Rams : Instead of a Pass Rusher, They Go for a Cornerback
The Rams failed to bag the impact player they wanted in the National Football League draft Tuesday--unless you count a punter who once hit the TV gondola in the Superdome at New Orleans.
What they got with their first three selections were Texas’ Jerry Gray, a free safety who will play cornerback; Vanderbilt’s Chuck Scott, a relatively slow “possession-type” receiver, and Clemson’s Dale Hatcher, a punter who hangs ‘em high.
It will take awhile to evaluate this draft, since the Rams didn’t solve either of their major problems.
They didn’t get the world-class pass rusher they wanted. The best hope is Kevin Greene, 6-3 and 240, an undersized defensive end from Auburn taken in the fifth round.
Worse, there was no last-minute trade to unload quarterback Vince Ferragamo, leaving him to cast a shadow over Dieter Brock, the designated starter.
If Coach John Robinson is determined to avoid a quarterback controversy, he may eventually have to release Ferragamo outright or settle for a lower draft choice than the second or third the Rams were seeking before Tuesday.
Said Robinson of the Rams’ fruitless search for a blue-chip defensive lineman: “It’s unfortunate that we haven’t found the ideal person, but it would be equally unfortunate to use a draft choice for someone that would not fill the need.”
So, Robinson chose Gray, 5-11 1/2 and 185, judging that even after changing Gray’s position, Gray would be more valuable than any of the defensive linemen who were still available when the Rams picked 21st in the first round.
“They were OK guys, but we have some OK guys,” Robinson said of those remaining at the time.
Two available at that point were Notre Dame’s Mike Gann and Stanford’s Garin Veris, both rated as solid pro prospects by some draft followers and believed to be high in the Rams’ ratings.
They lasted almost until the Rams picked 22nd in the second round.
Robinson indicated that he would have taken Freddie Joe Nunn, a defensive end from Mississippi, in the first round, but Nunn went three turns earlier to the St. Louis Cardinals, who will try him at outside linebacker.
“We obviously have need of a pass rusher, but when Nunn went, that was the end of it,” Robinson said. “We said, ‘OK, who’s the best player?’ ”
They figured it was Gray, who was expected to be drafted higher but was the third defensive back selected overall.
Before choosing Scott, the Rams came close to another crack at Gann and Veris.
“We would have considered it,” Robinson said. “We were surprised they were that low.”
Robinson said of Scott: “He’s a Dwight Clark,” referring to the tall, relatively slow but sure-handed San Francisco 49er who is Joe Montana’s favorite target.
“He (Scott) doesn’t have that breakaway speed, but he gets open,” Robinson said.
Scott, 6-1 and 203, set an NCAA record for tight ends with 70 catches as a junior and 54 as a flanker-slotback last season. He ran a so-so 4.57 40-yard sprint on grass for some pro scouts at Phoenix this spring.
Punters have few claims to fame, so Hatcher’s highlights are his 43.7-yard average last season and the one kick that bounced off the Superdome gondola.
Only two other men have done that, and they’re both in Los Angeles: Ray Guy with the Raiders and former Saint Russell Erxleben, now with the Rams.
Gray, who grew up in Lubbock and followed the Rams Johnnie Johnson as the Longhorns’ free safety, said: “I’ve admired Johnnie since I was in high school.”
Johnson said that his younger brother, Bobby, helped recruit Gray to Texas.
“I knew him all through college and we were good friends because he was always compared to me,” Johnson said. “He was thrilled the first time he got a chance to meet me.”
The state of Texas has produced a number of top defensive backs, several of whom have played for the Rams.
“Some people say Jerry’s the best,” Johnson said, smiling meaningfully. “I doubt that.
“But one thing that separates him from some others is he’s very strong mentally. I would compare him to (former Ram) Pat Thomas in his prime.”
Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer said of Gray last season, “He’s a trained killer.”
Johnson always insisted he was out of position at strong safety until the Rams moved him to free safety two years ago. But he said Gray will have no problem switching to cornerback.
“He’s got the speed to play anywhere. He’s so smooth you don’t even notice his speed. He’s a great man-to-man cover guy.”
The Rams are well-stocked at safety, with Nolan Cromwell, Eric Harris and Ivory Sully at strong and Johnson and Vince Newsome at free, but there are only two veterans--Gary Green and LeRoy Irvin--at the corners.
Robinson said: “I don’t know about a starting job, but he certainly will compete in our nickel. We anticipate we’re pretty good in an area where you have to be pretty good.”
Gray said he has never played cornerback.
“I think I can,” he said.
He played safety in last December’s rainy Freedom Bowl at his new home, Anaheim Stadium, when Iowa’s Chuck Long threw six touchdown passes in a 55-17 rout of Texas.
“I want to forget Chuck Long, but I love the field,” Gray said.
Robinson and Johnson both watched the game.
“They threw right over him, right down toward me,” Robinson said. “But not many guys from Texas played well.”
Johnson said: “I told (Gray) afterward, ‘Don’t worry about that. If you think Chuck Long was hot, wait until next year. You’ll find out it’s like that all the time in the NFL.’ ”
If the Chicago Bears tried to get through to wide receiver Chuck Scott of Vanderbilt Tuesday, the line was busy.
Usually a team will contact a player just before it intends to draft him. Scott told Jim Laise of the Nashville Banner that Ram Coach Robinson called shortly before the Bears were scheduled to pick late in the second round.
“Coach Robinson called and talked all the way through the Chicago draft to keep the line tied up,” Scott said. “They were afraid Chicago was going to pick me.”
Instead, the Bears drafted cornerback Reggie Phillips of SMU, and the Rams picked Scott next. Rams’ Draft Picks
Rd. Player College Pos. 1. Jerry Gray Texas DB 2. Chuck Scott Vanderbilt WR 3. Dale Hatcher Clemson P 5. Kevin Greene Auburn LB 6. Mike Young UCLA WR 6. Damone Johnson Cal Poly SLO TE 7. Danny Bradley Oklahoma RB 8. Marlon McIntyre Pittsburgh RB 9. Gary Swanson Cal Poly SLO CB 10. Duval Love UCLA G 11. Doug Flutie Boston Col. QB 11. Kevin Brown Northwestern DB