One Dream NFL Draft Trade That Could Change the Rams Overnight

If there is one team that can be expected to be aggressive during the NFL Draft, it’s the Los Angeles Rams. While a trade back might be the preferred move from fans, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rams move up for an impact player or trade away the 13th overall pick entirely for a proven talent.

Last year, the Rams traded back and acquired a future first-round pick. However, before that move, they explored moving up for Tet McMillan and Emeka Egbuka. Although a trade didn’t materialize, it’s a good example that the Rams are not afraid to be aggressive and get the guy that they want.

During free agency, the Rams addressed all of their immediate needs. Now, the Rams may find themselves in a dilemma at 13th overall. This is a weaker draft class, and in an ‘all-in’ year, the Rams may struggle to land a high-impact player at that spot. There are likely just three blue-chip prospects in this class: linebacker Sonny Styles, safety Caleb Downs, and running back Jeremiyah Love.

With that said, Styles, Downs, and Love are not dropping outside of the top 10. In fact, Love and Styles could get drafted inside the top five. If the Rams are truly ‘all in’ for a Super Bowl in 2026, moving up for one of those players makes sense. This is the exact move that Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr made in his mock draft.

“Remember how in the Rams were on Christian McCaffrey,” said Orr. “Love is a physical back who lives for outside zone (which is a small part of the McVay offensive lexicon but showcases his patience and brilliance) and can help protect Matthew Stafford on the back end. While there isn’t necessarily a game-changing receiver that fits into the Rams’ universe, Love, in what could be Stafford’s final season, may conquer all.”

To move up from 13 to four, the Rams gave up the 13th overall pick along with their second and third-round selections. Additionally, they gave up a first-round pick in 2027. That is certainly a hefty price to pay, but it’s also the type of move the Rams wouldn’t be afraid to make.

In a media landscape that preaches how running backs don’t matter, Love is the exception to that. He’s arguably the best player in the draft. The running back position may not be the most valuable, but Love adds value with his explosiveness and versatility as a pass-catcher.

Over the past few years, teams have prioritized running the ball more as defenses have gotten lighter. If the Rams win the Super Bowl and Love plays a huge role in that, analysts will talk about how good a move it was to acquire Love rather than how much the Rams paid for a running back.

Love is exactly the type of running back that McVay tends to gravitate toward. As Orr mentions, the Rams were in on McCaffrey back in 2022. The only reason that trade didn’t happen was that they couldn’t match the San Francisco 49ers' package, which included an extra fourth-round pick in 2023. The Rams had previously traded theirs for Sony Michel.

We’ve seen what a high-level playmaker at the running back position like Love can do in the McVay offense. In 2017, Gurley was the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year. Had it not been for a knee injury, he may have repeated in 2018. Gurley led the NFL in rushing yards, touchdowns, and yards from scrimmage before the injury.

Similar to Gurley, Love has the top-end speed and explosiveness that the Rams’ running game currently lacks. McVay also hasn’t used a running back in the passing game consistently since 2019. The Rams haven’t tapped into that part of the offense since Gurley got hurt.

The addition of Love certainly adds a question of what the Rams would do with Kyren Williams and Blake Corum. Williams signed an extension last offseason, and Corum is coming off a career year. As a duo, Williams and Corum combined for over 2,000 yards rushing. It may not have been the most electric rushing attack, but it was the most efficient behind the NFL’s top run-blocking unit.

Even if the Rams were to draft Love, Williams isn’t going anywhere. The Rams value what Williams brings to the table, but he still has obvious limitations, especially in terms of his long speed and explosiveness. However, a duo of Williams and Love makes a lot more sense than Williams and Corum. A Williams-and-Love duo would function much like the Detroit Lions used Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.

In 2023, Montgomery led the Lions in rushing attempts with 219 compared to Gibbs’ 182. However, the Lions used both players to their strengths. Gibbs added 52 receptions in the passing game, while the Lions used Montgomery in between the 20s and in short-yardage situations.

With that said, this type of move would relegate Corum to the RB3 in the offense or make him expendable in a trade. At the very least, he provides insurance behind Williams in case of injury as the two players have a similar run style.

Looking ahead, the Rams have an ‘out’ in Williams’ contract after 2027. Adding a dynamic running back like Love also gives Stafford a rushing attack to lean on late in his career, as the New Orleans Saints did for Drew Brees and Alvin Kamara. If the Rams draft a young quarterback to take over post-Stafford, Love benefits that player as well.

Again, when it comes to the top of the 2026 NFL Draft, Love is one of the few players who could make an immediate impact. When the Rams last had a running back like Love, they nearly won the Super Bowl. The term all-in may be overused when it comes to the draft, but if there is an ‘all-in’ move for the Rams to make, trading for Love is it.

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