Stedman

Bailey

Bailey (5-foot-10 1/4, 193) caught 186 passes for 2,901 yards and 37 touchdowns over his final two seasons at West Virginia as Geno Smith’s go-to receiver. He plays bigger than his measurables indicate, but slow-ish forty times of 4.50 and 4.57 at the Combine likely kept him on the board until No. 92 overall.

Bailey is listed at just 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, but plays big for his size and has tremendous run-after-catch ability. Per Pauline, Bailey could be “the surprise receiver” at the Combine and is “running very fast” in workouts.

Bailey’s measurables aren’t nearly as impressive as his college game tape, which makes him an obvious candidate to be available later than his football-playing ability might deserve. He could be a steal in the draft’s third round.

Gibson had been a starter in recent years, but the Rams never viewed him as more than a No. 3 or No. 4 wideout. Bailey will compete for fourth receiver duties as a rookie, behind Brian Quick, Tavon Austin, and Chris Givens. He can also returns kicks and punts. Bailey is unlikely to be a fantasy factor in 2013.

Per Pauline, the Rams and Texans had also been eyeing Bailey before using their first-round picks on receivers. Bailey generated little media buzz in April, but has excellent tape to fall back on. Bailey’s size (5-10, 193) and an underwhelming Combine are what’s holding him back. He should come off the board before day two is through.

Bailey (5-foot-10 1/4, 193) outproduced more ballyhooed teammate Tavon Austin in the West Virginia passing game, tallying 186 receptions for 2,901 yards (15.6 YPR) and 37 touchdowns over his final two seasons. 72 of Bailey’s 148 targets went for a first down or touchdown in 2012, the highest rate among draft-eligible receivers. Bailey atones for his smallish stature and mediocre speed (4.52 forty) with technically sound routes and red-zone instincts. He was Geno Smith’s go-to receiver in scoring position. The two Mountaineer receivers complement each other well. The Rams’ receiving group is one of the youngest in the league.

“Clutch receptions” are defined as catches that went for a first down or touchdown. Scheme, quarterback play, and competition can affect stats like this, but it’s still interesting that Bailey dominated the field with 72 “clutch” catches amongst 148 targets (48.6 percent). Next closest was Oregon State’s Markus Wheaton, with 64 “clutch” catches on 141 passes his way (45.4 percent).

Bailey has reportedly “essentially been perfect” in one-on-one drills and continues to “catch everything thrown his way” in team drills as he’s been “having his way” with the Rams’ backup corners. He hasn’t seen many -- if any -- reps with the first-team offense this summer, but the Rams might need to give him a look. Austin Pettis showed nothing in the preseason opener -- his lone target resulted in a drop, while Brian Quick has seen his ups and downs. Bailey has strong, reliable hands, and he’s nails in the red zone despite his smaller frame.

An impressive third-round pick out of West Virginia, Bailey was a special teams stud early in the year before earning significant stretch-run snaps on offense at Austin Pettis’ expense. Bailey’s rookie season ends with 17 catches for 226 yards. Bailey runs solid routes and has sticky hands. He will be a candidate for a second-year leap in St. Louis if he can win a starting job out of training camp.

The third-rounder was involved on offense for much of the day, so he wasn’t just limited to garbage time. Bailey was targeted four times on the day, turning them into three catches for 46 yards. He also took an offensive pass interference penalty. With the Rams’ playoff hopes now extremely slim, Bailey could see even more snaps over the final month. He has vice-like, reliable hands.