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2011 NFL Draft Prospects: Mel Kiper Bearish On Baldwin

If you still have your heart set on a wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams' 14th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, prospects of an overdraft should be dancing in your head—Pitt's Jonathan Baldwin, the only receiver between the Rams' pick and the end of the first round in most mock drafts, hasn't been able to crack the top 20 in many recent mock drafts, ending this week outside Mel Kiper's top 25.

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The good news: If you really think the Rams need a wide receiver, Baldwin is unlikely to fall past them, even with a strong pre-draft showing. The bad news: If you really think the Rams need a wide receiver, the kind of wide receiver they need might no longer be available. 

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In general I'm reticent of the idea of drafting for positional need instead of going after the best talent available, but that seems the least true in the NFL—and given the Rams' sudden shift into win-soon mode, I think they'd be smart to augment their awful offense instead of their above-average defense.