Former Rams legend points out what many already suspect about Rams draft

Rams pick at 26th overall should be a popular trade target

What happens if Jim Everett is correct, and the Rams are eager to trade back to pick up a pick in Round 2 and Round 5. Will there be a market for the Rams Round 1 pick at the 26th overall? Yes. As it happens, the Rams sitting near the end of Round 1 is an affordable option for any NFL Playoff team who may be selecting after the Rams. So what makes the Rams selection at 26 such a solid landing spot for other teams?

The established order for Round 1 at and after the Rams select at 26 are:

• Los Angeles Rams - 26
• Baltimore Ravens - 27
• Detroit Lions - 28
• Washinton Commanders - 29
• Buffalo Bills - 30
• Kansas City Chiefs - 31
• Philadelphia Eagles - 32

Almost everyone expects the Baltimore Ravens to select the best pass rusher when they step up to the podium at the 27th overall pick. Any team that wants to get their pass rusher will want to leapfrog the Ravens at 27, which places them in the market for the Rams' pick at 26. That applies to many rookie prospects who enter the draft with a projected selection early in Round 1 but who may fall to the Rams at 26.

But what about the quarterback market?

NFL.com's Dan Parr lists the top five draft needs for all 32 NFL teams. He cites the teams that need a quarterback entering the 2025 NFL Draft as:

• Tennessee Titans - 1, 35
• Cleveland Browns - 2, 33
• New York Giants - 3, 34
• New Orleans Saints - 9, 40
• Pittsburgh Steelers - 21, 83

Of course, there are not five consensus Round 1 quarterback prospects, and there are many elite prospects among the Top 10 rookie prospects. So it's very likely that teams like the Cleveland Browns and or the New York Giants defer their need for quarterback with their Round 1 pick, with an eye on trading back into the bottom of Round 1 to pick up one of the remaining quarterbacks.

Many draft analysts expect the Browns to pick up Penn State outside linebacker Abdul Carter with the second overall pick. That could compel them to trade back into Round 1 for a quarterback to retain the coveted fifth-year option of that quarterback's rookie contract. The same could apply to the Giants, a team that could opt to pick up incredibly talented CB/WR Travis Hunter. The Saints could move along a similar trek, opting to claim a top non-QB rookie prospect with the ninth overall pick, but trading back into Round 1 to get a rookie QB prospect.

So why would the Rams entertain offers to allow another team to claim a top quarterback prospect in Round 1, even as the team may be in the same market? It all depends on how much of a priority the team places on the rookie quarterback prospects remaining on the draft board at 26. With little consensus over who is and is not Round 1 worthy, the Rams may not be nearly as interested in a prospect as another team. It's that deviation of NFL talent assessment that creates the win-win mandate to create a draft day trade.

Had the Carolina Panthers loved Florida State defensive tackle Braden Fiske, they would never have agreed to trade back to allow the Rams to select him. The Rams had the bonus of his teammate, OLB Jared Verse, already on the roster, which created more value for Fiske on the Rams roster than any other NFL team.

Ultimately, getting an NFL draft rookie class 'right,' is not nearly as easy as it may appear. That is why I hold Rams GM Les Snead in such high regard. He never seems to struggle. The Rams moves may not make immediate sense, but his rookie selections offer a cascade of immediate impact players as well as solid depth.

Will the team trade back in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft? It makes plenty of sense to do so. But it will depend on the specific scenario awaiting the Rams at the 26th overall pick. All we can really say for now is that the 2025 NFL Draft will have plenty of drama, will keep all of us guessing throughout the three-day event, and will result in a fresh rookie class eager to contribute to the Rams roster this season.

Best of all, Jim Everett approves

Elaborating on what someone is sharing with the limits of characters on social media is risky business. I admit that I do not always get it right. But the immediate feedback from Jim Everett confirms what we've shared in this tale.

Jim Everett is a great follow on social media. Not only is he amazingly generous with his NFL insights, but he actively engages in the forum with fans and bloggers regarding his take about the Rams status and strategy.

Anticipation is building. Are you ready for the draft? As always, thanks for reading.

Here are more Rams offseason articles you may enjoy