Rams rope 310-pound cowboy

~ Offensive tackle Jason Smith will have to put his rodeo career on hold.

ST. LOUIS -- Jason Smith committed to Baylor as a 215-pound tight end with a passion for calf roping as well as football.

Billy Thompson, an assistant coach at W.T. White High School in inner-city Dallas, wondered why Smith often missed summer weight-lifting sessions and got knocked around off the field as much as he did on it.

"He was roping all over the state of Texas," Thompson said. "The reason he's showing up sore for practice is because he's just gotten knocked off a bull."

The rodeo will have to wait after St. Louis Rams made Smith, who's filled out nicely at 6 foot 4 and 310 pounds, the second overall pick of the NFL draft.

Baylor's Jason Smith gestures after he was selected as the second overall pick Saturday by the St. Louis Rams in New York. (JASON DECROW ~ Associated Press)

"When Jason Smith went to Baylor, he wasn't a blip on the radar," said Thompson, who became Smith's mentor. "They just retired his jersey and sealed off his locker."

Smith moved to offensive tackle as a redshirt freshman in 2006 and soon after that asked coach Guy Morriss to draw up a plan that would get him to the NFL. As a sophomore, he set a goal of being the top lineman in the draft.

That's elite territory for a player whose only other major college scholarship offer was from Houston. Playing at Baylor, 18-31 during his four years, couldn't have helped.

The goals were realized Saturday when the Rams quickly snapped him up as the replacement for the recently released Orlando Pace. On Sunday, the Rams gave him the No. 1 jersey treatment for his initial news conference.

"Well, I understand the differences in fantasies, dreams and visions, and then reality," Smith said. "Once upon a time, it was fantasy, then it became a dream and then about a year ago, it started becoming a vision.

"As of right now, it's a reality."

Smith was a 180-pound offensive tackle as a high school sophomore before the arrival of a new offensive coordinator provided an opportunity to switch to tight end.

"You can't sell a 200-pound offensive tackle to anybody, but I knew we could sell a 215-pound tight end," Thompson said.

The only decision the Rams have is whether to line him up at right or left tackle. Alex Barron moved from right tackle to left tackle in the first minicamp early this month, but coach Steve Spagnuolo said then that nothing was finalized.

Smith has a reputation as a player more accomplished on run blocking than against the pass, but also as one who prides himself on consistency.

"He doesn't take plays off," Spagnuolo said. "You can see him make his block or his assignment and when that guy is on the ground, he goes on to the next guy."

"No. 1, I'm a team guy," Smith said. "I'm just an individual that does my part."

He's truly happy to be with a franchise that's 5-27 over the last two seasons and joining last year's second overall pick, defensive end Chris Long, on the roster. And not just because of the huge contract he'll reap.

During his recent visit to St. Louis, Smith was as impressed with the atmosphere as the team was with him.

"I was like 'Man, this is where I need to be,"' Smith said. "You can't really say that, you have to think it and just kind of go through the process, but things happen for a reason.

"I'm very privileged."