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Rookie Watch
By Mike Beacom
Rookie Watch – Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis Rams
By Mike Beacom
FootballDiehards.com
At the start of his college career, things came easy for Sam Bradford. He won the University of Oklahoma’s starting job as a redshirt freshman, then followed that up by becoming the second player in college football history to win the Heisman Trophy as a sophomore.
But then Bradford’s “luck” ran dry. He twice injured his throwing shoulder in 2009, first in the season opener against BYU and again five weeks later in the Red River Shootout against Texas. The injury kept him on the sidelines for the remainder of his junior season but did not deter him from taking his chances in the 2010 NFL Draft. After his Pro Day, during which he completed 62 of his 63 throws, Bradford pushed past his peers and was picked by the St. Louis Rams first overall in April.
Now projected to move his way to the front of the Rams’ depth chart – assuming contract talks go smooth – Bradford has caught the eye of talent-hungry fantasy owners everywhere.
Dissecting the depth chart: Because St. Louis showed Marc Bulger the door there is no one else who poses much of a threat to Bradford. Backup A.J. Feeley hasn’t played in a meaningful game since Week 13 of the 2007 season, and Keith Null’s touchdown-to-interception ratio from last season (three to nine) speaks for itself. Even if the Rams wanted to save Bradford from the punishment this year, they couldn’t – not if they hope to put a respectable product on the field. And the fanbase certainly isn’t going to pay good money to come watch Feeley or Null throw ducks downfield.
Just the stats: Bradford threw just 69 passes in 2009, most of them in his team’s win over Baylor (27 of 49 for 389 yards). NFL scouts more closely examined his Heisman-winning season of 2008, during which Oklahoma’s signal caller completed 328 of 483 attempts for 4,720 yards and an NCAA-leading 50 touchdowns. In his team’s only regular season loss that year, Bradford passed for 387 yards and five touchdowns against Texas. And as productive as he was for the Sooners, Bradford was also ridiculously efficient. In fact, in 2007 and 2008 combined, Bradford threw 86 touchdowns and just 16 interceptions, completing better than 67 percent of his passes in both seasons.
2009 rookie comparison: Matthew Stafford
Both players were the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and accordingly both were snapped up by a desperate franchise unable to fully support them. Stafford had a few shining moments last season, but he didn’t have the kind of time in the pocket that a rookie requires. The same will be true of Bradford, who must operate behind a line that is almost as green as he is. While fantasy owners should expect Bradford to throw fewer interceptions, Stafford’s 2,267 yards and 13 touchdowns sound about right.
Interesting fact that won’t help you: Bradford is one of the few NFL players of Native American descent. His great-great-grandmother, Susie Walkingstick, was full-blooded Cherokee.
What he’s worth: To be frank, not much. While it’s safe to assume Bradford will be the only rookie quarterback to see significant playing time this season, it is also fair to say that the Rams will not provide him with enough opportunity to succeed for fantasy owners. The team lacks a true No. 1 wide receiver, has a suspect offensive line, and is still shaping its identity under coach Steve Spagnuolo. All of this makes Bradford a risky pick, even as a backup.
Mike Beacom is a contributing writer for FootballDiehards.com.
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