Ben Feldman
Nick,
How does Delaware QB Joe Flacco look?  I saw him play in a couple of the Division I-AA playoff games and liked him.  Is he someone that the Rams could look at in the later rounds as a developmental prospect?  What about Michigan QB Chad Henne?

NW: Honestly, I had high hopes for Flacco coming down here and had my eye on him as a potential developmental guy for the Rams. But so far I have been disappointed with what I’ve seen. The people who evaluate talent for a living seem to agree. It’s not that he can’t play, but he simply doesn’t do anything that stands out. He’s pretty mobile and has a good feel in the pocket, but I’m not sure he’ll ever be a starter in the NFL. Henne is the best and most consistent of the quarterbacks here. I think he can be a very solid NFL quarterback for a long time. Not sure he’s a starter, either, but I don’t think you’d mind having him around as a No. 2.

Cory Radford
Which FB at the Senior Bowl would be a better fit for the Rams (possibly H-Back) if the Rams choose to pick that position? Arkansas’ Peyton Hillis or West Virginia's Owen Schmitt?

NW: I wrote about this a little yesterday, but to me right now it’s a slam dunk. I’d go with Hillis. Schmitt is just so stiff in all of his movements. I love Hillis’ versatility. He can block, he can catch, he can run, he does it all. I wouldn’t mind seeing him in Rams colors next year. He kind of reminds me of a bigger version of Brian Leonard capable of working as a lead blocker. The others here don’t wow anyone. LSU’s Jacob Hester is a man with no position and Schmitt has been disappointing.

Cory Radford
Who has stood out at Offensive left tackle this week at the Senior Bowl that would be there at the 2nd pick of the 2nd round for the Rams?

NW: Good question, Cory. I came here with an eye toward Boston College’s Gosder Cherilus, but so far he has been uneven at best. Sam Baker has not been impressive, either. As far as guys at the Senior Bowl, I think the best tackle here is Vanderbilt’s Chris Williams. He has at least been the most consistent. He’s a large man with good feet and a nasty streak. Keep an eye on Nebraska’s Carl Nicks, also. There are a lot of tackles in this draft and I believe the Rams can get one as good or better than Michigan’s Jake Long with their second pick. Pitt’s Jeffrey Otah and Kansas’ Anthony Collins are solid guys, also and they aren’t even here.

Cory Radford
Texas WR Limas Sweed is going to play for the first time this weekend since injuring his knee in early October. How has he looked? Is he faster then most think? His size would make him an ideal fit for Linehan's offense.

NW: Sweed is up and down. Yesterday he made a terrific one-handed catch on a deep in route that wowed the crowd. But he isn’t consistent catching the ball and his routes are average. He seems like he has the physical ability, but his speed doesn’t blow you away, either. He does have good size, but this offense needs an influx of speed at the receiver position, something he doesn’t have enough of to be a match.

Nick Pasco
Hey Nick do you think that the rams should look for another big time DT like Sedrick Ellis since La’Roi Glover is clearly passing his prime?

NW: I absolutely think that fortifying the defensive line has to be one of the top priorities for this team in the offseason. I love Ellis as you can probably tell, but I’m not sure he’s a fit in this defense. He’s a one gap kind of player with explosiveness up the field, but I’m not sure how he’d fit in St. Louis. If the Rams played a similar style to an Indianapolis or Tampa Bay, he might be at the top of the list. I don’t think he can’t play in the Rams’ defense, I just don’t think he’d be worth the No. 2 pick for this system. LSU’s Glenn Dorsey, on the other hand…

Ryan Henderson
Hey Nick, with the potential departure of Brandon Chillar through free agency are there any linebackers at the Senior Bowl that have impressed you?  What do you think about Xavier Adibi or Dan Connor?  Are there any guys there that might be interesting to the Rams on the second day of the Draft?

NW: I think linebacker is going to be a need for this team as it appears Chillar probably won’t be back on the strong side. There are some in house candidates for the job such as Chris Draft and Quinton Culberson, but I think drafting a ‘backer is certainly in the realm of possibility. I’m not sold on Connor though he has a good day today. He is probably a weak side guy. Adibi is interesting because he can rush the passer. Guys that intrigue me who could play strong side and be around in the later rounds include Mississippi State’s Titus Brown (who I love) and UCLA’s Bruce Davis. Davis is a pass rushing, hybrid type with a lot of room to grow. Brown does it all and would be a tremendous pick if the Rams could get him later than the second round.

Tom Templeton
Hi Nick! Many of us fans would like the Rams to select Chris Long; however, he has to be passed over by the Tuna first. Do you think there is a chance that Parcells might pass on C.L.? Also could you name some O-line and WR players they could conceivably select on the first day?

NW: I think there is a chance that Parcells could pass on Long in favor of Glenn Dorsey. However, with each passing day, I believe more and more that the Long/Parcells marriage just makes too much sense. Long is just the type of player Parcells like to build around and he would be a fit in the Dolphins defense. That said, I had an interesting conversation with a scout Tuesday afternoon about this very topic. The scout believes that Long would not be a fit as a 3-4 end and he would make sense as a bull rushing, Aaron Kampman type of power end in a 4-3. In his mind, Long is a bit of a risk because of this. His exact words “For that kind of money, I want it to be as close as possible to a guaranteed 10 sacks, I’m not sure you get that with Long.” Make no mistake, I like Long a lot and the scout likes him a lot too, but maybe on further inspection he isn’t as much of a sure thing as we’d like.

As for the OL and WR help you mentioned, here’s some names of guys that could be interesting. On the offensive line, Kansas’ Anthony Collins, Vanderbilt’s Chris Williams, Pittsburgh’s Jeff Otah (all tackles), USC’s Chilo Rachal and Drew Radovich, Virginia’s Branden Albert (guards), Wake Forest’s Steve Justice and Arizona State’s Mike Pollak (centers) are possibilities. The tackles mentioned will likely be gone by the end of round two and Rachal could also. The rest might be on the board in round three, though it’s all still very early in this process. As for receivers, it’s a disappointing group. The Rams need a speedster that can stretch the field. Since there isn’t one worth drafting with the second pick, here’s some that could be candidates because of their speed in the middle rounds: Kansas State’s Jordy Nelson, California’s Lavelle Hawkins, Houston’s Donnie Avery and Virginia Tech’s Eddie Royal.