Ramblings

Rams tee it up after practice

In a scene that looked like it belonged in some sort of “Caddyshack’’ sequel, Rams equipment assistant John Welby stood on the practice field on Thursday wearing a helmet and holding a golf flag while players stood 125 yards away taking turns hitting golf balls toward him.

This strange closest-to-the-hole competition officially ended the Rams’ final practice of OTAs.

“If they got on the green, they had no afternoon meetings, and (whoever got it) closest to the green had no conditioning test today, which we didn’t do anyway,’’ Rams coach Scott Linehan said.

Wide receiver Dane Looker, using a wedge, got his teammates out of meetings by hitting the ball within five feet of Welby inside a ring of orange cones that served as the green.

“I think Dane could probably play professional golf if he had to,’’ Linehan said. “Pretty much whatever Dane picks up, he’s good at. He can throw the ball. He’s a good bowler. He just has a knack.’’

Linehan also noted that Looker played point guard on the Western Michigan basketball team before transferring to the University of Washington to play football.

“Never count Dane out,’’ Linehan said. “He took care of the guys today. He got them (out) of meetings.’’

Quarterback Marc Bulger, who has a reputation for being a good golfer, hit the ball only 30 yards on his attempt.

Bulger later blamed new offensive coordinator Al Saunders and his long meetings for the shank.

“That’s what it has done to my golf game,’’ Bulger joked.

Romberg has the Rams running in sand

If the Rams have fewer ankle injuries this season, they’ll have center Brett Romberg to thank.

Romberg convinced the Rams to build a 50-yard long by 8-yard wide outdoor sand pit at Rams Park. The logic behind the pit is that running in sand will build up ankle and leg strength, which will lead to fewer injuries.

Romberg said he and his teammates often ran in a sand pit at the University of Miami.

“I keep getting blamed for the sand pit thing,’’ Romberg said. “It’s just something we used a lot in Miami and I never heard of high ankle sprains or saw any high ankle sprains. I just thought it might be a little bit help.’’

Romberg, who played in only two of the Rams’ final nine games last season after spraining both of his ankles, said he and his teammates have spent a lot of time in the sand this spring.

“We’re in it just about every day, to tell you the truth, when we’re doing the conditioning and doing the offseason workouts,’’ Romberg said. “Pulling sleds, doing agility drills, it’s nothing that people look forward to, but the work will pay off.’’

After having their offensive line decimated by injuries last season — four offensive linemen ended the season on injured reserve — the Rams are willing to try something a little unconventional when it comes to injury prevention.

Romberg said new offensive line coach Steve Loney has stressed that injuries will not be an excuse for the offensive line under performing.

“The first thing he told me and the first thing he told the group as a group was that injuries are no longer an excuse for what is going to happen here,’’ Romberg said. “No longer will we be the Achilles’ heel to this football team.’’

Romberg was a free agent for about three weeks this winter. He ended up signing a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum to return to the Rams.

“At one point, I didn’t think I was going to come back here,’’ Romberg said. “Obviously, the opportunity arose. I wanted to get back here personally. I felt like I had a lot of unfinished business here. I love my teammates here. I definitely wanted to come back.’’

Romberg will be battling Richie Incognito for the starting job in training camp. Romberg was working with the starters, while Incognito was working with the second unit last Thursday during OTAs.

Replacing Bruce is the daunting task facing Bennett

WR Drew Bennett feels like he’s up to the challenge of replacing an icon.

Bennett will serve as the Rams’ No. 2 receiver, filling the cleats of longtime Rams fixture Isaac Bruce, who was released in a salary cap move this past winter. Bruce subsequently signed with the San Francisco 49ers, joining 49ers offensive coordinator and former Rams coach Mike Martz.

“I’m happy to be more involved in the offense and be a starter again,’’ Bennett said. “That’s what I came here to do. Obviously, it’s very difficult to replace a guy like Isaac Bruce. Hopefully, I can just play my own game and do my own thing. With this offense and (QB Marc) Bulger throwing the football the way he is, it should be a good year.’’

Last season was definitely a bad year for both Bennett and the Rams.

After signing a six-year, $35 million contract to come to the Rams, the 6-foot-5 Bennett struggled with injuries early in the season and never developed into the kind productive No. 3 receiver and red-zone threat that the club had envisioned.

“There was no good feeling going to sleep at night when you’re 0-5 and beat up a little bit,’’ Bennett said. “You're not playing as much as you want to and the team is not doing well. It was a very compound problem.’’

Bennett started off on the wrong leg with the Rams as he missed the team’s season opener due to quadriceps injury. He caught only eight passes for 94 yards and one touchdown in the Rams’ next five games.

“The first six or seven weeks were frustrating as to how my body felt and how I wanted to go out there and run and I couldn’t,’’ Bennett said. ”I'm looking forward to this year with full leg strength.’’

Adding to the frustration was the realization that he’d overestimated his role as the No. 3 receiver in the Rams’ offense. He finished the season with only 33 catches for 375 yards and three touchdowns.

“I think I had a different expectation as to what I would do as a (No.) 3 (receiver) here,’’ Bennett said. “I was frustrated standing on the sideline as much as I did last year. There were guys ahead of me who definitely deserved to be playing ahead of me. They're two future Hall of Fame guys. That's the situation I was in. I’m happy about my role now and what they expect from me.’’

Bennett said he’s excited about the new offense being installed by offensive coordinator Al Saunders.

“I love the new offense,’’ Bennett said. “I think we’re going to be in good shape. It’s a complicated offense with complicated sets, complicated shifts. I think he’s really utilizing Bulger. Bulger is an extremely smart quarterback. He loves having multiple protections, multiple looks and a bunch of shifts. He loves being in control of that stuff.’’

Bennett said he realizes that he has a lot to prove to Rams fans after last season.

“I signed a six-year deal to come in here and do big things,’’ Bennett said. “That didn’t happen. I want to prove to people that I’m worth the energy and money the team spent to go out and get me. I want to make some good things happen. I want to get in the end zone and win some games. Everything takes care of itself when you’re winning.’’

As for Bruce, Bennett said he enjoyed his one seasons as teammates with veteran receiver.

“I had my locker next to him,’’ Bennett said. “I got along with him great and I learned a lot from him. I’ve played seven years and I still learned a lot from him. I appreciate the time I had with him. It’s nice to play with a future Hall of Famer like that. It’ll be interesting to see him on the other side of the field.’’

It’ll also be interesting to see how Bennett handles his increased role with the Rams.

Mr. Irrelevant could play an important role

Orlando Pace, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft, said he didn’t realize that Rams rookie LB David Vobora was Mr. Irrelevant as the last overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.

“Is he?’’ Pace said. “That’s how irrelevant he is, I didn’t even know that. I guess that’s Mr. Irrelevant for you.’’

All joking aside, the 6-foot-1, 236-pound Vobora could end up playing an extremely relevant role for the Rams.

“He is in a good spot because of where our linebacker depth is,’’ Rams coach Scott Linehan said. “If he can handle doing double duty with special teams (and defense), then he has a great chance of making the team.”

Vobora had 148 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss, one sack and one interception last season as a senior for the University of Idaho.

“He is a really bright kid and was a very productive,’’ Linehan said. “He is a pretty good athlete. I think that has probably been a little underestimated as well.”

About Vobora, Linehan added, “He comes from greatness at the University of Idaho.’’

Linehan played quarterback for the Vandals from 1982-86.

Vobora is among several extremely productive college LBs vying for a roster spot with the Rams.

Chris Chamberlain, taken 24 spots ahead of Vobora in the seventh round with the 228th overall pick, had 165 tackles, including 12.5 stops for losses, three sacks and three interceptions last season for Tulsa.

Vincent Hall, an undrafted free agent, had 100 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season at Virginia Tech despite missing four games with a broken wrist.

Marc Magro, another undrafted free agent, had 83 tackles and eight sacks last season for West Virgina.

“I think both (Vobora) and Chamberlain as well as Hall and Magro were all very productive linebackers,’’ Linehan said. “That was the number one thing that stood out and we wanted it to be a priority with the linebackers that we brought to this team. They are guys that have a nose for the football.’’

Vobora said he was trying to arrange a contract as an undrafted free agent when the Rams selected him with the final pick of the draft.

“I was actually outside on the phone with my agent trying to deal with some free agent stuff and then Coach Linehan with call waiting beeped in,’’ Vobora said. “I flipped over, and he said, ‘Hey, you’re our guy. We would like to get to you earlier, but this is a good opportunity for you.’’

Vobora will be the guest of honor during a week-long celebration of the underdog known as Irrelevant Week on June 22-28 in Newport Beach, Calif. He’ll be showered with gifts, including a Rolex watch and a trip to Disney World.

“There is a lot of good stuff,’’ Vobora said. “Apparently, I get to judge a Miss Irrelevant pageant with some cheerleaders, so you can’t argue with that.’’

Bulger to Becht was common hookup for the Mountaineers

Rams TE Anthony Becht now is known for his blocking, but there was a time when Becht and Rams QB Marc Bulger formed a dangerous duo in the passing game.

Becht and Bulger were teammates at West Virginia University from 1996 through 1999.

“We came in together, we were there every year,’’ Becht said. “I know Marc very well. Marc hasn’t changed a bit. One thing about Marc, I will say — and I kind of knew this when were coming out of college even though he got a little bit of a slow start — if he got a chance, he would be able to pick apart a defense. If you give him time, he’s very accurate. That’s the key to his game. If we can give him a little time and protect him, he can really do some damage.’’

With Bulger throwing to him, Becht caught 29 passes for 393 yards and four touchdowns as a junior and 35 passes for 510 yards and five touchdowns as a senior.

“Coming out our senior year, we were the MVPs on offense,’’ Becht said. “We hooked up quite a bit. We had a really good play-action thing. We had a really good running game in college.’’

Becht was a first-round draft choice of the New York Jets in 2000, while Bulger was a sixth-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints the same year. Bulger was released prior to the start of the 2000 season, while Becht played in 14 games as a rookie for the Jets.

The 6-foot-5, 280-pound Becht’s best receiving season in the NFL was in 2003 when he caught 40 passes for 356 yards. He hasn’t caught more than 18 passes in a season since then, but he has earned a reputation as a good blocker.

“After that, I kind of fell into a label,’’ Becht said. “No one ever wants to be labeled as anything, but if you are going to be labeled as something and you are good at it, I’ll take it. I still practice my routes hard and try to get out there and do what I can in the passing game.’’

Becht caught only five passes for 20 yards and two touchdowns last season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he impressed the Rams’ coaching staff with his blocking in a 24-3 win over the Rams in Week 3.

Becht helped pave the way for the Buccaneers’ 182 rushing yards, including 75 yards and two touchdowns by RB Earnest Graham, against the Rams.

“How he played against us a year ago made an impression on me,’’ Rams coach Scott Linehan said. “I remember out of that game that he controlled the line of scrimmage and controlled the edge. I felt that was something we wanted to add to our tight end core. He gives us another veteran and a guy who knows the game. He gives us that versatility, being not just a blocking tight end. The guy has good hands and he knows the offense. His all-around ability is the thing that is really impressive.”
 
Becht said he was looking forward to blocking for Rams RB Steven Jackson.

“I really get excited when I have a guy like Steven Jackson in the backfield,’’ Becht said. “When I was in New York with Curtis Martin, I liked nothing more than going out and making a big block for that guy. Hopefully, we can get it clicking well here.’’

Becht has been staying at Bulger’s house the last couple of weeks, and he said his old college roommate has gotten neater in the nearly a decade since they last played together.

“He has definitely matured on that side,’’ Becht said. “He has some of the finer things of life now, and he takes care of what he has. He is a great competitor and he wants to win. I think the main thing is we have to protect him better this year.’’

Gazing into the crystal ball at the 2009 NFL Draft

With the 2008 NFL Draft in the books, Todd McShay of Scout’s Inc. posted a mock draft on ESPN.com for 2009.

McShay had the Rams taking USC LB Rey Maualuga with the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.

Illini fans will remember the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Maualuga registering three sacks and an interceptions in the Trojans’ 49-17 rout of Illinois in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.

McShay wrote: “Maualuga is the top senior prospect on my 2009 draft board at this insanely early point in the process, although he wouldn’t be the first senior off the board. I've never seen a defensive player take over a game the way Maualuga did versus Illinois in the Rose Bowl, and his recognition skills are clearly catching up with his rare physical tools.’’

McShay had Atlanta taking USC DT Fili Moala with the first overall pick, Detroit taking Georgia Tech DE Michael Johnson with the second pick, and Kansas City taking Georgia QB Matt Stafford with the third pick.

The Great Blue-North Draft Report also took a stab at a mock draft for 2009. They had the Rams taking Mississippi OT Michael Oher with the fourth overall pick.

The 6-foot-6, 322-pound Oher started all 12 games at LT for the Rebels. He was a consensus All-Southeastern Conference selection.

The GBN had Atlanta taking Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree at No. 1, Miami taking Ohio State CB Malcolm Jenkins at No. 2 and Kansas City taking Alabama OT Andre Smith at No. 3.

Not surprisingly, both McShay and the GBN had the New England Patriots picking at No. 32 in 2009 as the Super Bowl champions. The GBN had the Patriots selecting Missouri TE Chase Coffman.

Obviously, putting together a mock draft with 362 days left until the big event is more about having a little fun than making any actual player and team evaluations, but it is a little disturbing that both McShay and the GBN had the Rams picking in the Top 10.

As for the Rams’ needs in 2009, I’d say SS, LB and QB would top the list right now. The Rams need a SS that can be quickly groomed as the replacement for Corey Chavous, a top-flight LB considering Pisa Tinoisamoa’s recent injury history and a QB that can eventually challenge backup Trent Green and starter Marc Bulger.

If they are unable to work out a long-term deal and have to place the franchise tag on RB Steven Jackson next year, then RB also jumps onto the list.

If LT Orlando Pace has more problems staying healthy, then OT will become a major issue.

How the experts grade the Rams draft

Here’s how other members of the media graded the Rams’ eight picks in the 2008 NFL Draft:

Mel Kiper, ESPN
Grade: C-plus
Taking DE Chris Long allows Adam Carriker to stay inside at defensive tackle. Some didn't think Donnie Avery should have been the first WR to come off the board. It might have been a bit of a reach, but he caught 91 balls and has the ability to make people miss. John Greco is a versatile offensive lineman. CB Justin King has a lot of potential, but he gets beat in coverage far too much. Wide receiver Keenan Burton would have gone higher than the fourth round if he hadn't been slowed by knee and ankle injuries in his senior season. Roy Schuening has a chance to start this year at guard. Chris Chamberlain had a very nice season at Tulsa. And don't forget about OLB David Vobora, aka Mr. Irrelevant, who I thought was a midround pick. Vobora has some ability and I would be surprised if he didn't make this team as a special teams player.

Pete Prisco, CBS Sportsline
Grade: B
Best pick: Defensive end Chris Long, the second player taken in the draft, will be a star. He was my top-rated player in the draft.
Questionable move: Passing on Dorsey to take Long. Their careers are now tied together for as long as they play.
Second-day gem: Cornerback Justin King is an athletic corner who didn't always play up to his ability. Maybe defensive coordinator Jim Haslett can get it out of him.
Overall grade: B. I love Long and second-round receiver Donnie Avery is a perfect slot receiver for their offense.

Larry Weisman, USA Today
Grade: C-plus
Much internal debate but they went with Chris Long, seeking some pressure from the edge, over DT Glenn Dorsey. Only got 5.5 sacks from DEs last year and Leonard Little will soon be 34. Looks like not only a safe pick but a good one. WR Donnie Avery went too high but the Rams love the speed and have the positional need. CB Justin King should be the nickel back right away.

Clifton Brown, The Sporting News
Grade: B
Chris Long is easy to love. Donnie Avery in Round 2 was a reach, but getting Justin King in Round 4 should help the secondary, and John Greco is an offensive lineman with potential.

Rick Gosselin, Dallas Morning News
Grade: A
Long will be a great complement up front to last year's top pick by the Rams, Adam Carriker. They will be two of the highest motor defensive linemen in the league. Avery and Burton inject fast legs into an aging receiving corps.

Dr. Z (Paul Zimmerman), Sports Illustrated
No Grade
Chris Long is a good, safe pick at No. 1. Leonard Little's getting old, after all. Guard John Greco is too. Got to protect Mark Bulger before he’s a basket case. But with every wideout on the board available for you in the second round, why take Donnie Avery. You what? You owe his father money? I’ve heard enough.

Grading the Rams in the 2008 NFL Draft

Here’s a look at how the Rams graded out in the 2008 NFL Draft:
Round 1
DE Chris Long, Virginia
The Rams chose Long over LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey even though Dorsey was rated No. 1 on their draft board.
Long filled a more pressing need for a team that got only 5.5 sacks from their defensive ends last season.
As the son of a Pro Football Hall of Famer, Long is as prepared for the rigors of the NFL as any player in the draft. He’ll still have a learning curve as he adjusts to working out in space in the Rams’ 4-3 defense.
Though Dorsey has a chance of becoming a truly special player, it’s hard to argue with the Rams’ choice of Long because he should become an extremely productive player in his own right.

Round 2
WR Donnie Avery, Houston
The Rams had their pick of the litter at wide receiver, and they might have reached a little for Avery.
However, this crop of wide receivers was less than stellar with most of the top pass catchers either suffering from a lack of good citizenship, a lack of size or a lack of speed.
Avery is good citizen who has average size (5-11, 190) and great speed. He was timed in 4.3 seconds in the 40 at the NFL Combine.
He should provide the kind of deep threat that can keep opposing defenses from stacking the box against RB Steven Jackson.

Round 3
OT John Greco, Toledo
Getting a third offensive tackle capable of filling the void in the event either Orlando Pace or Alex Barron went down with an injury was a must for the Rams.
Greco started 49 straight games for Toledo, a college that is gaining a reputation for producing NFL linemen.

Round 4
CB Justin King, Penn St.
This probably was the riskiest of the Rams’ picks.
King has the tools to be a starting CB in the NFL, but he struggled against top-flight competition. He gave up two touchdown catches to Indiana’s James Hardy and three touchdown grabs to Michigan State’s Devin Thomas.
A former WR, King also has to prove that he can handle the physical aspects of playing on the defensive side of the ball.
King has proven to be a good student. He graduated from high school early and he graduated from college in 3.5 years.
WR Keenan Burton, Kentucky
Why the Rams would take another WR when they seem well-stocked at the position (Dane Looker, Dante Hall, Marques Hagans, Derek Stanley and Avery) is puzzling. They had greater needs at LB, RB and QB.
Burton probably would have gone higher if his production hadn’t declined his senior season due to nagging injuries. He went from 77 catches for 1,036 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2006 to 59 catches for 689 yards and nine touchdowns in 2007.

Round 5
OG Roy Schuening, Oregon State
This is a great value pick for the Rams as Schuening was rated as a second-rounder by several publications. He’s a blue-collar kind of player who should bring some toughness to the O-line.

Round 7
LB Chris Chamberlain, Tulsa
Some teams were considering the 6-foot-1, 226-pound Chamberlain, who had 165 tackles last season, as a strong safety. The Rams are looking for Chamberlain to play weak-side LB.
LB David Vobora, Idaho
He may be Mr. Irrelevant, but he has a chance to stick with the Rams since they have only eight LBs currently on their roster.
Like Chamberlain, Vobora was a tackling machine in college as he racked up 148 takedowns and six sacks.

Final Grade: B
It was a need-based draft for the Rams, who under Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Billy Devaney put a major emphasis on high-energy players who had extremely productive college careers.
The choice of Long over Dorsey in some ways reminds me of the Rams taking WR Torry Holt over CB Champ Bailey in 1999. Both have Pro Bowl potential, though Dorsey’s ceiling may be a little higher.
Avery provides the Rams with a receiver that can turn a 1-yard pass into a 40-yard gain. He’ll also give Dante Hall some competition as a kickoff returner.
Greco and Schuening bring some much-needed depth to the offensive line, while Chamberlain and Vobora should make an immediate impact on special teams.
King has the one thing you can’t teach — speed — and Burton also is capable of returning kickoffs.
All in all, the Class of 2008 eventually should provide the Rams with a solid group of starters and key backups.

Second and Long

Just a few minutes after selecting him with the second overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Rams coach Scott Linehan declared Virginia’s Chris Long as his starting right defensive end.

The Rams took Long, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Howie Long, over LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey because they had a bigger need for an every-down defensive end.

“It was close because they were both great players,’’ Rams coach Scott Linehan said. “That was the hardest part, like trying to pick one of your children. At the end of the day, Chris really fit what the doctor ordered not only for our defense and our fotball team, but as an organization because of his ability level, which is pretty darn good, and what he brings to the table with all that other stuff. He inherited all those things from his father, and now that I have had a chance to visit with his mother, it’s apparent to me that she brought some great qualities to him as well. This is really kind of what we were looking for.

“In the end, yeah it’s tough. It would have been nice to draft both of them.’’

If they had taken Dorsey, they would have been forced into using defensive tackle Adam Carriker, last year’s first-round pick, at defensive end in certain situations.

Both Carriker and Dorsey are natural three-techniques, and it didn’t make as much sense having two guys who play the same position as bringing in Long to be the starter opposite Leonard Little.

“We drafted Adam to play there, and it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to all of the sudden move him back out, though we could,’’ Linehan said. “It does give us some versatility, and it did come up. It’s a natural position for (Carriker). I like playing guys at the positions they play.’’

Dorsey ended up going to the Kansas City Chiefs with the No. 5 overall pick.

Devaney said the Rams entertained offers from a couple of NFL teams looking to move up in the draft, but they never got the kind of “exceptional’’ offer that would intice them into dealing down.

Mock Draft: Rams take Dorsey

It seems like everybody and their brother, uncle and distant cousin three-times removed has their own mock draft these days, so here’s mine based on information from other beat writers around the NFL.

1. Miami
OT Jake Long, Michigan
Bill Parcells makes the safe bet.

2. Rams
DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU
The Rams think he has the biggest upside of the Top 3 defenders.

3. Atlanta
QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
The Falcons want Dorsey, but they really, really need a quarterback for the future.

4. Oakland
DE Chris Long
Long gets to play for the same team as his dad, Howie, though the Raiders would like to trade down.

5. Kansas City
DE Vernon Gholston, Ohio State
The Chiefs are looking for a replacement for Jared Allen.

6. New York Jets
RB Darren McFadden
The Jets get the guy that wanted without having to trade up.

7. New England
LB Keith Rivers, USC
Bill Belichick likes drafting LBs, and he has a major need for one this year.

8. Baltimore
OT Ryan Clady, Boise State
The Ravens find a replacement for Jonathan Ogden.

9. Cincinnati
DT Sedrick Ellis, Southern Cal
The Bengals also could take a hard look at Illinois RB Rashard Medenhall.

10. New Orleans
CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy
Saints would prefer trading up for Dorsey or Ellis.

11. Buffalo
WR Devin Thomas, Michigan State
Taking Thomas would be a bit of a reach, but the Bills are desperate for pass-catching help.

12. Denver
G-T Branden Albert, Virginia
The Broncos need somebody to protect Jay Cutler’s blind side.

13. Carolina
DE Derrick Harvey, Florida
Running back would be another option for the Panthers.

14. Chicago
OT Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh
Lovie Smith brings in a solid building block for his offensive line.

15. Detroit
RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois
The speedy Mendenhall fills the void left by Kevin Jones’ release.

16. Arizona
OT Chris Williams, Vanderbilt
The Cardinals need some horses up front to keep their QBs healthy.

17. Kansas City
CB Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee State
The Chiefs get cousin of Pro Bowl CB Antonio Cromartie.

18. Houston
CB Mike Jenkins, South Florida
The Texans need help on the back end of their defense.

19. Philadelphia
WR DeSean Jackson, California
The Eagles pluck the next-best WR in the draft.

20. Tampa Bay
RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
The Bucs get insurance for Cadillac Williams, who is coming off knee surgery.

21. Washington
WR Malcolm Kelly, Oklahoma
The Redskins have tried to trade for an elite WR, but they’ll end up drafting one instead.

22. Dallas
RB Felix Jones, Arkansas
Cowboys get the second-best Arkansas back

23. Pittsburgh
OT Gosder Cherilus, Boston College
The Steelers get a mainstay for their O-line.

24. Tennessee
DE Phillip Merling, Clemson
If he lasts this long, the Titans will jump on Merling.

25. Seattle
CB Aqib Talib, Kansas
The Seahawks are looking for a TE, but they can get one of those in the second round. Besides, you can always use another CB in the NFC West.

26. Jacksonville
DT Kentwan Balmer, North Carolina
Fills vacancy created by trade of Marcus Stroud.

27. San Diego
RB Jamaal Charles, Texas
A new backup to LaDainian Tomlinson.

28. Dallas
CB Antoine Cason, Arizona
Jerry Jones is rumored to be seeking a trade down out of this pick.

29. San Francisco
WR Limas Sweed, Texas
They were hoping to get Cherilus. Isaac Bruce can’t play forever, so they’ll go with a WR as Plan B.

30. Green Bay
TE Fred Davis, Southern Cal
Filling the shoes of Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers needs all the targets he can get.

31. New York Giants
ILB Jerod Mayo, Tennessee
A nice addition for the defending Super Bowl champs.