Many of the best players in Rams history were drafted and developed by the franchise, but defensive tackle Merlin Olsen stands out because of his prodigious, consistent performance over a full 15-year career spent only with the Rams.
Why Olsen is the best draft pick in Rams history: As the third pick in the 1962 NFL draft, Olsen came with plenty of expectations. He also brought with him an inherent bidding war as the Denver Broncos used the second pick in the 1962 AFL draft on him. The Rams won out and Olsen instantly became one of the most dominant interior linemen in the league.
Forget playing up to expectations, the unrelenting degree to which Olsen surpassed them makes him the team's best pick ever. Olsen was named to 14 Pro Bowls, was a six-time first-team All-Pro and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982. There's a lot of competition for this spot on the list but the fact that Olsen was so dominant and never played a snap for any other team makes him the ultimate Rams' draft choice.
Honorable mention
Isaac Bruce, WR: Nabbed at the top of the second round of the 1994 draft (No. 33 overall), Bruce went on to become the Rams' all-time leading receiver. He caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl XXXIV. He's the only player on this list not to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but he still has plenty of time to land in Canton.
Deacon Jones, DE: Debating between Jones and Olsen is nearly impossible but Jones already received mention as the greatest draft bargain in Rams history. He's just as deserving of this title after a Hall of Fame career of his own in which he invented the statistic for dropping quarterbacks and was more adept at it (an estimated 173.5 for his career) than any player in league history at the time of his retirement.
Orlando Pace, OT: Under normal circumstances, we might disqualify a No. 1 overall pick from consideration here, but Pace deserves mention because the Rams gave up a lot in a trade to get 1997's top pick from the Jets -- and he was worth every piece of draft capital they gave up to get him. He was the foundation for the "Greatest Show on Turf" and is going into the Hall of Fame this summer.
Jack Youngblood, DE: As the 20th pick in the 1971 draft, Youngblood was a steal in his own right and arguably the best player taken in the first round that year (with stout competition from John Riggins). Youngblood earned seven Pro Bowl bids and five first-team All-Pro selections on his way to becoming a Hall of Famer.