Rams alarming rate of trading up on Day 3 of 2025 NFL Draft was right strategy

The Los Angeles Rams traded back from Round 1 in the 2025 NFL Draft. That move cost the Rams a selection in Days 1 and 2 (26th and 101st overall picks) to get selections on Days 2 and 3, plus a selection in Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft. From that point, the Rams stood pat on Day 2, selecting Oregon TE Terrance Ferguson with the 46th overall pick and Michigan OLB Josaiah Stewart with the 90th overall pick

But the polarity of the Rams changed significantly on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Rams reversed course, becoming incredibly aggressive at going after the players they wanted. And they emerged with just four rookies on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. So, how did the Rams' draft pick arsenal change?

• TRADE 1: The first trade sent the Round 1 (26) and Round 3 (101) to the Atlanta Falcons for Round 2 (46) and Round 7 (242) picks, plus a Round 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
• TRADE 2: The team next traded two picks, in Round 4 (127) and Round 6 (190), to the Indianapolis Colts for their Round 4 (117) pick.
• TRADE 3: The Rams traded a Round 6 (195th) pick and a Round 4 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears for a Round 5 (148) pick.
• TRADE 4: The Rams traded Round 6 picks (201 and 202) to the Minnesota Vikings for a Round 5 pick (172).

Four trades in an NFL Draft seems rather benign and typical when discussing the Rams draft. It's simply not a matter or waiting for the right player to fall to the team. In the past, the Rams have lost the opportunity to select a player they were thrilled with because another NFL team had the luck and wisdom to either outright select the player or to trade up ahead of the Rams to make that selection.

Since those learned lessons, the Rams are a bit more aggressive with their intentions. If the team is sold on a rookie prospect's fit on the roster, GM Les Snead is delighted to pick up the phone and play the NFL's version of Let's Make A Deal. While the Rams are not always successful, the team's willingness to trade up is based on the confidence in predetermining what the value of that player is to the team. If the asking price exceeds that perceived value, no trade is achieved.

That is a huge advantage for the Rams. As we have seen, the team's inability to trade up for a tight end in the 2023 and 2024 NFL Drafts did not ruin the team's draft experience. Rather, in both cases, the team ended up with vety productive players on the defensive side of the football.