St. Louis Rams: Initial Grades for 2015 NFL Draft Class

Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

Round 3: Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon State

GRADE: B+

I wasn’t a big fan of Mannion after thoroughly evaluating his game performance; he shows a disturbing lack of pocket awareness and his throwing mechanics are suspect. With that said, he fits what the Rams do pretty well, as he’s got a ton of experience operating in a pro-style offense and is adept at dropping back from under center. Who knows, with Mannion having formed such a powerful connection with wide receiver Brandin Cooks during his junior season, maybe he can form an effective connection with a similar player in Tavon Austin if called upon.

Realistically, Mannion’s ceiling is probably as a long-term backup, but he fits the “Fisherball” offensive scheme well and probably has a better chance of succeeding if pressed into action than last year’s developmental quarterback selection, sixth-rounder Garrett Gilbert, did.

Next: Round 4: Andrew Donnal