The LA Rams may rule Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft

The value of drafting rookies on Day 3 of the NFL Draft is becoming more and more discounted to present day LA Rams fans. As recently as four years ago, the LA Rams roster was bursting with late drafted talen. Now, having won Super Bowl LVI, fans seem to have lost sight of the value of investing the time and energy to coach up later drafted prospects.

Who was added to the LA Rams roster who flourished after having been selected on Day 3 of the NFL Draft? NT Sebastian Joseph Day was drafted in Round 6 of the 2018 NFL Draft. WR Ben Skowronek was selected in Round 7 of the 2021 NFL Draft. Safety Jordan Fuller was selected in Round 6 of the 2020 NFL Draft. Those are just some of the names of players who were drafted late but who have risen through the ranks, and it does not include those players whose names were never called out in the NFL Draft like DE Morgan Fox, ILB Cory Littleton, or OT Alaric Jackson

The belief that the earliest selected prospects in an NFL Draft are guaranteed successes is a perception that doesn't hold up after lookin at the statistics. The truth is that the early round prospects who do succeed have a higher upside, but the NFL Draft is as much of a game of chance as buying a lottery scratch ticket from your local grocer.

Rams chances improve with more picks, not higher picks

Like bingo, the lottery, or any other game of chance, the best way to improve the likelihood of success is to multiply the number of times you play that game. And in a 2023 NFL Draft class with an abundance of talent but a shortage of eliteness, the Rams are positioned to make out like bandits with a wise and objective approach to their 2023 NFL Draft Big Board.

Rookie prospects will rise and fall on draft day. With a lot of talent and no clear consensus on who is the best, the LA Rams should be prepared for plenty of trade offers before they make their selection in Rounds 2 or 3. The Rams are positioned early enough in each round to have valuable players still on the board at those positions. And the Rams needs are too numerous to fall in love with a single player in this draft. Rather, the Rams draft class is best served by selecting as many rookies as possible from this draft class.

Should the Rams trade back in either Round 2 or 3, the likely outcome is to add additional draft picks in Rounds 4 through 7. Right now, the LA Rams have eight picks on Day 3. It's quite conceivable that the Rams could emerge with 10+ picks on Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft.

For a draft class that is loaded with talent, the LA Rams do not sacrifice much by trading back. And the chances to land a true NFL starter by multiplying the number of rookies added increase significantly. I'm not advocating that the LA Rams trade back, as much as simply want fans to prepare for it if it occurs.