With 2011 NFL Mock Drafts in full proliferation mode, the St. Louis Rams are being aggressively matched with every breathing wide receiver ever considered to go in the first round. NewNFLDraft has been beating the Justin Blackmon drum since before the Rams were guaranteed to pick 14th, and they remain in favor of the move, citing the Rams' need for "a couple of dynamic receiving options." Well, Blackmon would make one.
↵The Rams have Donnie Avery due back, Mark Clayton suggesting he'd like to return, and Danny Amendola and Danario Alexander appearing ready to compete for a job on merit, with Brandon Gibson lurking in the conversation as well. It'll be interesting to see what they do with any wide receiver they end up drafting. Certainly Mardy Gilyard's physical gifts weren't enough to keep him in a plum spot in a receiving corps that was almost completely barren by the time he was getting benched.
↵Here's a mock draft conundrum: If they want another year to sort through their receiving detritus—see if Avery still has the speed, if Alexander's knees hold up over a full season, if Amendola can thrive in the slot role he was born to play instead of being forced into matchups as the number-one receiver by default, and if Gilyard can learn the playbook—the Rams might pick a project receiver, one who isn't ready to make an impact immediately. But I think they'll have trouble resisting the urge to look for a guy who can be Sam Bradford's top downfield threat today.
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