The last time the Los Angeles Rams went into the draft with a first-round pick was 2019. As we all know, they didn’t actually make a selection in Round 1 that year, instead trading back multiple times before selecting Taylor Rapp at No. 61 overall.
The Rams are slotted higher in the draft order this year (No. 19) than they were in 2019 (No. 31), so it’ll be tougher for them to trade all the way out of Round 1, but it’s certainly not out of the equation knowing Les Snead’s penchant for stockpiling picks.
In Doug Farrar’s latest mock draft at Touchdown Wire, he gives an example of what a trade out of the first round could look like. The Rams strike a deal with the Panthers, sending No. 19 overall and a 2025 third-rounder to Carolina for No. 33, 65 and a 2025 third-rounder.
The trade up to land the premier pass rusher on the board was not a hard decision for the Panthers, who have to replace Brian Branch and build up a new defense. For the Rams, exiting the first round is tough, but their ability to hit on middle-round picks is enough insurance. Had the Rams stayed, the pick would have been Darius Robinson, who wound up being available for them at No. 33 anyway.
Fans probably wouldn’t be thrilled about the Rams exiting Round 1 yet again, but the 33rd pick is as close to a first-rounder as it gets – and they would add the first pick in Round 3, too. That would give the Rams four top-100 picks, which is enough to address many of their biggest needs.
They can still add a first-round talent at No. 33, whether it’s an edge rusher, wide receiver or defensive lineman, and the extra third-rounder would give the Rams more ammo in the first 100 picks.
