Jets traded up four spots into the Seattle Seahawks' No. 43 slot to select Georgia Tech wide receiver Stephen Hill. No doubt the Jets could use the help, but was Hill the right guy to make a move on?
"We're going to call this kid 'Thrill Hill,' " Mayock said. "This kid can jump, he's fast, he's long, he's athletic. I was stunned at how well he got in and out of breaks. But he's very raw."
And what about Georgia's Cordy Glenn? He's a massive offensive lineman whom the Buffalo Bills drafted at No. 41, but where do you play him? There has been all kinds of speculation, and the Bills will have to figure it out. Mayock's advice?
The Detroit Lions drafted a major concern when they selected Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles 54th. That's because Broyles is still recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered late last season. He has potential, but ...
"The bad news for Detroit is that you don't know how quickly he's going to be available," Mayock said. "I gave him a solid second-round grade before he tore his ACL late in the season at Oklahoma. He's a quick, fast, tough-as-nails slot receiver who can provide value in the return game. But you don't know when you'll get him. They're going to have to be patient."
Isn't that the case for all us? But as we've said before, if there's one man you should pay attention to right now, it's Mayock. Take his assessment for what it's worth.
