Chris

Givens

St. Louis was thought to be considering Givens as early as the second round, so it looks like they stuck to their board and took the best player available. “He should have probably gone earlier,” confirmed ESPN’s Bill Polian. Givens goes 5-foot-11, 198 and ran a 4.39 at the Scouting Combine. The 2011 first-team All-ACC pick can create separation on vertical routes, and that has been a missing trait in St. Louis’ receiver corps for several years.

Quick, a second-round pick, stands 6'4/220 and figures to work as the “X” receiver, or split end, so that he can use his size to beat press coverage. Givens, a fourth-rounder, would handle flanker duties. He has sub-4.4 speed and will provide Sam Bradford with a vertical threat. Danny Amendola is expected to handle slot work.

“I’ve got 41 receivers with draftable grades, and typically you’re only looking at about 31 to 33 that get drafted,” Pauline said. “You’ll be able to get some really good receivers in rounds two, three, even four and five. But the best you’ll get in that range is a No. 2 guy.” This factor could push highly-rated receivers Michael Floyd and Kendall Wright down the board some.

Givens has small hands and only goes 5-foot-11, 198, but the Antonio Brown comparisons will live after his impressive performance on the track. In the draftnik community, at least, opinions on Givens seem to be mixed. We still wouldn’t be surprised if the 2011 first-team All-ACC pick goes in the top-45 selections. The NFL is always thirsty for speed in the passing game.

Cosell says Givens “played to his speed on almost every snap” while showing “dynamic acceleration on vertical routes.” Also a favorite of Rotoworld draft maven Josh Norris, Givens could be a value pick late in the second round or early in the third. “He went from zero to 60 in a heartbeat,” Cosell observed. "... I don’t feel Givens should make it out of the second round.”

Givens isn’t particularly big or physical, but crisp routes can get a rookie on the field quickly in the NFL. Givens’ unofficial forty times at the Combine were 4.37 and 4.40 at 5-foot-11, 198. He has drawn some Mike Wallace comparisons. On the pre-draft meetings circuit, Givens has visited the Jets and Rams.

A redshirt junior, Givens earned first-team All-ACC honors ahead of better known prospects like Dwight Jones (UNC) and T.J. Graham (North Carolina State) with a monster final season. Givens led the conference in receiving, setting a new Wake Forest school record with 1,330 yards on 83 receptions (16.0 average) and nine touchdown catches. Listed at 6-foot, 195, Givens was consistently dominant with seven 100-yard games in 2011. CBS Sports draft analyst Rob Rang has praised Givens’ “straight-line speed and playmaking ability,” and he’ll be a candidate to rise up NFL draft boards with a big Combine in February.

Givens doesn’t get much media coverage, but he is expected to run in the low-4.4s at 6-foot, 195 and had a prolific junior year before declaring for the draft. Mayock’s rankings at wide receiver as of Monday’s start of the Senior Bowl: 1) Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon 2) Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd 3) Baylor’s Kendall Wright 4) South Carolina’s Alshon Jeffery and 5) Givens.

Both rookies had a slow start to camp and have fallen behind veterans such as Steve Smith and Brandon Gibson. The good news for them is that no one in this crowded receiving corps has emerged and there’s still a month to go before Week 1. If the Rams end up rolling with the best talents, the rookies will end up near the top of this receiving committee.

The Rams have lacked separation skills in the wideout corps for years. “I think he’s a guy that defenses are going to have to be extremely aware of,” Bradford said. “If they fall asleep on him for a half second at all, he’s going to be by them. I think that’s nice to have, just that added speed.” Givens is expected to battle Greg Salas for the starting receiver job opposite fellow rookie Brian Quick.