Holt happy with first-round pick

~ The wide receiver and analyst recommended defensive back Hill.

ST. LOUIS-- St. Louis Rams wide receiver Torry Holt, also a draft-day analyst for ESPN, got his wish.

Holt's unsolicited recommendation for the first-round pick was Tye Hill of Clemson, and that's who the Rams took Saturday. St. Louis traded down from the 11th spot to the 15th with the Broncos, and coach Scott Linehan said the 5-foot-9 1/2 inch Hill, whose draft stock soared with a strong Senior Bowl showing, would have been their selection at either spot.

"I was hoping to go to St. Louis; I'm not going to lie," Hill said. "It kind of scared me for a minute when they traded their pick."

In the second round, the Rams took Colorado tight end Joe Klopfenstein, who had 33 catches with a 14.5-yard average and four touchdowns as a senior. Klopfenstein is expected to push disappointing Brandon Manumaleuna for the starting job.

"Everybody understands they've got to be on their game," Linehan said. "I wouldn't call it a wake-up call. We're addressing an area we need to address."

The Rams took LSU defensive tackle Claude Wroten, who was arrested in January for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, with a third-round pick they got from Denver. Later in the round, they selected Jon Alston of Stanford, a safety/outside linebacker hybrid.

Linehan said he spent a lot of time researching Wroten, who also failed a drug test at the combine in February.

"Obviously, we're going to have to address those things when he comes in," Linehan said. "One thing I will say about him: everything else he passed with flying colors."

The Rams sent another message to Manumaleuna by trading up with the Falcons for another pick in the third round, selecting tight end Dominique Byrd of Southern California. Atlanta got fourth- and sixth-round picks in the deal.

Hill was a need pick for the Rams, who lost both starting cornerbacks to season-ending injuries last year in a 6-10 season. Even if healthy, Jerametrius Butler and Travis Fisher are average at their position.

"You always talk about trades working out," Linehan said. "Sometimes it works out in your favor, sometimes you gamble and you get what you want, and sometimes you have to move on to the next player. In this case, we were elated to get Tye."

The Rams have emphasized defense in recent drafts, although they took offensive tackle Alex Barron last year and running back Steven Jackson in 2004. They haven't picked a Pro Bowl player since 1999 when they took Holt with the sixth overall selection.

Linehan said it was a coincidence that Holt's pick also was the Rams' selection.

"I'm going to say Torry has influence all the time, but when it came to the pick we were going to pick our best player, and Torry was going to be happy whoever we picked," Linehan said. "But Torry was good, he's kind of getting into that and studying these guys, and I think he knows a pretty good coverage corner when he sees one."

Armey hospitalized

Rams general manager Charley Armey was hospitalized Saturday after complaining about shortness of breath and rapid heart beat.

Coach Scott Linehan said preliminary tests were normal but that Armey would be kept overnight at Missouri Baptist Hospital.

"Obviously, we're concerned," Linehan said. "But not as much now."

Armey has been with the Rams since 1997 and is responsible for much of the player evaluation in the draft.

Rams signings

The Rams on Friday agreed to one-year contracts with wide receiver, Kevin Curtis.

Wide receiver Shaun McDonald, defensive end Brandon Green, cornerback DeJuan Groce and Curtis all agreed to re-sign with one-year deals.