The St. Louis Rams clearly need a dominant playmaker to open up their offense for new coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, and Mel Kiper believes he’s likely to get his man in his first NFL Mock Draft for 2012 with the best wide receiver in college football over the last two years in Justin Blackmon from Oklahoma State. Blackmon has dominated not only the entire Big 12 but the national scene as well, coming up big in OSU’s bowl win over Stanford with three touchdowns just a few weeks ago.
“There’s a clear value question here, because I think St. Louis could leverage this position to trade down for more picks for 2012 and into the future, and then still target Blackmon perhaps a few spots later,” writes Kiper. “But if the Rams can’t find a dance partner for a trade, Blackmon still represents precisely what this offense needs. Sam Bradford took a step back in 2011, but he got little help, and Blackmon is a big target, a great route runner and a workaholic who could transition and learn the pro game quickly. St. Louis also could try to shore up an offensive line that took a step back, but Blackmon right now represents the top wide receiver in the draft and fills a big need for the Rams. It should be noted there are a number of teams drafting behind St. Louis that need an elite wide receiver.”
Blackmon won the Biletnikoff Award in 2010 and should win this year’s edition as well. Bradford should find new life in St. Louis if he lands a premiere wideout like Blackmon.