By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer

The week before the NFL Draft probably features more incorrect or misleading information than any non-election week the country. Teams let it be known that they are interested in a certain player in an attempt to hide who they are really interested in.

Or, some teams use the biggest smokescreen of all by telling the truth about whom they are interested in. For the Rams, there has probably been a little of both in the past week or two.

With the draft set to begin tomorrow at noon, there are a few things that seem fairly certain when it comes to the team’s draft plans. For one, it appears the two players they covet most, Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk and Maryland tight end Vernon Davis, will be long gone by the time the team comes on the clock at No. 11.

There have been rumblings that the team has attempted to move into the top five to have a shot at one of those players (with Hawk being the top preference), but those moves have been stonewalled by a lack of extra picks to move up that high.

Along with Hawk and Davis, there are about five or six other players expected to be gone before the Rams pick. That group includes USC’s Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, North Carolina State’s Mario Williams, Texas’ Vince Young and Virginia’s D’Brickashaw Ferguson.

Assuming that group along with Davis and Hawk are gone, the Rams would then likely turn to Texas defensive back Michael Huff. Unfortunately for St. Louis, both Buffalo and Detroit are known to have interest in Huff and he also might not slide down the extra spots to land in the Gateway City.

After eliminating Hawk, Huff and Davis, the Rams would be left with an interesting, yet not quite as exciting group to choose from. The next most likely target would be Florida State defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley. That could change should the Rams decide to sign Grady Jackson or Jason Fisk to a free-agent contract, but the Rams would be more than happy to bring Bunkley on board.

The wild card in the whole deal is Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler. Cutler’s stock has ranged anywhere from the top five to falling into the late teens. Some teams have him graded as the next Brett Favre while others view him as a mid-level first-round talent.

The Rams don’t have a serious need for a quarterback yet, but with Marc Bulger two years from free agency, Cutler seems to be a real possibility. In some rumors, the Rams are interested in trading up to get Cutler, but that is more than likely a smoke screen. Should the Rams move up, it will likely be for Hawk, Davis or Huff with the possibility of Bunkley. Trading away an extra pick for a player that won’t contribute for two years is unlikely.

If the quarterback to fall was Young, then the Rams would have no qualms with drafting him. But coach Scott Linehan insists that he is serious about drafting a signal caller if one of the top three is available.

Aside from Bunkley and Cutler, there are a few other realistic options for the directions the Rams could go in the first round. That group includes Iowa linebacker Chad Greenway, Florida State linebacker Ernie Sims, North Carolina State defensive end/linebacker Manny Lawson, Clemson cornerback Tye Hill and Florida State cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

Of that group, the Rams could go in any direction, though there seems to be a split on which players are preferred where. Some prefer Sims to Greenway and others like Greenway better than Sims. The same can be said for cornerback where Hill is the more sure thing, but Cromartie has more potential.

After last weekend’s minicamp, Linehan made it clear that he feels the linebacker position is more solid than first thought. That could mean the team would rather not take a linebacker, unless it decided to go with a hybrid such as Lawson.

Lawson is maybe the most intriguing of the prospects. Some believe that he is too much of a ‘tweener to go as high as No. 11, but you can certainly make a case for him because of his 4.4 speed and freakish athleticism. Lawson is in the 245 pound range, too small to be an end and a little too big to be a linebacker.

Still, there are plenty of recent examples of players with similar credentials making an immediate impact. San Diego’s Shawne Merriman and Dallas’ DeMarcus Ware from last year’s draft turned into excellent NFL players. Dwight Freeney was in a similar situation and is now the league’s most feared pass rushers.

When the Rams drafted Leonard Little in 1998, he weighed 237 pounds and didn’t have the freakish athleticism or speed of Lawson. It might be a little high, but considering needs at the position, Lawson would be a legitimate option.

The more sure and safe bets for possible picks there would be Greenway and Hill. Hill is a bit undersized, but has great speed. Greenway has been underwhelming in workouts, but has the work ethic and productivity to be a solid player at the next level.

Unlike in recent years, when it was clear that the Rams needed to fill a spot and the player of choice was obvious, this year the team has more needs and there is no clear cut solution.

Linehan has maintained all along that the Rams will stick to their board and grab the best player available. Who that is remains to be seen.