Grading every Rams 2025 draft pick (with 1 bold prediction for each)

The Rams rookie draft class of 2025

The Rams whittled eight picks down to six picks, converted value from Round 1 and 3 picks to get Round 2 and 7 picks, and never chose the same position more than once. But the team did emerge with incredible value in the 2026 NFL Draft, aligned their picks to match where the best talent resided in this draft, and even from this early vantage point, executed a nearly flawless draft choreography that landed a half dozen rookies who are poised to contribute this season.

The Rams selected:

• DAY 2 PICKS
• Round 2 (46th overall) - TE Terrance Ferguson
• Round 3 (90th overall) - OLB Josaiah Stewart
• DAY 3 PICKS
• Round 4 (117th overall) - RB Jaquez Hunter
• Round 5 (148th overall) - DT Ty Hamilton
• Round 5 (172nd overall) - ILB Chris Paul Jr.
• Round 7 (242nd overall) - WR Konata Mumpfield

Six players. You may not know much about them just yet, but much like the 2023 rookie draft class that opened with IOL Steve Avila, OLB Byron Young, and NT Kobie Turner, it won't take long to get to know them:

The first stop on our draft class reactions is to get the reactions from GM Les Snead and HC Sean McVay.

Day 2 picks

There was more to the comments of both Les Snead and Sean McVay to their Day 2 rookie selections than pride in a successful shopping soiree. You are not going to catch either Snead or McVay off guard with a question about a player that they hadn't considered.

Both Snead and McVay seemed to glow with pride in their selections. This was more than a Fantasy Football exercise. You can feel the vast amounts of research and data bursting from them as they responded to questions from the media.

I do wish that we could hear the questions posed from the media. Oh well, can't have everything.

Round 2 - TE Terrance Ferguson

The Rams finally drafted their tight end. Is he the guy who topped their draft board? I suspect the answer to that question is no. That is why my initial reaction was less than warm and welcoming. But what I have learned over the years of Rams GM Les Snead's body of work is that it's not the initial reaction to a player, but rather the mood after taking the time to sleep on it.

And having slept on it, I am warming up rapidly to Ferguson.

For openers, it was clear based on the team's mix-and-match efforts with tight ends in 2024 that they were not comfortable with TE Colby Parkinson as the primary backup tight end to Tyler Higbee. And it was clear why after Higbee returned and immediately began to rack up touchdowns. The Rams overpaid for Colby Parkinson if he is primarily a blocking tight end. And with the selection of TE Terrance Ferguson with the first pick made by the team in the 2025 NFL Draft, the team served notice to Parkinson that Ferguson is coming for his job.

If you want an athletic tight end who is versatile and productive, look no further:

Terrance Ferguson was a productive and integral contributor to the Oregon Ducks offense. His draft profile was all over the board. More than half of draft analysts viewed him among the top 80 rookies available. But NFL.com's draft profile had him as the 116th-ranked rookie in this draft.

The Rams front office viewed him as the 46th-ranked player.

I would love this pick if someone could guarantee he will be an active contributor in the Rams' offense in 2025. That is, if the Rams finally commit to running a 12-personnel offensive package 25 percent of the time or better. And only if that included Terrance Ferguson as the second tight end. But that is not something that anyone can guarantee, particularly since Terrance Ferguson is a rookie on offense.

I give an A for effort. and a C for what I expect to be his rookie impact on the offense. That works out to :

Bold Prediction: Ferguson will be targeted 25 times
Initial Grade for this pick: B

Round 3 - OLB Josaiah Stewart

The Los Angeles Rams lost underappreciated DT/OLB Michael Hoecht to free agency. While the team has plenty of players eager to take up the defensive snaps vacated by Hoecht in 2024, they have to show growth in the role to earn those opportunities. After all, he suited up for 639 defensive snaps, and put up 56 tackles, 3.0 quarterback sacks, six quarterback hits, four tackles for a loss, and even broke up two passes. He may not be a starter in the NFL, but he is a valuable rotational edge rusher.

Michigan rookie outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart is looking to become an equally valuable rotational edge rusher in the Rams' defense. From his draft profile and video footage, he is already well on his way to doing so.

The contrast between OLB Jared Verse and Josaiah Stewart could not be more prominent. Verse is a powerhouse who loves to talk trash and physically manhandle offensive tackles like a rhinoceros. Stewart is like a frenzied hornet, flying around and attacking from all angles. While you can fight one or the other separately, you can't fight both simultaneously

The Rams have one of the youngest and best pass rushes in the entire NFL. Josaiah Stewart is the ideal rookie for the role he will fill.

Bold Prediction: Josaiah Stewert will get 4.5 QB sacks in 2025
Initial Grade for this pick: A+