Ace Sanders returns a punt during the Outback Bowl. He was named the game’s offensive MVP.
The St. Louis Rams are very thin at a couple of different positions, including the wide receiver spot. Currently, the Rams have just three active receivers on their roster–Brian Quick, Chris Givens and Austin Pettis. General Manager Les Snead knows he needs to add more weapons for quarterback Sam Bradford and may look to the draft to solve those issues. Â The Rams could draft multiple receivers in next week’s NFL Draft.
In the past three years, those three active receivers I mentioned, along with Mardy Gilyard were all top 100 draft prospects, and with two first round picks in this year’s NFL Draft, Scott Wright of DraftCountdown.com says look for the Rams to take a receiver with their #27 overall pick. The player he has penciled in is West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin.
Austin would give the Rams a fast, explosive playmaker the team desperately needs. The biggest drawback to Austin is his size…he’s only 5’7.
Wright thinks the Rams may be best served to wait until one of the later rounds to select a wide receiver that could fill holes and not be as risky of a pick as Austin in the first round. He brought up a name that Mizzou fans are familiar with…Ace Sanders from South Carolina. In the Tigers first SEC road game, Sanders burned the Tigers for a 23 yard touchdown catch and a 49 yard punt return that set up an earlier Gamecocks touchdown, during the Tigers 31-10 loss back on September 29. Watch Sanders’ punt return courtesy of GamecocksOnline.
Nick Wagoner, senior writer for the StLouisRams.com, admitted the Rams need depth at that position and while he didn’t name any particular players, he suggested the team may draft at least two wide receivers.
AUDIOÂ Wright and Wagoner and the Rams draft options (1:45)
The NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 25 and runs through Saturday.
