It is no secret that the Rams need a boost at wide receiver and despite the fact that the team spent a ton of money on Robert Woods and Tavon Austin, that part of the offense needs a dramatic make over. The problem is that they struck out on every marquee receiver in free agency and there isn’t a ton of blue chip talent in the draft.
The Rams first pick is at 37th overall and while that doesn’t take them out of drafting a wide out, it does have to make them at least think about drafting one because there might be other positions that provide more value at that pick. The good news is that Les Snead might be preparing for such a scenario by hosting two prospects that are slated to go in later rounds but might very well be more valuable than their higher rated counterparts.
Wide receiver Chad Williams of Grambling State and Baylor wide out KD Cannon are slated to visit the Rams this week and while they might not appear on everyone’s draft boards they both have the physical tools and the college production to at least be worth considering.
Williams in particular has the one attribute that doesn’t exist anywhere on the roster and that’s size. Williams is 6’2 and ran a 4.4 40 at the combine (his pro day was a hand time 4.37) and had a total of 28 touchdowns with, 210 catches and over 3,000 yards in his four years at Grambling State. The thing that likely kept Williams off of teams’ big boards is a marijuana and firearm possession charge but nothing really came of it, and in the grand scheme of things its not something that should scare teams away. Robert Woods stands at 6’0 and Austin at 5’9 so having a big body out there will help the offense out tremendously.
Cannon on the other hand stands at 6’0 but his speed make him worth using a later round pick because he ran a 4.41 40 at the combine and his vertical jump of ’37. He is known as being a straight line receiver so his rout tree is limited but considering Austin can’t get open downfield and Woods while a precise route runner, isn’t known for burning guys down deep.
At Baylor Cannon had over 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns in three years. What’s possibly hurt his place on draft boards is the idea that at Baylor anyone can put up big numbers because that’s the design of their offense as evidenced by the fact that a lot of Baylor offensive players have struggled once they got to the NFL.
Both wide receivers could be taken in days two or three in the draft and if that’s the case than the Rams could find their answer while devoting their 37th pick towards a pass rusher, corner, or offensive lineman.
It might be tempting to go with the best receiver available but once the first and early second round receivers go the drop off from that next tier to where Cannon and Williams are likely to be drafted isn’t as steep as one might think. Much will be made (and has) about what the Rams should do in the second round and many believe they absolutely have to come away with a receiver but players like Williams and Cannon are proof that flexibility exists.
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