Rams' new tackle goes to work

~ Jason Smith will participate in the team's minicamp, which begins today.

ST. LOUIS -- Just a few days ago, Jason Smith was wearing a suit and tie and posing with a ceremonial No. 1 Rams jersey after being taken with the second pick of the draft.

Today, the former Baylor offensive tackle will be on the field for the team's second minicamp as he gets his first taste of the pros. It'll also give new coach Steve Spagnuolo an immediate read on Smith and the rest of his first draft class, and how it fits with the rest of the roster.

New coaches get an extra minicamp to learn personnel and get acclimated. Spagnuolo rejected a rookies-only minicamp in favor of getting the entire squad involved.

"They will be thrown right into the fire, and it's not such a bad thing," Spagnuolo said. "Our vets will embrace them.

Offensive tackle Jason Smith speaks to the media Saturday after being selected by the St. Louis Rams with the No. 2 pick overall in the NFL draft. (Craig Ruttle ~ Associated Press)

"Hopefully, guys that are here understand how we want to do things practice-wise, and we just have to catch up the rookies to do it the same."

Most of the veterans are expected to participate, with the exception of wide receiver Derek Stanley and defensive back Justin King, both of whom are recovering from offseason surgery.

Practices will be open to the media, unlike the first minicamp when reporters were allowed to view only the first 20 minutes of the initial workout. Spagnuolo had likened the Rams, 5-27 over the last two years, as a Broadway play in rehearsal as a rationale for closing the first camp.

Spagnuolo said the three-day minicamp, which concludes Sunday, will offer a combination of re-teaching schemes to veterans and starting from scratch with the rookies.

"We fully expect to lose some of the rookies mentally, but if we can keep them on the base defense and base offense and at the same time advance the veterans within the camp, we'll be OK," Spagnuolo said. "Normally, you'd do it a little bit slower, but this is a different year."

When Spagnuolo was an assistant coach with the Eagles, he recalled Andy Reid putting the veterans and rookies together.

"The makeup of the team starts to formulate a little bit clear," Spagnuolo said. "Unless something really strange happens between now and training camp or the opening game against Seattle, this is the team.

"Ninety-five percent of the team will come from this, and this is exciting."

Spagnuolo said he'll start Smith at right tackle and keep Alex Barron on the left side after moving him there for the first minicamp last month. Smith has been billed as the replacement for left tackle Orlando Pace, who was released recently.

"The way we begin is not always the way it kind of unwinds, but I think it will kind of be a more natural progression for him," Spagnuolo said. "He's played both, Alex has played both, so it gives you a little bit of flexibility."

Smith said several times during draft weekend that he didn't care which side he landed on. He pointed out he went to Baylor as a tight end.

"I'm a football player, and if it was tackle, tight end, defensive end, nose tackle, D-tackle, waterboy, I didn't mind doing what I'm asked to do," Smith said. "I do what needs to be done for us.

"I don't think about me, I think about we."

Spagnuolo said last week that second-round pick James Laurinaitis would work at middle linebacker. Veteran Chris Draft was at that spot in the first minicamp, with Will Witherspoon moving to the outside.

"To me, he is a middle linebacker and that's where he'll line up," Spagnuolo said. "We'll see how it all shakes out."

Laurinaitis echoed Smith's sentiments on draft day, saying he'd do whatever the team asked. He also played some at weakside linebacker at Ohio State.