Damione Lewis game-worn jersey for sale. Anyone? Anyone?

When a draft pick busts spectacularly, like Jamarcus Russell, Troy Williamson, or Courtney Brown, it makes headlines and that player’s name is immortalized in excrement for that team’s fan base. But when an entire draft class evaporates into valuelessness, it can set back a team for years.

The 2001 Rams draft disaster -- spending four picks in the top 44, including three first-rounders, and not getting a single franchise player -- was a dynasty-killing blunder. The 2006 and 2007 draft classes that should have jump-started the recovery instead produced names infamous among Rams fans -- Tye Hill, Claude Wroten, Joe Klopfenstein, and Adam Carriker -- and brought to a merciful end the destructive Jay Zygmunt era.

Putting those drafts in perspective, though, I found that neither ranks among the top ten worst drafts of the last fifteen years.

Who says? A new value metric created by Pro-Football-Reference.com. Their “Career Approximate Value (CarAV)” statistic seeks to provide a rough numerical summary of a player’s positive contribution to their team, regardless of position.

For example, here’s how they rate the infamous 2001 Rams draft class:

(Bold indicates the player is still active, still adding to his CarAV score.)

Now, this wasn’t a good draft. But here’s a scary thought: the Rams’ total approximate value from the 2001 draft was actually one of the highest of the entire Zygmunt era.

These guys were given roster spots and ample time to play, and they were average. Not great, not bombs, just average. Average play over an extended period of time accumulates CarAV points. For example, Damione Lewis never became a force, but he did tally ten sacks for the Rams while doing dirty work on the line, and continues to be a reliable plug in Carolina’s well-regarded defensive line. And his production from the same position was a small notch better than Cliff Ryan’s, who we generally regard as a halfway decent player.

Now compare these scores to the top of the Rams' 2006 draft:  

Those five players combined haven’t had the impact on the league that Tommy Polley had. Now that’s truly frightening. But after the break, we play Vincent Price and take a look at a few drafts that were even scarier:

Football lovers don't celebrate yet -- Judge Nelson's ruling is but a speedbump for NFL lead counsel David Boies and their mission to "take back the league." While they trade arguments and appeals, our Lockout purgatory continues...

There was really no win here for NFL fans, even though Judge Susan Nelson has ruled against the NFL Owners' ability to lock out their no-longer-unionized players. And really, she had very little choice in the matter but to rule, once it became clear that neither side was committed to her preferred process of mediation. From her statement: 

"Ensuing delay would simply exacerbate the irreparable harm the Players are incurring every day the so-called 'lockout' continues."

(All quotes from the proceedings are taken from Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Business Journal (@dkaplansbj).)

As a former mediator, Nelson prides herself in finding a middle ground between parties, or in coercing them to act like grown-ups and find it themselves. However, the legal position of the NFL proved intractable. Their arguments were two-fold:

Owners: We have every right to lock out an opposing union. The players' non-union is still a union. Their decertification is a sham (not that we expect you to rule on this, since we already have a case before the National Labor Review Board).

Judge Nelson's response (emphasis mine):

"This Court finds that the disclaimer is not a mere tactic because it results in serious consequences for the Players... employees have the right not to be a union as much as they have the right to be or organize as a union."

Owners: The Norris-Laguardia act says that no judge can end a lockout. Therefore, you can't rule in this case.

Today, Judge Nelson's actions said, in effect: "Oh yeah? Just watch me."

Marshall Faulk is all smiles, now that his job isn't on the line.Only seven years ago, Rams legend Marshall Faulk was coming off an 11 touchdown season when the team pulled somewhat of a shocker and selected Steven Jackson 24th overall in the 2004 draft out of Oregon State.

Ironically, Faulk was selected Thursday to announce St. Louis’ second round pick this year and could be calling for Jackson’s eventual replacement when the Rams turn in their choice.

Despite rushing for over 1,200 yards and six touchdowns last season, Rams GM Billy Devaney made it clear they are looking for someone to spell Jackson in the increasingly running-back-by-committee NFL. This draft is rife with talented backs; here is a look at five prospects that could be selections for the Rams:

Mark Ingram, Alabama 5-9, 215 pounds

Ingram is regarded by most as the best prospect at running back in the draft this year and dominated at Alabama. He reportedly visited the Rams earlier in the offseason and has been mentioned at 14 if they miss out on Julio Jones.

There are questions about a knee injury and he isn’t particularly shifty or fast, but he never shies away from contact and has been compared to Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith for his field vision. Ingram also won the Heisman Trophy and a National Championship in 2009 after rushing for almost 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns in the brutal SEC.

His projected draft slot is a little high for me and the Rams have other more pressing  needs to fill but Ingram would add instant power to the offense and would be a nightmare one-two punch along with S-Jax for opposing defenses.

[Note: fellow RamsHerd writer Maurice Walker offered a full exploration of the case for and against picking Mark Ingram this weekend.]

Mikel Leshoure, Illinois 6-0, 227 pounds

Leshoure is a bigger back and runs with the same style and physicality as Jackson. He doesn’t have elite speed or elusiveness but is regarded for his pass blocking. He has the ability to catch the ball, though was little utilized as a receiver at Illinois.

After rushing for 1,697 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, He could become a multi-dimensional weapon for Sam Bradford and could be available when the Rams are making their second round pick.

[Note: Leshoure was the pick of the Rams War Room in MockThree, and fellow RamsHerd writer Tim Shields makes his case for the pick.]

Alabama RB Mark Ingram has been a polarizing figure among Rams fans.

Julio Jones isn’t the only former Crimson Tide player in contention to be selected by the St. Louis Rams at 14.  Many local and national media types have at least broached the subject of the Rams interest in the Alabama running back, including Post-Dispatch beat reporter Jim Thomas, Examiner.com columnist Tim Klutsarits, and ESPN Draft pundit Mel Kiper Jr.

There are arguably other, better candidates to be selected at 14 that Rams fans would prefer over Ingram, however for several reasons, Ingram to the Rams makes sense as well.  Here I’ll provide ammunition for both sides, starting with making the case for why he should be the pick.

For: He’s the highest rated RB

The need for a backup/second running back is something that is well known among Rams fans, and well documented among the media.  Mark Ingram is currently rated number 21 out of Scout’s Inc. Top 32 prospects.  He is the highest rated RB and the only one in the draft that carries a first round grade.  Ingram is efficient in all of the tools of the trade it takes to be a successful RB in the NFL.  He has all of the numbers (572 attempts, 3,261 yards, 42 TD’s) and is a former Heisman Award winner.  Aside from the on-field performance, he fits the famed “four pillars” model that Coach Spags and Billy Devaney have instituted.  

For: He fits the scheme

One of Ingram’s strong suits is his vision running between the tackles.  Although he doesn’t have straight-line, home run speed, Ingram is very shifty and excels at working inside.  This fits with the zone-blocking scheme the Rams run.  The zone-blocking scheme allows the running back room for cut-back runs, and space to maneuver inside.  Also, Ingram’s inside vision would help him to be successful despite the Rams’ well-documented interior run-blocking woes.

Ingram also wouldn’t simply be a third-down back.  If selected, especially in the 14 slot, Ingram would not only represent a solid backup edition, but he would be the future of the Rams backfield.    Ingram is the kind of back that can carry the load on early downs.  What this would allow for is more Steven Jackson on third down, be it in the backfield or split wide, which we are sure to see in the new Josh McDaniels offense.  In essence, Jackson would receive some backfield help, while also helping to groom the workhorse to take over the reigns.

Let me see your Poker Face...

Is the draft a choose your own adventure book?  Is there no changing the future after that first decision is made?  Which adventure will the Rams choose with their 1^st rd pick… will they choose offense like that of the GSOT  Rams or choose defense and build their version of the 2001 Ravens (extreme examples of course).  Well the draft is not a one round choose your own adventure, it is a seven rounder. Yes that first one is big but it does not determine the end result or dictate which adventure a franchise will embark on. 

One thing is certain; Billy Devaney has become a master of the pre-draft smokescreen. He is earmarking all the pages so no one knows which adventure he is taking the Rams on.  And that’s the way he likes it.  And I am okay with that. I like a GM who keeps it close to the chest.   From looking at the articles below it appears he is doing a very good job at it.

Will he move up to grab his coveted WR…

…or does he stay 14 and grab a DT…

...who knows, maybe he goes Tight-End

….Only thing we know for sure as Will pointed out in his column is they ain’t going QB.

Devany has impressed at least one of the Talking Heads, and in this case it's the head with the hair.

@MelKiperESPN Mel Kiper Jr. Best drafts in my opinion the last 2 yrs (includes UFA's) 2009 -GB   & Det - 2010 - NE, Oak, Pitts, St. Louis, TB, GB

A few links on who might end as the Rams choice at #14:

Still Jonesen for Julio:
Mr. Smith goes to St. Louis:
Too Liuget, too Liguet to draft, hey hey:

A Couple of other thoughts heading into the 2011 NFL Draft

Rams fans have been feeling uneasy about, well pretty much everything.  For the 5 plus years it has been tough to be a Rams fan.  Mad Mike ran the team into the ground and the Linehan did everything in his power to keep them there. Games were not on TV and fans were not at the games. So you’ll have to forgive us for still taking the glass-is-half-empty approach even when things start going better.  The Rams have their franchise QB, went from 1,2 to 7 wins, have a young  up and coming D and what appears to be a strong front office and they are back in prime time this season. Twice the Rams will appear on MNF.  I want to get excited, I do but I can’t help feeling like Charlie Brown waiting for Lucy to pull the ball away at the last moment.  I just really hope Stan Kroenke isn’t playing the part of Lucy to the fans Charlie Brown.

Patience, not sure if it’s one of the Four Pillars but it is absolutely going to be an important virtue within the Rams war room for the 2011 Draft.  For the first time since 2007 the Rams will not have one of the first two picks.  So Spags and Bill D have can sit back, relax, and get in some serious Angry Birds action on the IPad…though my guess is their attention will be focused elsewhere.

The Rams add punishment with the additions of Wisconsin G John Moffitt (above) and Boise State S Jeron Johnson (below).

MockThree is steamrolling forward like a ... well, like a steamroller. Sorry, it's late on a Friday and my metaphor bank is about empty. And as we enter the meat of the draft, the Rams war room had a mission to add some serious beef to the team.

Round 3: In for a penny, in for a pound.

With the 78th pick in #MockThree, the #Rams select John Moffitt, G, Wisconsin.

In round two, the Rams war room deviated from its original mission and made an aggressive move to secure the future of our running game, drafting Mikel Leshoure. The only problem? The Rams had almost no inside running game last year behind our offensive line, especially after John Greco fell out. (What happened to Greco? That is one of 2010's great unsolved mysteries.)

Only two guards were taken in the first round -- no surprises in Mike Pouncey and Danny Watkins -- but another four flew off the board in round two, starting a little run and putting the Rams in a dangerous spot. It was either grab our guy now, or depend on capricious fate to either return Greco to us healthy, or open the gates to free agency so we could land a blue-chip replacement like Logan Mankins.

Fortunately, the run on guards subsided and Moffitt fell to us, which made the decision pretty easy. We also considered Will Rackley, but Moffitt had the benefit of playing on a dominant and punishing Wisconsin line against superior competition, and is seen as more complete and ready to start than Rackley, who has pass protection issues.

Moffitt is known as a powerful straight-line blocker who is quick to engage and hard to shake off. He enjoys finishing his blocks in the run game, and is tenacious and instinctive in pass protection. His weakness, though, is a lack of nimbleness that prevents him from delivering those second-level blocks that were so important to the Pat Shurmur swing-pass offense. We believe that will be less of a concern under Josh McDaniels.

Series: A look at the other three teams in the most wide open division in football.

Jake Locker graduates from college and goes to work right away for the local pro company. Isn't that the way these things are supposed to work?

What a difference a year makes.  A year ago at this time, the Rams were the team no one wanted to be.  A team in chaos, who was coming off a 6-42 span that saw the epic collapse of what once stood as an offensive haven.  When the first round ended, the Rams had addressed their biggest question -- quarterback.  Fast forward a season  and the Cardinals, 49ers and Seahawks now have that unsettling, uncomfortable feeling at quarterback.  Will the other teams follow the Rams’ approach and try to answer their quarterback question in round one or could they go after a guy that is going to sack Sam Bradford?  Here’s a look at the draft options for the Cardinals, 49ers and Seahawks.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

The Seahawks shocked everybody last year by making the playoffs and eventually knocking off the defending champs, New Orleans Saints, in the wildcard round. This team will infamously be remembered for becoming the first team ever to make the playoffs -- and win a playoff game -- with a losing record. However, despite the playoff berth, this team has some big holes to fill from top to bottom.

My pick for the Seattle Seahawks: Jake Locker – QB – Washington

Longtime quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is a free agent. Even if the Seahawks bring him back, quarterback is a position they could address early in this draft. Hasselbeck, who will be 36 next season, has spent most of the last 3 seasons battling injuries. Not to mention, his 44 interceptions to 34 touchdowns during that span, coupled with a quarterback rating no higher than 75.1%, there's no reason not to consider a quarterback with this pick.

Some might say that Charlie Whitehurst is the heir-apparent to Hasselbeck. I don’t think Charlie Whitehurst has done anything to cement himself as Hasselbeck’s replacement, and Vic Carucci of NFL.com agrees with this theory. In a recent chat he wrote, “I do believe that somewhere along the line the Seahawks will draft a quarterback, because they have to have a successor-in-waiting for Matt Hasselbeck. Right now, he doesn’t appear to be on the roster.”

Carucci has Arkansas quarterback, Ryan Mallet going to the Seahawks with the 25th pick. Mallet is surely another option with the pick. Unlike Carucci, I think Jake Locker will be around at 25, and what a better way to replace a fan favorite in Hasselbeck than with a quarterback beloved by the whole state of Washington? [Editor's note: The proprietor of the venerable Seahawks blog Field Gulls was more worried about Mallett disappearing early, cashing in several trade chips to get to the #15 pick in MockThree to take Mallett.]

We consider other options, after the break: