Top 30 Draft Selections in St. Louis Rams History

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7. Kevin Carter, DE, Round 1, Pick 6 Overall, 1995

Carter didn’t spend an exceptionally long time with the Rams, but during his five-year tenure in St. Louis, he was one of the most prolific pass rushers that the team has ever had.

The versatile 6-foot-6, 290-pounder, who was capable of rushing from the edge or the interior, immediately got going as a rookie, recording six sacks, 37 tackles, and a forced fumble while starting all 16 games. He really turned it on in 1996, collecting 9.5 sacks and five forced fumbles, and after a 1997 season during which he had 7.5 sacks, he had three straight double-digit sack seasons from 1998 to 2000.

In a 1999 season which is considered to be the best-ever by any defensive end in St. Louis Rams history by Pro Football Reference‘s Approximate Value rating system, Carter collected 17 sacks, 34 tackles, four forced fumbles, and two recoveries. He also had three sacks during the postseason while helping the Rams to their first Super Bowl victory.

Carter’s incredible durability also deserves note; not only did he play in all 96 possible games during the course of his time with the Rams (all but three of which he started), but he never missed a single game during the course of his 14-year NFL career, which traveled to the Tennessee Titans, the Miami Dolphins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after his departure from the Rams.

His level of single-season productivity has now been surpassed by Robert Quinn, but for Carter’s consistent level of production, he’s ranked here as the seventh-best draft pick in Rams history.

Next: 6. Leonard Little