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| St. Louis Rams rookie defensive end Robert Quinn had a huge game in the Rams 31-21 win over the New Orleans Saints. Quinn sacked Drew Brees and blocked a punt in the victory. - Getty Images Photo |
When the St. Louis Rams and general manager Billy Devaney drafted defensive Robert Quinn out of North Carolina with the fourteenth overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, they knew they were taking a big risk.
Quinn has missed the entire previous collegiate season due to being ineligible. So nobody knew exactly what the Rams were getting since Quinn had not played in so long and many worried that he would be rusty.
Additionally, many worried about the tumor found in Quinn's head.
But Devaney and the Rams felt that Quinn's enormous potential outweighed the risks of taking a virtual unknown. Quinn had the talent, but nobody knew what to expect.
Through the Rams first six games of the season, the selection of Quinn looked like a huge mistake.
Quinn did not even dress for the Rams season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles and recorded just four tackles and a single sack coming into this past Sunday's victory against the New Orleans Saints.
But against the Saints, Quinn exploded.
Quinn picked up his second sack of his career by sacking Saints quarterback Drew Brees. Additionally, Quinn also blocked a crucial punt.
So it is easy to see that Quinn finally caused the type of pass rush and havoc the Rams were hopeful for when they drafted him.
Quinn's emergence against the Saints is an encouraging sign for the Rams and if he can continue to develop into a major force as a pass rusher opposite of Chris Long, the Rams will be looking at having a very dominant defensive line.
Quinn just hopes he can continue to produce and live up to all of the hype.
“Coming here, I definitely went through a lot of trials and tribulations and I was just trying to get my feet back wet and, like I tell my buddies back at school the only thing different from my freshman and sophomore year, it’s confidence. And now I definitely feel a lot more confident and comfortable with myself. I guess they see it is starting to show and hopefully I won’t disappoint them.”It finally looks like Devaney's risk/reward draft choice may finally starting to pay off.
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