Should Rams Trade Up, Down, or Stay Put in the First Round?

The Los Angeles Rams are a team that everybody will be watching on draft night. After making the NFC Championship Game, they hold the 13th overall pick. With general manager Les Snead calling the shots, the Rams will explore all options. The Rams tend to be active on the phones during the draft and could trade up or move back. However, if they can’t make a deal, the Rams may just stay at 13. Let’s take a look at each scenario.

Should the Rams Trade Up?

The overall feeling of this draft class is that there are only around 12 first-round grades. Depending on the team, that number may even be lower. However, the point here is that the value in the class may be inside the top 10. While it may not be a ‘win now’ move, trading up would allow the Rams to add an impact player that could significantly contribute this year.

Given that teams view this as a weaker draft class, the Rams may only need to give up the 61st overall pick and maybe a future draft pick to move up. That may seem like a lot, but the Rams would have to pay to move up. It also makes it less likely that the Rams pick at 93. They could look to trade down from that spot and pick up more Day 3 selections.

A trade up with the Washington Commanders for Carnell Tate makes the most sense. Tate would come in as a proven deep threat and fits the Rams archetype as a strong route runner and competitive blocker. The Rams need a versatile “Z” receiver that can win vertically and Tate fits that mold. He’s one of a handful of players who could have an immediate impact on this roster.

7: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
61: Traded away to Washington
93: IOL Logan Jones, Iowa

Is it Most Likely Rams Stay Put at 13>

This might be the boring option, but also the most realistic. Unless a player like Rueben Bain falls to the Rams at 13, teams may not look to trade up from the late teens or early 20s. At 13, the Rams should still have a good talent pool to choose from. They should have their pick at receiver with Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson, KC Concepcion, or Omar Cooper Jr. The Rams could also target Kenyon Sadiq or a tackle as well.

This isn’t a very deep draft class. While there isn’t a significant difference between pick 13 and pick 20, the Rams also shouldn’t trade out of talent for the sake of picking up a third round pick. If the Rams have a player on the board that they like at 13, they should absolutely just take that player.

13: IOL Olavaivega Ione, Penn State
61: LB Josiah Trotter, Missouri
93: OT Jude Bowry, Boston College

What If the Rams Trade Down?

There has been a narrative that the Rams could pick up a 2027 first-round pick if they trade down. While the Rams did that last year, it took a massive trade down into the second round. For starters, teams are coveting their 2027 first-round picks due to how good analysts expect that class to be. Additionally, to get a 2027 first-round pick in return, they would likely need to trade down with a team like the Buffalo Bills at 26.

That doesn’t mean trading down is a bad option. However, if the Rams trade down to 17 with the Detroit Lions and 19 with the Carolina Panthers, they can close the gap between picks 93 and 207. It’s possible that they could still get Concepcion or Cooper at that spot. It may also put them in a better position to get Ty Simpson. An extra pick on Day 2 would also allow flexibility to make a luxury pick at quarterback. Still, just because many want them to trade down does not make it the most likely scenario.

19: WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
*Note: Traded back from 13 to 19 and acquired pick 83 and 158
61: LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
93: CB Chandler Rivers, Duke

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