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Meet me in St. Louis: Bailey joins Austin with Rams

For the second time in two days the St. Louis Rams selected a West Virginia wide receiver, expending a third-round pick on Stedman Bailey.

The Rams traded up to nab Tavon Austin in Thursday’s first round with the No. 8 pick, and on Friday they used the 92nd overall selection on Bailey. Both players made 114 catches last season at WVU, forming an unmatched duo.

“Both of them had outstanding workouts,” said Rams coach Jeff Fisher. “We had them on the board based on their grades, not based on what school they attended. (Bailey) was up there. He was high and it was a great opportunity for us.

“What we’ve done now is we’ve filled a couple of spots out there. We’re going to lobby with the league to see if we can play with more than one ball. We’re going to need more than one ball.”

Bailey was a Biletnikoff Award finalist who led the nation with 25 receiving touchdowns. Though Bailey’s measurables didn’t show the kind of burner speed Austin has, he was able to get behind defensive backs in college.

“He plays fast,” said Fisher.
Added general manager Les Snead: “He probably ran at the combine 4.51, but he plays faster. He has good acceleration after the start. He’s a deceptive player.”
The fourth-year junior decided in to skip his senior year after receiving a third-round grade from the NFL scouts, a forecast that proved accurate.
Snead said the Rams quarterbacks were so impressed by Bailey it influenced management’s decision to draft him.
“To hear the quarterback say, ‘This guy is 5’11, whatever, but it’s like throwing to a 6-foot-3 guy. He goes up and gets the ball,'” Snead said. “So I think that private workout really helped solidify that pick for us.”




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