Draft expert sees Rams 2025 rookie class with multiple promising UDFAs

The Los Angeles Rams have a proven track record in recent NFL drafts. But what about the efforts to sign rookies after the draft? The team gets high marks in that department, too, if you believe the 2025 NFL UDFA class rankings of NFL Draft analyst Thor Nystrom. Nystrom has viewed undrafted rookie signings for several years and has not viewed the Rams' UDFA classes very favorably in the past. In 2024, he ranked the Rams' UDFA class as 24th out of 32 teams.

Of course, that's easy to do when you miss multiple undrafted rookies who make the team. He identified ILB Omar Speights and WR Drake Stoops, but completely missed the boat on DB Jaylen McCollough, ILB Elias Neal, and IOL Justin Dedich. McCollough appeared in all 17 games, Neal appeared in six games, and Dedich appeared in 13 games, that's a pretty big miss.

Who does Thor Nystrom like?

What does Thor Nystrom use for his criteria? He presets a rookie prospect ranking on his own big board, and simply checks off the teams that select the highest ranked remaining players. While it's a bit clumsy and ineffective in terms of how those players may do in their first NFL season, it does offer a quick and easy way to distinguish how NFL teams 'do' in terms of adding talent to their respective rosters. So, who does Nystrom like on the Rams roster?

He loves offensive skill players. Every Rams undrafted offensive player who can gain yards gets named. That checks the boxes of six rookies right away. He also checks boxes of non-skill players who we had cited as having tremendous college production as well. The names include:

ILB Shaun Dolac - Buffalo

It's impossible to miss Buffalo Bulls rookie ILB Shaun Dolac. He was one of the most productive college defensive players in 2024 and certainly showed up in highlight reels whenever he stepped onto the football field. On many draft boards, Dolac had a draftable grade. But as is often the case when the draft ultimately happens, NFL carts fill up quickly, leaving some talented players left on the shelves.

IOL Willie Lampkin - North Carolina

The Rams are one of the few NFL teams that do not hinge their draft decisions on size. Interior offensive lineman Willie Lampkin's only knock is his height, standing at 5-foot-10. In almost all other areas, he matched the performances of offensive linemen drafted on Day 1 or 2. Lampkin will get a chance to compete for a roster spot on the Rams roster. Some believe he can make the team's 53-man roster.

OT Trey Wedig - Indiana

Even as the team views the sun setting on the career of veteran RT Rob Havenstein, they did not address the offensive tackle position in the 2025 NFL Draft. They did sign a very promising offensive tackle rookie in Indiana's Trey Wedig after the draft. Wedig, much like Rams' starting left tackle Alaric Jackson, was projected to be selected on Day 3 of the draft but fell out of the draft due to the numbers game. Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 310 pounds, Wedig brings tremendous size, power, and raw talent to the Rams. All that is needed is some coaching and some patience.

WT Brennan Pressley - Oklahoma State

The Draft Network's Ryan Fowler loves the upside of Oklahoma State WR Brennan Pressley in the Rams offense. He has a point, as the 5-foot-9, 175-pound wide receiver can turn on the jets. He runs a 4.46-second 40-yard dash and can kick in the afterburners to create separation. The Rams need explosive offensive players. Brennan Pressley can be that explosive offensive weapon.

He also mentions:

TE Anthony Torres
WR Mario Williams
RB Jordan Waters
WR Tru Edwards
TE Mark Redman
IOL Wyatt Bowles
DL Bill Norton

Who might Thor Nystrom have missed?

Nystrom takes a swing at a very complex and difficult topic, the undrafted rookies signed by all 32 NFL teams, and tries to give an accurate kneejerk reaction to which teams did the best job at it. Nystrom judges the quality of rookies alone, and fails to consider just how successful the Rams have been at finding solid fits to the roster ever after the stage lights to the annual NFL Draft go dark.

IOL Ben Dooley - Boise State

This one was a bit of a mild surprise. Since Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty was so highly regarded, it seemed only logical that his offensive linemen would get a bit of that NFL draft love simply by association. After all, IOL Ben Dooley blocked faithfully for Jeanty. But the 6-foot-5, 320-pound interior offensive lineman did not get much respect, either during the NFL draft or from Thor Nystrom.

DB Nate Valcarcel - Northern Illinois

It's clear that Nystrom's fovia (blind spot) is defensive players, as he only named two of the Rams undrafted defensive players in his review. He missed DB Jaylen McCollough in his 2024 review, and now he misses Northern Illinois DB Nate Varcarcel. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 192 pounds, Varcarcel is a solid safety who continues to grow and develop each season. He has the potential to earn a special team role in 2025, with the upside of earning more as he gains NFL experience.

OLB Josh Pearcy - Rice

The Rams love to add rookies who are mature, and OLB Josh Pearcy has benefitted from six seasons of college football experience. That makes him one of the older rookies to compete in the NFL in 2025, which is perfectly fine with the Rams. He has averaged 4.0 quarterback sacks and 48.5 tackles in each of the past four seasons. He may not crack the Rams roster in 2025, but he could make the practice squad.

OLB Jamil Muhammed - USC

Flipping from quarterback to outside linebacker, USC rookie OLB Jamil Muhammed brings a unique college football career track to the NFL. While a bit inconsistent in his performance, Muhammed certainly flashed enough production to warrant a closer look at the Rams training camp. He had two seasons in which he put up 6.0 and 6.5 quarterback sacks respectively. And the following two seasons he put up 1.5 and 1.0 quarterback sacks respectively. If the Rams coaching staff can unlock his upside, he has a real opportunity to have a solid NFL career.

DB Malik Dixon-Williams - Connecticut

Standing 6-foot-1 and tipping the scales at 200 pounds, Connecticut rookie defensive back Malik Dixon-Williams is certainly the right size to compete as an NFL safety. But after seeing what he can do on a football field, Dixon-Williams is a sleeper to make the Rams roster, even at the crowded safety position. In four seasons, he averaged 64.5 tackles, two tackles for a loss, three pass deflections, and two interceptions per season. Those are the kind of numbers that earns a rookie playing time in this defense.

DT Da'Jon Terry - Oklahoma

At 6-foot-3 and 317 pounds, Oklahoma rookie DaJon Terry is a powerful defensive lineman who could sneak into the Rams roster simply as a solid rotational nose tackle. He played two seasons at Kansas, two seasons at Tennessee, and finished off with two seasons at Oklahoma. At every stop, Terry earned a starting role as that big nose tackle who faced a steady diet of double teams. But he stood his ground, and made enough plays to reroute offensive game plans away form him.

The Rams success at signing undrafted rookies means that roster spots are up for grabs once more. And it's that infusion of hungry rookies that ensures that this team fields the most competitive version of itself all season long. Meanwhile, the Rams have OTAs, training camp, and even preseason to figure out which players are the best fits for the team.

As always, thanks for reading.