253 draft picks transformed the NFL in a matter of days. Around the League will examine the aftershocks by asking one post-draft burning question for all 32 teams.
Will Bradford's new targets pay dividends?
The Rams never hid their fascination with Justin Blackmon, but lost out on the receiver when Jacksonville traded up to the fifth pick in the draft. St. Louis responded well, wheeling and dealing down to No. 14, where they acquired defensive tackle Michael Brockers, a pick the team was thrilled with.
Brockers -- an aggressive run-stopper -- filled a need on the defensive line, but not on offense, where Sam Bradford lacked weapons.
St. Louis used the draft to address this issue, taking Brian Quick, the receiver out of Appalachian State in the second round. In the fourth they grabbed Wake Forest wideout Chris Givens.
Bradford is entering his critical third season, and the team is depending on Quick and Givens to contribute early. So who are these guys?
On Quick:
His size was a big plus for the Rams. The rangy, 6-foot-4, 222-pounder impressed the powers that be during a meeting with the team. "I think we worked out a lot of receivers and this guy was as good or better than all of them," general manager Les Snead said.
"We went to Appalachian State ... and we worked him out," coach Jeff Fishertold the team's official site. "We had both of our quarterbacks Tom Brandstater and Kellen Clemens throw and when we got in the car to head to the airport they said, 'Wow.' And I think that's where we were, too."
On Givens:
The Rams added a burner at wideout in Givens. Fisher and Co. view him as a plug-in deep threat. He's versatile, having gained experience playing at the X, Y and slot at Wake Forest.
"He was a fast player at the combine," Snead told the team's official site. "He's a 4.3 guy on the clock, but I think you better be able to figure out, like I've said, if he can play fast. And this guy plays very, very fast. I think that's just going to give us a dimension. He'll be one of our fastest receivers on our team so that's just going to open up things for (other guys)."
The Rams enjoyed a solid, balanced draft that met needs on both sides of the ball. Most importantly, if these two pass-catchers pan out, Bradford is no longer throwing to ghosts.
