1st round, 31st overall – Trung Canidate, RB, Arizona
Canidate played in 36 games with the Rams, starting three,
two in 2001 and one in 2002 before being traded to the Washington Redskins
before the 2003 season. After playing in only three games due to injuries
in his rookie season, the former Wildcat standout put up impressive numbers when
given the chance in 2001. Canidate rushed 78 times for 441 yards (5.7
average) with six touchdowns, while making 17 receptions for 154 yards (9.1
average) and returning 36 kickoffs for 748 yards (20.8 average) in 2001.
In his first career start in place for the injured Marshall Faulk, Canidate
rushed 23 times for 195 yards at the New York Jets 10/21/01, scoring two
touchdowns. Both touchdowns came on memorable plays – one was a direct
snap to Canidate, ran in for 12 yards; and the other was on an option play where
WR Az-Zahir Hakim ran 12 yards and pitched the ball to Canidate for the last 44
yards. It was the most rushing yards in a running back’s first career
start since Gerald Riggs gained 202 for Atlanta 9/2/84. Canidate became
the Rams kickoff returner again at the end of the 2002 season and returned seen
kicks for a 28.1-yard average, with a career-long of 53 yards.
2nd round, 62nd overall – Jacoby Shepherd, CB, Oklahoma
State
Shepherd played in 22 games for the Rams, starting one. In
2000, Shepherd notched 17 tackles (13 solo) with one interception, coming
against San Diego 10/1 off Chargers’ QB Jim Harbaugh. He made seven
special teams tackles in 2000 and six in 2001 before being placed on the
reserve/injured list 11/17. Shepherd was traded to the Houston Texans
after the 2001 season for a conditional draft pick.
3rd round, 94th overall – John St. Clair, OL,
Virginia
St. Clair
became the Rams’ starting right tackle in 2002 and performed admirably.
The Virginia product started 13 games at right tackle, three games at left
tackle, and played at left tackle in two of his starts at right tackle due to
injuries to T Orlando Pace and T Grant Williams. In 2003 St. Clair saw
action as a goal-line tight end and on special teams, making his first career
reception for 18 yards at Cleveland 12/8 on Monday Night Football
St. Clair
spent his first two NFL seasons on the Rams’ active roster, but was a designated
inactive for each game in those two seasons. The former first-team
all-America selection as a Cavalier signed with the Miami Dolphins as an
unrestricted free agent after the 2003 season.
4th round, 104th overall – Kaulana Noa, OL,
Hawaii
Noa spent the
2000 season on the reserve/injured list for St. Louis after suffering a broken
wrist during the preseason, and then spent every game of the 2001 season on the
gameday inactive list. The former first-team all-WAC selection was
allocated to NFL Europe in 2002 by the Rams, and started at tackle for the
Barcelona Dragons. Noa was released during 2002 training camp by the
Rams.
5th round, 139th overall – Brian Young, DL,
UTEP
Young played in 60 games for the Rams,
starting 31, 16 of them coming in 2001. While in St. Louis, Young made 253
tackles (112 solo), 11 sacks, one interception, 11 passes defensed, three forced
fumbles, and six fumble recoveries. Young also started four of the five
postseason contests he played in for the Rams, making 25 tackles (10 solo) with
two sacks and four passes defensed. Young played mostly on special teams in his
rookie year, totaling eight tackles (five solo), but emerged in 2001 training
camp to win the starting defensive tackle job, where he spent the whole
season. Young finished his breakout season with 78 tackles (42 solo), 6.5
sacks, one interception, 18 QB pressures, and one forced fumble. He
finished the season second on the defensive line in tackles and third on the
team in sacks. In 2003, Young started 12 games , making a career-high 82
tackles (34 solo) with 2.5 sacks, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and
a franchise-record-tying five fumble recoveries.
The former WAC Defensive Player of the Year made a career
high 16 tackles at Chicago 11/16/03 and also tied an NFL record for most fumble
recoveries in one game, as he collected four against Baltimore 11/9/03. In
2002 Young played in all 16 games, starting three, and notched 65 tackles (31
solo) with two sacks, two passes defensed, and one fumble recovery. Young
signed with the New Orleans Saints as an unrestricted free agent following the
2003 season.
6th round, 198th overall – Matt Bowen, S,
Iowa
Bowen played in 17
games for St. Louis, starting two, both in 2000. Bowen played in 2001’s
season opener at Philadelphia 9/9, but broke his foot in the game, and was
placed on the reserve/injured list. He was later released 11/6. In
2000, the former first-team all-Big Ten selection made 21 tackles (15 solo) and
had two passes defensed, tying for the team lead with 21 special teams
tackles. In his second career start vs. San Diego 10/1/00, Bowen led the
team with a career-high 12 tackles (nine solo).
7th round, 220th overall – Andrew Kline, G, San
Diego State
Kline
spent 2000 training camp with St. Louis before being placed on the
reserve/injured list 8/22 and being released at the end of the 2000 season.
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