2011 NFL Draft: Boise State Receiver Austin Pettis goes 78th overall to the St. Louis Rams

We knew coming into the draft the two Boise State prospects with the best chance of getting drafted were receivers Titus Young and Austin Pettis. Young was considered a shoo-in and that prediction turned out correctly as he was drafted earlier today by the Detroit Lions. Austin Pettis wasn't so sure to be taken and most mock drafts had Pettis going somewhere between the 6th round and undrafted.

As a result, this pick looks like a reach as the Rams drafted Pettis at 78th overall, which is the 14th pick in the 3rd round. The Rams desperately needed a receiver, but if they wanted Pettis they didn't need to draft him this early. The earliest other teams were looking at taking him was somewhere around the 5th round and the Rams certainly could have picked Tandon Doss or Leonard Hankerson, who were considered to be better prospects.

I guess the bottom line is that the Rams saw something in Pettis that the rest of us didn't see. St. Louis needed a wide receiver to help out Sam Bradford and they got their man in Austin Pettis. The good news for Pettis is that the Rams' receiving unit isn't exactly what you would call "strong," so Pettis could easily come in and be either the 1st or 2nd receiver on that team.

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