REPORT: Rams Had One of the Top Draft Hauls Last Offseason

The Los Angeles Rams featured a healthy mix of veterans and young players. However, it was the rookies that led the way this season.

Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) returns a fumble for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams had been known for trading away their top picks in the NFL Draft over the years. Once it became that trading top picks away for proven veterans was not sustainable long term, the Rams decided to do things the traditional way and build their roster through the draft.

Although trading picks helped the Rams win a Super Bowl, not trading picks and continuing to build through the draft has already started to pay off.

Gennaro Filice of NFL.com recently ranked every team's draft haul from last season, after the completion of this season. After a season that saw the Rams go to the playoffs on the backs of many players they drafted in the most recent NFL Draft. He ranked the Rams' draft haul as the second-best in the NFL.

This included Rams rookie Jared Verse winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Rams also showcased numerous other players from their most recent draft haul who went on to become significant contributors on this season's playoff team.

"The Rams general manager [Les Snead] has long maximized Los Angeles’ non-premium picks, routinely finding starters in the latter rounds of the draft," Filice said. "But last April, Snead made a first-round pick for the first time since Barack Obama was president, and that selection ran away with Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Edge beast Jared Verse racked up the fourth-most pressures in the entire league during the regular season -- only trailing pass-rushing luminaries Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter and Trey Hendrickson, per Next Gen Stats -- and then terrorized the [Minnesota] Vikings and [Philadelphia] Eagles in the playoffs."

"Los Angeles’ second-round pick, gap-shooting DT Braden Fiske, finished third in DROY voting. With these two joining 2023 draft steals Byron Young and Kobie Turner, the Rams have successfully mitigated the retirement of an all-time great defensive lineman (Aaron Donald) by infusing the front with a quartet of game wreckers. And, of course, Snead also did his usual value shopping in last year's prospect market, unearthing immediate contributors in the mid-to-late rounds (Beaux Limmer, Kamren Kinchens, Joshua Karty, Jordan Whittington) and after the draft was complete (Omar Speights, Jaylen McCollough). All in all, a master class in talent accumulation."

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