Will The Rams Trade Up Or Down In The Draft?

Every year the draft is unpredictable and is full of surprises which is why making a mock draft is nearly impossible, because of all the trades that go down. Last year alone there were 16 trades in round one alone. The St. Louis Rams were apart of two trades, moving from two to six and then six to fourteen. The Rams could definitely make some noise once again in this year’s draft whether it’s trading up, trading down, or staying put and picking a player that nobody expected them to take. It’s only a matter of time before the Rams surprise us.

One option for the Rams that seems unlikely, but you cant rule out, is trading up. Many analysts have said that there isn’t a player that really sticks out in the first round. There are many teams that would like to trade down, but not a whole lot who want to trade up. However, a team is bound to fall in love with a prospect and are willing to make the move to get him. If the Rams were to trade up they could be going up to get Tavon Austin, Chance Warmack, or Cordarrelle Patterson. It is obvious that the Rams have interest in these players, but so do teams ahead of them. If the Rams love on of these players they may just have to trade up to get them. Trade partners with the Rams could be as high as the Bills at 8 or as low as the Jets at 13. The Rams may also trade up when they picks at 22 and some trade partners could be the Bears or Giants.

Another more likely option for the Rams is that they trade down. Last year the Rams made a lot of commotion by moving down. The Redskins ended up getting RGIII and the Cowboys got Maurice Claiborne. A team like the Cowboys, or Vikings could be likely trade partners if they Rams would want to trade down. Other teams could also be options especially if Patterson, Austin, Vaccaro, and Warmack are still available. Trading down would be a good scenario for the Rams because they would still be able to get a good player in the first round while possibly getting extra picks along the way.

Another option for the Rams is to just stay put. If the Rams stay put, it would mean that they like a player who is still on the board, or they couldn’t get a trade partner who was willing to give up what the Rams were asking. It’s not necessarily a bad thing if the Rams don’t move at all in the draft. Staying put wouldn’t be a bad scenario. If a player that the Rams like is still on the board, why not stay put?

The Rams are a team that could definitely make some noise come draft day. Les Snead is known for making moves on draft day. Whether it’s trading away the number two overall pick to the Redskins or trading up to get Julio Jones while he was with the Falcons, Snead will surprise you. The saying expect the unexpected is appropriate in this scenario. The only question we should have for the Rams is, what do Snead and Fisher have hiding up their sleeves?