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.

Are Rams wisely managing their annual draft picks?

While you may have hoped for the Rams to emerge with as many as three starters from the 2025 NFL Draft, the Rams' draft strategy seemed to run counter to that goal. After all, the team converted three picks on Days 1 and 2 into just two picks on Day 2. And the team converted five picks on Day 3 into just four picks on Day 3.

To see how the team's draft strategy unfolded, let's revisit the Rams' original arrangement of draft picks:

2025 Rams Draft Pick (Original)

• Round 1 (26th overall)
• Round 3 (90th overall
• Round 3 (101st overall) (comp pick)
• Round 4 (127th overall)
• Round 6 (190th overall) (via Falcons)
• Round 6 (195th overall) (via Steelers)
• Round 6 (201st overall) 
• Round 6 (202nd overall) (via Bears (originally from Texans))

As you can see, the Rams did have huge gaps between selecting in Round 1 and the first pick in Round 2. There was also a huge gap between Round 4 and the first pick in Round 6. The second gap was perhaps more alarming, as the Rams have done incredibly well in Round 5.

But the team's draft strategy would address both gaps effectively

2025 Rams Draft Picks (Official)

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

*Plus Atlanta Falcons Round 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, less LA Rams Round 4 pick in 2026 NFL Draft

As you can see from the draft selection above, the Rams filled in the gaps, plus landed two talented rookies in that all important Round 5. So, was it all worth it? Let's dive in a bit deeper to see if the Rams three Day 3 trades were worth the cost.

Another bonus to trading up is the elimination of guessing who the team wanted at that spot. NFL Draft day trades are contingent upon a specific player being on the board. The fact is that the Rams traded up three times on Day 3 to select three specific rookies. The Rams wanted RB Jarquez Hunter, NT Ty Hamilton, and ILB Chris Paul Jr.

And they got them.

Were the Rams Day 3 rookies truly worth the cost?

The finesse shown by the Rams' draft choreography is not something to be taken lightly. To manage the draft, the Rams have preestablished what players are worth to them on the roster. Then, the Rams convert that perceived value onto draft day trade packages to ensure landing in the right position to make the selection to land that player.

It was the same successful strategy that allowed the team to understand the true value ot trading up in the 2024 NFL Draft to select Florida State DT Braden Fiske, and pair him with teammate OLB Jared Verse. While NFL draft analysts hem and hawed over the cost of trading up, the Rams front office celebrated in the knowledge that the true value of Fiske on the roster was far more valuable than the cost of acquiring him.

So, let's examine the three Day 3 picks:

(3) - Trading up to get ILB Chris 'Pooh' Paul Jr.

TRADE 4: The Rams traded Round 6 picks (201 and 202) to the Minnesota Vikings for a Round 5 pick (172).

Ole Miss rookie ILB Chris 'Pooh' Paul Jr. was a bargain in Round 5 before the Rams traded up to select him. And the conversion of two Round 6 picks for a Round 5 selection only added to the potential value that the Rams' front office hopes to enjoy with the pick. Per the 2025 NFL Draft value chart, the Rams traded 21 points to get 22.6 points. A slight upgrade, but an upgrade nontheless.

Better still, the Rams got one of the top five inside linebackers on some draft boards, and one of the top ten inside linebackers on all major draft boards. Is that good enough? Only time will tell. But the value of Paul to the Rams' defense is both obvious and significant.

Officially listed as 6-foot-0 and weighing 222 pounds, some fans may be concerned with Paul's durability over a 17-game NFL season. And that's perfectly fine. But what Paul brings to the Rams defense is a pass coverage guy who can fit the coveted role of hybrid LB/S in this defense. Paul surrenders no linebacker ability at defending the run that a safety in the box will experience. But he brings a true level of pass coverage that other linebackers simply cannot do.

To better defend the run, the Rams have to get out of the business of playing so many defensive backs so often. Chris Paul Jr. gives this team the option to do better. And they took it.

(2) - Trading up to get NT Ty Hamilton

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.

Ohio State defensive tackle Ty Hamilton is a talented and versatile defensive lineman who pushes athleticism off the charts and who is more than willing and capable of doing the dirty defensive lineman trenchwork that does not make the stats sheet but helps the team win games. And that is a custom fit for what the Rams need on the defensive front.

Almost all draft boards projected Hamilton coming off the board sooner than Round 5. Some projected him as early as Day 2. So the Rams once again pounced to trade up for a player who they believed to have much higher value. And in the Rams' defense, that value could be realized.

It's rare indeed to select a rookie in Round 5 who is a consensus NFL starter. But Hamilton is one of the defensive linemen up for grabs in a deep and talented DL class. And his availability in Round 5 is a dramatic bargain.

Did I boast about his athleticism? Of course I did, because he is an athletic freak. Just check out his RAS numbers:

Unlike some athletically gifted players, Hamilton did not rely solely on athleticism to make plays.

He is a bona fide run-stuffer who has sneaky success at rushing the passer. At 6-foot-2 and 299 pounds, he is not a towering mountain on the defensive line. But he does have a superhuman center of gravity like a wrestler, the footwork and handwork like a boxer, and the agility of a cat.

He arrives with some polish, but plenty of room to refine and enhance his arsenal of pass rush moves as well as stunts. The Rams coaching staff is more than capable of unlocking his full fury. He is a smoldering coal of passion that will burst into a bonfire in 2025.

(1) - Trading up to get RB Jarquez Hunter

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.

While the Rams may have taken the greatest risk in drafting Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter, he certainly brings the chance for the greatest reward. The team has long flirted with the chance to add a power back whose north-south running will get the job done. The team also wants to add explosive running to the offense.

In Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter, the team checks all the boxes and then some.

And to top it all off, Hunter played for Rams GM Les Snead's Alma Mater, the Auburn Tigers. The Rams had a perfectly sane understanding that the Rams roster was already robust and filled with returning players. The Rams traded up to lock in an explosive running back with a north-south mindset who can run over or run away from defenders.

It was clear that the Rams did not knee-jerk react to the draft board. This was a true effort to land a specific set of skills that the Rams offense needs. What is the cost of finishing off a set with the last piece of the set? The value of those final pieces goes up exponentially

When it comes to the Rams' running game, the offense lacked in several areas. The Rams had almost no explosive plays. The Rams lost a significant number of fumbles. And as an entire offense, the Rams threatened few teams with an intimidating presence by running the ball.

Snead continues to have ties to Auburn's football program, so you can bet that the team benefited from unique insight into Hunter's role and contribution to his college football team.

But it all comes down to one thing. Can Jarquez Hunter crack this lineup and get carries in his rookie season? The Rams have to try. After all is said and done, the Rams' offense was too lackluster in 2024. The Rams were not exactly productive at gaining yards or scoring points, despite having the most expensive offense in the NFL last season

The Rams have to give out opportunities to more than a select handful of players. Nobody can put up yards or points from the bench. And few running backs who get over 300 carries in a single NFL season fail to put up 1000+ yards. In 2024, Kyren Williams had the third most carries (316 carries) in the NFL, behind Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (341 carries) and Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry (325 carries). But Williams' output of 1,299 yards was seventh in rushing yards.

Hunter can help, instantly. His burst is enough to get significant yards quickly. His power is enough to break tackles and wear down defenses. Best of all, he comes to the NFL quite capable of pass blocking too., He brings it all. He simply needs offensive snaps and carries.

As always, thanks for reading.

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