2025 NFL Draft Grades: Los Angeles Rams

Best Pick: I love third-round edge Josaiah Stewart from Michigan. He is as tough as any player in this draft. Getting him in the third will prove to be a steal.

Worst Pick: It's not any one pick, but rather that they didn't get a speed player outside early for their offense. They lack speed in their passing game, which they didn't get. They didn't take a receiver until the seventh round.

The Skinny: They traded out of the first round to land a 2026 first-round pick from the Falcons. That's a different approach for them, but it made sense. I do like second-round tight end Terrance Ferguson and Stewart. Both will be good players. Fifth-round linebacker Chris Paul is a good player.

Top needs entering the draft: Cornerback, linebacker, quarterback and offensive tackle

The Rams are always up to something. Without a second-round pick because of their trade up for Braden Fiske in last year's draft, I thought general manager Les Snead was a prime candidate to move out of Round 1 to add more selections. He has a long history of doing so.

At the same time, L.A. has a sizable hole at cornerback and could have filled it at No. 26. The defense allowed a 59.9 QBR last season, which ranked 28th in the league, and allowed 12 touchdown passes of 20-plus yards, which tied for 30th. Will Johnson, Maxwell Hairston and even Azareye'h Thomas all could have made sense.

In the end, Snead and coach Sean McVay got a deal done with the Falcons to trade back, acquiring pick Nos. 46 and 242 and an extremely valuable 2026 first-rounder for Nos. 26 and 101. I love the deal for L.A., which is going year to year with quarterback Matthew Stafford and now could look to next year's draft to find a successor. Atlanta isn't guaranteed to make the playoffs, which means its pick could fall in the teens.

On Day 2, the Rams added tight end Terrance Ferguson, who can make plays after the catch. The Rams had the fewest receiving yards from tight ends of any team last season (459). I would have preferred Elijah Arroyo over Ferguson, but now those two will be on opposite sidelines twice a year because the Seahawks took Arroyo a few picks later. L.A. got good value with edge rusher Josaiah Stewart, who went right around where I expected. He has some potential as a pass rusher.

I was surprised to see fourth-round pick Jarquez Hunter go before a few other running backs, including Dylan Sampson. He can break tackles. Per ESPN Research, this is the eighth-straight draft the Rams have selected a running back. Fifth-round pick Chris Paul Jr. is a tackling machine who can cover running backs in space. He doesn't have great speed, but he'll have a role with the Rams' defense.

The biggest question for me: Why didn't Snead take any corners? I see issues when looking at the Rams' depth chart. That's still a weak group.

The Rams' draft is solid, if unspectacular, on its face, but looks a lot better when you factor in the 2026 first-rounder they picked up from the Falcons by trading out of the first round. The team got things rolling during the second round with the selection of Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson, who brings athleticism and natural movement skills to the position. He looks like a natural successor to Tyler Higbee long-term and may see some snaps in the red zone in year one, thanks to his strong hands and big frame. Michigan edge rusher Josiah Stewart is a favorite of mine, offering natural disruptive talent off the edge. Stewart is undersized but extremely tenacious as a rusher, using bend and agility to slip past blockers and knife into the pocket. And Auburn running back Jarquez Hunter is an absolute battering ram who could bring a more physical identity to the team's run game. Overall, the Rams got a few early contributors, but the team's fans will be hoping for a major implosion from the Falcons this season—which would really boost this haul.

Rams GM Les Snead once famously exclaimed "f--- those picks," and his actions Thursday reflected that mindset, swapping out of the first round of this year's class to give his club two selections in the opening frame next year. And make no mistake, that pick from the Atlanta Falcons could be a good one.

Frankly, the Rams might need it, as I thought their draft class this year was rife with reaches. Tight end Terrance Ferguson is a good player, but I was shocked to see him come off the board at No. 46 overall, and I feel similarly about running back Jarquez Hunter roughly two rounds later. I do like the physicality of edge rusher Josiah Stewart and the dependability of defensive tackle Ty Hamilton. Chris Paul Jr. was viewed as too small to be an effective inside linebacker in the NFL — but the same was once said about Ernest Jones IV.

Snead and head coach Sean McVay have surprised me many times before, consistently turning poorly-reviewed draft classes into divisional winners. I'm eager to see if they can do it again, with the extra 2026 first-round pick boosting the grade.

Here's why: Picking up the Falcons' 2026 first-round pick for this year's 26th overall pick makes this an A by itself. Getting Terrance Ferguson in the second round was a nice way to kick off the draft with a quality starter who has the upside to be a weapon at tight end for Matthew Stafford this season. The Rams added some good depth on the edge of their defense with Josaiah Stewart, who should fit in cleanly with their other young edge rushers. Overall, it was a really different approach for the Rams in the draft this year that gives them a lot of firepower in terms of draft capital for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Most interesting pick: Jarquez Hunter, RB, Auburn

The Rams have spent a lot of draft picks on running backs over the past few years, and Hunter joins a somewhat crowded backfield with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Obviously, it's not unusual for RBs on the third day of the draft to make an impact as rookies so it'll be fascinating to see how head coach Sean McVay sees Hunter, who is a talented runner, fitting into the offense.

Not especially sexy, but second-round TE Terrance Ferguson, third-round OLB Josaiah Stewart and fourth-round RB Jarquez Hunter should all be able to claim instant roles on a team that could be the biggest threat to the Eagles in the NFC next season. But the big win was GM Les Snead obtaining the Falcons' first-rounder in 2026, which he might need for QB Matthew Stafford's successor.

The Rams' best addition from the draft was gaining the Falcons' 2026 first-round pick. Los Angeles didn't do much to address a few holes to close the gap on the top teams in the NFC. Sure, the Rams are still good enough to win the NFC West, but they have concerns at cornerback and linebacker—and they watched the Eagles take Jihaad Campbell at No. 31. GM Les Snead deserves the benefit of the doubt for his draft hits, but he might have made a mistake taking Ferguson over Elijah Arroyo. The Rams also neglected their need for adding a quarterback of the future, but they at least have two first-round picks next year.

The draft class itself was nothing that will blow you away, but landing an extra first-round pick in 2026 takes it up at least half a letter grade. Jarquez Hunter may be a fun addition in the backfield, and Pooh Paul on Day Three was a good value pick.