THE RAMS : They’re Seeking Help in the Defensive Line, But May Be Too Late

A year ago the Rams looked over the talent available in the National Football League draft, then rolled over and went back to sleep.

Over two years they had surrendered their first four 1984 selections in deals to acquire proven talents or hot prospects such as cornerback Gary Green, wide receiver Ron Brown, tight end David Hill and a running back named Eric Dickerson.

No sleepers there.

More recently, they have been able to get their next quarterback, Dieter Brock, 34, and a recycled punter, Russell Erxleben, as free agents with generous salary discounts for mileage accumulated.

But a wake-up call is on for Tuesday. The Rams will be there on full alert at 5 a.m. to pick the people they need to beef up a defense that played with one finger in the dike last season.

“The first three rounds I think it would be safe to say we’ll be taking defense,” Coach John Robinson said.

He paused, hedging.

“Maybe a wide receiver, because there’s so many good ones,” Robinson added, reverting to offensive form.

That may be when his assistants lock him in a closet.

With Jack Youngblood’s future clouded by a herniated disc, the Rams need a good pass rusher. Maybe two. There are several available, but the best ones may be gone before they pick on the 21st turn.

The first three are in a class alone. Bruce Smith of Virginia Tech will be drafted first by the Buffalo Bills, who may have tipped their hand by signing him a couple of months ago. Ray Childress of Texas A&M; apparently will go to the Houston Oilers, leaving Ron Holmes of Washington next in line.

If he were available to the Rams, Holmes would be a lock. But Robinson and most other draft experts expect Tampa Bay to draft him as the eighth overall pick, and Robinson is pessimistic about his chances of trading for a better position.

“We’d have to get at or above eight,” Robinson said. “I don’t see that happening for us, and that’s the only place you want to get. So my belief is that the Rams will pick 21st.”

Several other defensive linemen are rated at the next level, including Mike Gann of Notre Dame, Garin Veris of Stanford, Richard Byrd of Southern Mississippi, Emanuel King of Alabama, Kevin Brooks of Michigan and Freddie Joe Nunn of Mississippi.

Robinson believes one or more will be available 21st, so there’s no point in trading up if he can’t trade up high enough for Holmes.

The Rams put Vince Ferragamo up for trade when they signed Brock. He won’t bring a high first-round pick by himself, but he could be packaged with another talent attractive to, say, Atlanta or Detroit--teams wanting quarterbacks and other instant help and holding the fourth and sixth selections, respectively.

Robinson: “I’m not sure what the Vinnie trade is gonna be. I’m staying out of negotiations. Basically, John Shaw is the prime mover on the Ferragamo thing. The best I can tell you is there is nothing on the verge of happening, and it would be remote that something would happen.”

Robinson would like to convert Ferragamo into a draft choice before Tuesday, but only one team--the Green Bay Packers--had shown enough interest in Ferragamo to try him out, and the Packers traded with Denver for Scott Brunner Friday.

The Broncos made the Packers a better offer: a sixth-round choice in ‘86, convertible to a fourth if Brunner becomes the starter, as against the second in ’85 the Rams were believed to be asking.

Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks have gone lukewarm. The Buffalo Bills may want to see him throw because of his hand injuries of last season, but Ferragamo hasn’t wanted to leave town because his wife Jodi is overdue with their third child.

The shadowy Shaw, who is second in command under owner Georgia Frontiere, does not confide in the press so he isn’t involved in all the speculation.

Unless Robinson’s clout has weakened, Shaw would have to clear any trade with the coach, especially if a front-line player is involved.

Some players mentioned include Dickerson’s backup, Barry Redden, and Pro Bowl guard Kent Hill. The Rams are well-stocked in the offensive line, although free agent reserve Russ Bolinger signed with the Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League this month.

Robinson said he doesn’t look at his talent in terms of untouchables. Every player, except Dickerson perhaps, has his price.

“If somebody said, ‘We want (all-pro tackle) Jackie Slater and we’ll give you this,’ I’d have to decide whether he was untouchable or not,” Robinson said.

“We are not facing those kind of dilemmas at this point. There really isn’t a lot going on with that type of thing. Right now to pry Kent Hill loose from us would take a big, big, big crowbar. Don’t expect some explosive bombshell.”

So presuming the Rams will stay put in the draft order, Robinson said: “You’d like to say the 21st pick is a guy that’s gonna come in and play, but that’s hard to say at this point.”

Gann and Veris seem to be the best bets to play for the Rams.

Gann’s attorney, Jack Mills, said: “I think either Green Bay (14th) or Tampa Bay will take him.”

But Robinson said: “Gann could get through (to the Rams’ turn), and he’s a solid player. He’s played good all-round football. Veris is the same. His best play is ahead of him. I would put Veris and King and Nunn in a similar category (as) potential pass rushers. Veris has played the position. King and Nunn have been outside linebacker types.

“You ought to put Brooks in that category, too. Brooks might be a little better physical guy. He’s tall (6-5 1/2) and pretty big (260).”

But Robinson really wants Holmes, who he says is a genuine top 10 dominant player. “You go up there (in the draft) for the big hit,” Robinson said. “We’ve made those kinds of moves. If you go up there for that big hit guy, he ought to play. You say, ‘That’s your job. Play.’ ”

Holmes’ stock dropped last season when he had a hyper-extended knee and also developed an irregular blood-sugar count. Diabetes was suspected but ruled out.

According to attorney Leigh Steinberg, Holmes, 6-3 and 255, ran impressive 4.64- and 4.68-second 40-yard sprints for pro scouts this month and has breezed through many physicals.