The St. Louis Rams are clearly planning to make an immediate turnaround in pro football.
Before moving down a second time in Round 1 of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Rams added another first-round pick for the 2013 and 2014 drafts courtesy of the Washington Redskins.
And on day one of the 2012 draft, the Rams according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, traded down with the Dallas Cowboys from No. 6 to No. 14 overall.
Thanks to those draft moves, St. Louis, according to Schefter also has three second-round picks on top of those future first-rounders:
So between Rounds 1 and 2 of this draft and the next two, St. Louis has collected eight selections. Considering the Rams were 2-14 last season, they're poised to become instant threats and here are a few reasons why.
Multiple Future Options
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With two first-round selections in 2013 and 2014, the Rams can approach their immediate future a number of ways.
Obviously using all the selections is one, but St. Louis now has the ammo to trade up further into Round 1 if needed. Despite the potential its future holds, St. Louis still remains way back in the NFC West.
San Francisco is the standard, Arizona is rising fast and Seattle isn't far behind. The Rams however, were just one of three teams in 2011 to go 0-6 in their division. The additional picks though, provide the luxury of addressing mostâ€"if not allâ€"needs to make up ground.
Not to mention, but the Rams could even trade down with one of their first rounders and load up in Round 2; just like this year.
Youth
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Having this many additional selections will keep St. Louis young and the franchise's odds of sustaining success, longer.
Running back Steven Jackson will be turning 29 before the 2012 season kicks off, so his time in the backfield is of the essence. And, according to ESPN's Mike Sando back in September, the Rams ranked as the sixth oldest team heading into the 2011 season.
So, the fortunate opportunity to utilize every single additional draft pick will benefit at getting younger, quicker and more vibrant. In Sando's rankings, Seattle and San Francisco are way younger than St. Louis: therefore, the Rams desperately needed to trade down and stock up anyway.
Even better; veteran NFL coach Jeff Fisher will have the locker room from day one with his resume. Young players need a presence like Fisher to speed up their development and St. Louis has a bright future.
Law of Averages
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It's apparent that every single selection of every NFL draft is a risky investment. But, considering that the draft is an inexact science, the mathematical odds of probability increase through more draft picks; hence, the law of averages.
So, obviously with less picks to use in any given draft, a team's chances of landing that gem prospect are limited. The Rams however, are in prime position to become an instant NFL threat as their additional selections play into increasing the odds of finding those prospects that fit.
Take the Oakland Raiders for example. Oakland entered the 2012 NFL Draft with no selections until Round 3 and have just five all together. In short; the Raiders' odds of improving via the draft with one stud prospect or more are quite slim.
St. Louis on the other hand, has its three second rounders on top of the additional future first rounders. Now take into consideration how much value is placed on a Round 1 selection and the Rams' odds of drafting more than a few eventual Pro Bowl caliber players is astronomical.
The Gateway to the West has opened once again and the rest of the Rams' division better start preparing for an onslaught right now.
John Rozum on Twitter.
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