Post-Kupp 4 round Rams Mock draft adds TE Harold Fannin with 2019 draft strategy

The more things change, the more things stay the same. That seems to be an accurate description of the Los Angeles Rams in my latest Rams Mock Draft. Why do I say that? Well, the LA Rams held a Round 1 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. But the team found it necessary to trade back twice before finding value on the draft board when the team finally stepped up to the podium.

That strategy seemed to have its limits in the 2019 NFL Draft. But the 2025 NFL Draft is a bit lopsided. What I mean is that after five or so elite players in this draft class, the talent level falls to an NFL-starting player caliber that plateaus and extends well into Day 3. While it's not always easy to conjure up a trade partner who is willing to trade up when the Rams want to trade back, in this mock draft, powered by Pro Football Network, I was able to trade back twice.

Realistic:? Perhaps, perhaps not. But by doing so, the Rams pick up an additional pick. and saturate Day 2 with five picks. Since that is where many NFL draft analysts see the best value in this rookie class, I wanted to see what that might look like:

Trading back

By the time the Rams step up to the podium at the 26th overall pick, both Penn State TE Tyler Warren and Michigan TE Colston Loveland are off the board. With three offers to trade back, I accept the best offer that yields the team a pick in Round 2 and Round 3. When the Rams are about to step up in early Round 2, another trade offer moves them back in Round 2, with another pick in Round 3. The Rams must sweeten the pot on the second trade back by kicking in a pick in Round 6.

When the smoke clears, the Rams hold no picks in Round 1, but have a pick in Round 2 plus four picks in Round 3. Now, it's time to do what Rams GM Les Snead does best: Turn those draft picks into talented players.

Round 2 - TE Harold Fannin Jr.

While some expect the Rams to trade up for an offensive game changer, I leveraged a different tactic in this draft. Rather than fixate on one contributor, why not pursue a draft strategy to get as many offensive weapons as possible. And landing Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is a great start to the draft, regardless of which round he is selected.

Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 241 pounds, Fannin is the type of offensive weapon that fits what the Rams want to do on offense. He is incredibly athletic, possessing the hands and route-running of a wide receiver. He is a passionate and meticulous tactician, sensing soft spots in zone coverages, but with the added dimension of breaking big plays when needed. The bigger the stage, but better Fannin plays. In 2024, he feasted against AP Top-25 teams.

He falls to Round 2 because he hails from a smaller school. NFL scouts are not convinced that he can become an NFL blocker early, a prerequisite for most teams to play at the tight end position. And he is a bit raw, with the need to refine some of his techniques.

He is a bigger-bodied version of former Rams WR Ben Skowronek, and the team can use him anywhere in the offense too. Fannin is a high-octane offensive weapon who can deliver as long as the team has a finite plan on how to use him and sticks to it. I suspect that they will do exactly that.