As the 2025 NFL Draft nears, 3rd time could be the charm to Rams landing a TE

The Los Angeles Rams have consistently pursued the top tight end prospect in each of the past two NFL Drafts. In the 2023 NFL Draft, the team was unable to move up in the draft to select Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid. In the 2024 NFL Draft, the team was unable to move up in the draft to select Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. In the 2025 NFL Draft, there are multiple tight ends generating plenty of pre-draft buzz. Will the third time be the charm for the Rams to finally land their tight end of the future?

NFL Network's Lead Draft Analyst Daniel Jeremiah sat down with Rams reporter Stu Jackson to give an overview of the Rams Round 1 position with the 26th overall pick. And as luck would have it, tight ends have not been a depleted position in Day 1 of previous drafts. In fact, since 2020, only three tight ends have been selected on Day one in the past five drafts.

That means that even if the Rams are unable to trade up in Round 1, they are still very likely to have multiple high-quality options at the tight end position by standing pat. And Daniel Jeremiah believes that as many as four tight ends could be on the board when the Rams step up to make their first selection with the 26th overall pick:

Of course, the Rams expect to lose seldom-used tight end Hunter Long to free agency. Still, the team has a pretty packed house at that position, welcoming back starting tight end Tyler Higbee, stopgap tight end Colby Parkinson, and backup tight end Davis Allen.

So who might be on the board when the Rams pick at 26? Here is a quick summary of each tight end prospect who the team may choose from:

Top tight ends in the 2025 NFL Draft

1. Tyler Warren, Penn State

The top two tight ends of the 2025 NFL Draft seem like choosing between a right shoe and a left shoe. Both are quality prospects, and it simply comes down to a matter of preference. I give the nod to Penn State University tight end Tyler Warren simply because he stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 257 pounds. Warren checks all boxes at the position, from blocking to route running to making contested catches. He busts zone coverages with an instinctive feel of soft spots in his route running. What the Rams will love most about Warren if he falls to them is his infectious competitiveness. He is a natural leader, and will ignite the players around him to bring their A game.

Warren is a solid get, but I suspect that he is the consensus best tight end on the draft boards of many NFL teams. The thing is, there are multiple tight ends who could be views as 'must get' by teams, and that sometimes directs teams to the positions that are a bit in short supply. If that proves to be the case in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Rams could see Tyler Warren on the board when the team makes its 26th overall selection.

But I wouldn't count on it.

Projected: Top-15 pick in Round 1