A few days ago (a million days, in NFL Mock Draft years) it looked like the St. Louis Rams would exit the vicious 2012 NFL free agency season with a Mario Manningham type at wide receiver—not a true number-one by any measurement, but closer to one than, say, Danny Amendola and Danario Alexander. Instead, the San Francisco 49ers got Mario Manningham, the New England Patriots signed Brandon Lloyd, and the Rams got a rock. It's all speculation at this point, but it seems like their free agency goose-egg might mean that the Rams selecting Justin Blackmon at No. 6 is more likely than ever.
Of course, if you ask the mock drafters, it's been pretty likely for a long time now. We'll know more as we approach the actual NFL draft, but for now it seems like the Rams' only chance at grabbing a number-one wide receiver, if that was ever their goal, involves selecting Justin Blackmon and hoping he and Sam Bradford make an immediate connection.
More NFL Mock Draft coverage from the Justin Blackmon coveters at SB Nation St. Louis:
- At this point, I think the most interesting question about the Rams' draft plans is what they would do if Justin Blackmon went early.
- Of course, one other way to help Sam Bradford out would be to draft an offensive lineman at sixth overall.
- To get the best gauge of the Rams' plans with their pick—and the wide receiving corps we'll have to see what they think about Michael Floyd.