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BBV Community Mock Draft 2011: With The 14th Pick, St. Louis Selects ...

Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri.

Playing the role of St. Louis general manager is 'GiantsNomad.' Here is his rationale for the selection of Smith.

The Rams have a lot of reasons to be hopeful, heading into the 2011 season. Sam Bradford looks like the truth. The rookie first-overall pick had an excellent season, setting a number of rookie records along the way. He demonstrated uncanny accuracy and more importantly, the ability to win games with a team that hadn’t won a lot of games over the past few years. They have a rock at middle linebacker in James Laurinitis and Chris Long seems to have finally "gotten it." The Rams almost made the playoffs (albeit in the NFC West) for goodness sake! With a coach like Steve Spagnulo and a good 2011 draft, there’s no reason the Rams shouldn’t win the division championship.

So with the beginnings of a star quarterback, it makes sense to protect and build around him. Everybody had projected a WR (namely Julio Jones) to the Rams; however, with his combine performance he launched himself out of their reach. There isn’t a wide receiver available worth this pick. What about protecting him? The Rams are set at tackle though. They could use a guard, so maybe they could pick up Pouncey. He’s versatile, projects well and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the pick. I just don’t think that WILL be the pick. The Rams will probably look for a WR and OL after the first round. That leaves us with defense.

The Giants have proved they’re fantastic at developing defensive linemen; however, it’s no coincidence that Chris Long only got it going once Spagnulo became his coach. Look for him to pick up Missouri DE Aldon Smith. He’s raw like JPP, but he’s also athletic like JPP. If anybody can develop him it’s Spags…and the Giants, because that’s what we do. He was injured so his stats aren’t pretty with only 10 TFL and 4.5 sacks, but he is a freak of nature and on one leg last season, he was very disruptive. I know he sounds a lot like JPP, and picks like JPP are more bust than boom; however, the key is he has a high motor. A lot of these super athletes never needed to try and that’s why they bust. JPP and Smith have the work ethic and that should help them both succeed.

My take: I am conflicted on this pick. The Rams have a ton of defensive needs and Spagnuolo understands the value of pass-rushing defensive ends. Question is, if the Rams go that way is Smith the right pick? I might prefer California's Cameron Jordan if I was picking defense for the Rams. He is 25 pounds heavier and more of a classic 4-3 defensive end, whereas the 263-pound Smith might be a 'tweener who could have some trouble against the run.

If the Rams go defensive end Wisconsin's J.J. Watt and Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan are likely to be in the conversation.

-- 'HenneGivenSunday' is now on the clock with the Miami Dolphins selection at No. 15.

Round 1

Pos Team Player Pos School Drafter
1 Carolina Cam Newton
QB
Auburn
Tito
2 Denver Nick Fairley
DT
Auburn
Mike Fiammetta
3 Buffalo Patrick Peterson
CB
LSU
Bigbluethruandthru
4 Cincinnati Blaine Gabbert
QB
Missouri
BitterEli
5 Arizona Von Miller
OLB
Texas A&M
gmen2thebowl
6 Cleveland Marcell Dareus
DL
Alabama
Bobely
7 San Francisco
A.J. Green
WR
Georgia
Pat19
8 Tennessee Da'Quan Bowers DE
Clemson
RealLT
9 Dallas
Prince Amukamara
CB
Nebraska
Simms-McConkey
10 Washington Julio Jones
WR
Alabama
jcalafiore
11 Houston
Robert Quinn
DE/OLB
North Carolina
daddyzander
12 Minnesota Tyron Smith
OT
USC
RolloT
13 Detroit Anthony Castonzo
OT
Boston College
Ed Valentine
14 St. Louis
Aldon Smith
DE
Missouri
GiantNomad
15 Miami



HenneGivenSunday
16 Jacksonville


ct17
17 New England



Ryan Valentine?
18 San Diego



Anthony P
19 N.Y. Giants


Ed Valentine
20 Tampa Bay



willgfass
21 Kansas City



The Blood Of Eli
22 Indianapolis


dannymac56
23 Philadelphia


JimmyK
24 New Orleans



Charles L.
25 Seattle


Ejaay
26 Baltimore


LarrySoprano
27 Atlanta


pataroons
28 New England



Ryan Valentine?
29 Chicago


You're my boy, Blue
30 New York Jets



PlaxicoBurress
31 Pittsburgh


stephen_ross
32 Green Bay



NYG28

Round 2

Pos Team Player Pos School Drafter
33 New England



Ryan Valentine?
34 Buffalo


Bigbluethruandthru
35 Cincinnati


BitterEli
36 Denver



Mike Fiammetta
37 Cleveland


Bobely
38 Arizona



gmen2thebowl
39 Tennessee


RealLT
40 Dallas


Simms-McConkey
41 Washington


jcalafiore
42 Houston


daddyzander
43 Minnesota


RolloT
44 Detroit


BigBlueIntervention
45 San Francisco



Pat19
46 Denver



Mike Fiammetta
47 St. Louis



GiantNomad
48 Oakland


G Fan In England
49 Jacksonville



ct17
50 San Diego



Anthony P
51 Tampa Bay



willgfass
52 N.Y. Giants


Ed Valentine
53 Indianapolis



dannymac56
54 Philadelphia


JImmyK
55 Kansas City



The Blood Of Eli
56 New Orleans



Charles L.
57 Seattle


Ejaay
58 Baltimore


LarrySoprano
59 Atlanta


pataroons
60 New England



Ryan Valentine?
61 San Diego



Anthony P
62 Chicago



You're my boy, Blue
63 Pittsburgh


stephen_ross
64 Green Bay



NYG28