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Steven Jackson: The Heir Apparent

Steven Jackson: The Heir Apparent

When the Rams traded up to select Steven Jackson 24th overall in the 2004 draft, there was both intrigue and surprise surrounding the selection. Jackson was the consensus #1 running back in the draft and it appeared he was a lock to go earlier with teams like Dallas, Detroit, New England, Denver and Tampa Bay seemingly in need of a franchise runner. When Jackson's draft day freefall ended, few could've predicted this outstanding talent would be passed on by so many teams, and even less imagined he'd end up in St. Louis.

Well I'm thrilled to be able to stand here and tell you that we've selected Steven Jackson, as you're well aware of. I'm dumbfounded. It adds a great deal of fire power to the offense. This is an opportunity to add great value to this football team that we did not anticipate. Obviously, he was a guy that we had stacked way at the top of our draft, and we decided that as he started to get closer and closer, we got more and more excited. It's the first time in all my years with the Rams that the whole draft room broke out in applause. It's a thrill, it really is. We're very excited about having him. This is unsuspected, but it's something that we all have goosebumps over, to add this type of talent to our offense." - Mike Martz

So why did the best all-around running back fall so far in the draft?

Hard to know for sure, but historically running backs do tend to go later than pundits predict. With so many top-tier wide receivers, QB's and defensive lineman available this year, teams that had need for a running back likely viewed Kevin Jones, Tatum Bell and Julius Jones as potentially better value picks in the 2nd round than getting Jackson in the early-to-mid 1st. Their ambivalence towards Jackson turned out to be a major boon for the Rams who have now assured themselves continuity and explosiveness from the running back position when Marshall Faulk can no longer perform. Steven Jackson now finds himself on an offense that is a perfect fit for his polished skillset. No other running back in this draft class boasts a more complete game than Jackson.

I think he has unusual receiving ability, and I think that he was different from most of the other backs in this draft from that respect. - Mike Martz

From a fantasy perspective, Steven Jackson is setting up to be one of this year's best bargains. If Faulk manages to hold it together through training camp and preseason, that should provide enough of a smokescreen to keep Jackson's stock low, and Faulk's stock high enough for someone in your league to waste an early-round pick on him. Should Faulk decide to retire this summer, Steven Jackson will instantly become the hottest rookie commodity and you'll have to pay substantially more to retain his services. St. Louis was the 4th ranked offense in the NFL last season and that was accomplished without a healthy Faulk for much of the year. Keep a very close eye on Faulk's status, and don't be afraid to pounce on Jackson in the mid-rounds even if Faulk is still in the mix. He won't hold up, and the eventual reward for Steven Jackson owners figures to be a sizeable bounty of fantasy production.

Martz On Jackson Pick [St. Louis Rams] Photo: [Barry Schwartz]

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