For the second year in a row, Les Snead, Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams came away with an incredibly productive rookie class. After leaving the 2023 draft with Kobie Turner, Byron Young, Puka Nacua and Steve Avila, the Rams may have done even better with the haul of rookies they landed not only in the draft, but also afterwards.
Pro Football Focus sure respects the Rams’ rookie class because the site ranked it as the best in the NFL for 2024. There shouldn’t be much debate about it, either. As good as Jayden Daniels has been, even the Commanders’ second-ranked rookie class can’t touch the impact Los Angeles’ first-year players have had.
Jared Verse was PFF’s highest-graded rookie defender in the NFL this season and is the favorite to win AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Braden Fiske was a huge contributor on the interior with 57 pressures and a team-high 8.5 sacks, picking up where he left off as Verse’s teammate at Florida State in 2023.
Those were the Rams’ top two picks, but what they did later on in the draft is what really makes this an excellent class. Beaux Limmer was a sixth-round pick and has maintained a starting job at center over $51 million free-agent signing Jonah Jackson. Kamren Kinchens, a third-round safety, tied with undrafted rookie safety Jaylen McCollough for the team lead with four interceptions each; no other player had more than one.
Undrafted linebacker Omar Speights replaced Troy Reeder after he got hurt and hasn’t let go of the starting job since. Blake Corum didn’t get many opportunities but he was a promising backup to Kyren Williams. Tyler Davis has played meaningful snaps as a sixth-round defensive tackle and Jordan Whittington has provided a spark on kick returns; he was also drafted in the sixth round.
This is all without even mentioning Joshua Karty, who has made 15 straight field goal attempts and was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December/January.
Really, the only drafted rookies who haven’t contributed are Brennan Jackson and KT Leveston, who were both hurt at times this season.
This rookie class is what has made the Rams contenders in the NFC and combined with the 2023 draftees, it’s going to lay the foundation for the next 3-5 years in Los Angeles. The Rams went from being a start-studded veteran group to winning with rookies and second-year players, which should have every fan excited about the future.
