Rams DT Adam Carriker: Bring In [Ndamukong] Suh
By Josh Sanchez
St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Adam Carriker was the 13th overall selection back in 2007. There were high hopes for the defensive lineman, but he has failed to live up to his hype tallying only 53 tackles and 2 sacks in his career.
That doesn’t shy the former Nebraska Cornhusker from telling his team to bring in top-ranked Ndamukong Suh, even though they play the same position.
“Yeah, bring in Suh,” Carriker said. “I mean, why not? If they feel he’s the best player. Whoever they bring in, they know what they’re doing.”
Carriker also remembers Suh from their days together in Nebraska.
“I knew he’d be good,” Carriker said. “I had no idea he’d be this good. I knew he had a lot of potential, so obviously he lived up to it.”
But will St. Louis go defensive line again? The team needs help on both sides of the ball.
“We need playmakers,” said General Manager Billy Devaney. “Guys who can score touchdowns from way out, who can sack the quarterback, make a difference, impact the game.
“I think that’s what we have to focus on at this point, guys who are game-changers on both sides of the ball.”
If the team were to look in Suh’s direction, it would be the third defensive lineman that the Rams have spent a first-rounder on in four years — Carriker in 2007 and defensive end Chris Long in 2008.
Another possibility for the Rams is to look at the top quarterbacks in this years class. Both Jimmy Clausen and Sam Bradford are considered first-round talents, but they may be a reach with the first-overall pick.
A very talked about option for St. Louis at the quarterback position is to swing a trade for current Eagles back-up, Michael Vick.
No matter what direction the Rams go, they need to make sure to hit on this pick. Suh seems like a guy who can go on to have a 10+ year NFL career with multiple Pro Bowls. He is a game changer and exactly the kind of spark that defensive line could benefit from.
Rams coach Steve Spagnulo knows from his days with the Giants that a strong defensive line can go a long way, so don’t be surprised to hear Suh’s name called when the draft starts.