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NFL Mock Draft 2012: Will St. Louis Rams Regret Losing Matt Kalil?

Matt Kalil was never the most exciting possibility for the St. Louis Rams, even when he was their default No. 2 pick in 2012 NFL Mock Drafts; they'd already expended major draft picks on Jason Smith and Rodger Saffold, and Rams fans were already itching for a playmaker to stand across the o-line from Sam Bradford. But nobody ever doubted Kalil's credentials as one of the best offensive line prospects in the last five years, and with the No. 6 pick locked in it's worth asking: Will the Rams regret not sticking around for Kalil?

WalterFootball.com's latest scouting report is certainly effusive enough. Kalil's a reliable, "elite pass protector" who combines top-shelf athleticism with a preternatural grip on technique. Wherever he goes—probably the Minnesota Vikings at No. 3—he'll immediately be an impact player.

All that suggests that Sam Bradford's going to have a harder time staying upright in 2012 now that the Rams have traded out of Kalil territory. But I don't think they regret it—at least not yet. A player like Justin Blackmon could make those sacks more worth it, and the two extra first-round picks they've snared should produce at least one useful o-lineman, if the position's still a hole.

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