Rams to use rookie kickers

ST. LOUIS -- Coach Jeff Fisher ended his first draft with the St. Louis Rams on Saturday by revealing he will go with a rookie kicker this season.

St. Louis reached out to select kicker Greg Zuerlein of Missouri Western in the sixth round. Fisher, who never drafted a kicker when he coached at Tennessee, said the Rams will release veteran kicker Josh Brown today. Brown is in the final year of his contract.

"Coach [John] Fassel went out and did a number of private workouts with a number of kickers and punters, and he came back and he clearly [was] blown away at the leg and the distances on the kickoffs and the distance and accuracy of the field goal game," Fisher said about Zuerlein. "We felt like it was going to be a need. We needed to upgrade the position, and so we couldn't pass on this opportunity.

"Josh was a great kicker, and he was tremendous here. But I spoke with him immediately after the pick, and he understands."

The 6-foot, 190-pound Zuerlein kicked 23 field goals and missed just one last season. He broke an NCAA Division II record with 21 consecutive field goals, including nine that were 50 yards or longer, last season. He kicked two 58-yard field goals last year.

Zuerlein said he is excited about his opportunity.

"It doesn't matter what class you are in in high school or what division you're in in college, the goalposts are the same," Zuerlein said. "It should translate to the NFL."

The Rams released veteran punter Donnie Jones earlier this spring.