Because of their 3-13 record last season, the Rams have three picks in the Top 65 and four picks in the Top 101 of the draft.
"The bad thing is that we end up with really great draft picks this year, but the great thing about it is that we have great choices and they're going to be outstanding football players for us for the years to come," Rams coach Scott Linehan said. "I think the momentum of all of our goals for next year can really get jump-started with a great draft."
The Rams have a lot of needs that they weren't able to fill in a weak free-agent market.
They're still looking for a defensive end who can be groomed as a starter, a third offensive tackle, a wide receiver with the speed to stretch opposing defenses, a linebacker or two for depth, a backup center, an extra cornerback and a third-string quarterback.
Rams Vice President of Personnel Billy Devaney said the 2008 draft is deep with offensive linemen, especially tackles, as well as cornerbacks, running backs and defensive linemen.
Some of the offensive tackles who still could be around in the second or third rounds include Vanderbilt's Chris Williams, Boston College's Gosder Cherilus, Kansas' Anthony Collins, Nebraska's Carl Nicks and Toledo's John Greco.
Williams, Nicks and Greco made predraft visits to St. Louis.
Some of the wide receivers who still could be around in the second and third rounds include California's DeSean Jackson, Florida's Andre Caldwell, Michigan's Mario Manningham, Houston's Donnie Avery and Indiana's James Hardy.
The Rams brought in Jackson, Caldwell, Avery and Hardy for predraft visits.
Devaney said there should be some high-quality players available in the second round.
"It's not a great draft, but it's pretty deep going all the way to the bottom of the second (round)," Devaney said "We expect a good player to be there in the second round."
Devaney said it was unrealistic for any team to expect getting several immediate starters out of the draft.
"I'm pointing the finger at personnel people," Devaney said. "I hear, 'Our first-round pick has to come in and start. Our second-round pick ... we want starters.' It's hard to start in this league when you're a rookie. To say that in the fourth- or fifth-round realistically that you're going to come away with a starter is really stretching it.
"If you get your first-round pick on the field and he's starting, that's great. If you get your second-round pick and he's starting, you're doing pretty good."
Devaney said the Rams' picks, especially their middle rounders, should draw a lot of trade interest.
However, Devaney said the Rams aren't interested in trading for future picks.
"We want players now," Devaney said. "The third-round pick is the start of the second day now, and as a rule after the first day of the draft, teams go back and look at their boards and they say, 'This is our last chance to get a tackle.' Or, 'This is our last chance to get a receiver.' We'll get a lot of phone calls for that third-round pick just for that reason."
The Rams brought in two quarterbacks, Delaware's Joe Flacco and Michigan's Chad Henne, for predraft visits. Both Flacco and Henne are projected as second-round picks.
"Maybe it's just because of my background, but it's really something that you'd like to do," Linehan, a former quarterback, said of drafting a quarterback. "We're very comfortable with our quarterback situation. Getting a young guy that you could develop is always part of it.
"Regardless of whether we drafted one or signed a free agent that could be competing with Brock (Berlin), that would be fine, too. I would be fine with either scenario. I've always got my eye on some guys personally, and we've got some really good quarterback evaluations within our staff and personnel department. We were just talking about maybe we need to go hit the Arena League circuit and drum up another Kurt Warner somewhere. You never know."
Contact reporter Steve Korte at skorte@bnd.com or 239-2522.
