The Los Angeles Rams haven’t made a first-round pick since Jared Goff was taken No. 1 overall in 2016, and they aren’t slated to pick in the top 32 again until 2022 (barring possible trades). As a result, their draft classes haven’t typically been impactful in Year 1. That was certainly the case in 2018 when John Franklin-Myers was really the only one to play meaningful snaps.
This past season, the Rams got contributions from a bunch of rookies, led by Taylor Rapp, Bobby Evans and David Edwards. But for the second straight year, the Rams were shut out from the Pro Football Writers Association’s All-Rookie Team. They didn’t have a single player selected, with Rapp being the only legitimate candidate.
At safety, the PFWA selected Darnell Savage of the Packers and Juan Thornhill of the Chiefs.
The 2019 PFWA All-Rookie Team and rookie honors: pic.twitter.com/mmHVHWWQFx
— Pro Football Writers (@PFWAwriters) January 14, 2020
The last time the Rams had a representative on the All-Rookie Team was in 2017 when Cooper Kupp was selected. In 2015, Todd Gurley and Rob Havenstein were honored. And the year before that, Tre Mason, Aaron Donald and E.J. Gaines made the All-Rookie Team.
In fact, since 2010, the Rams have had 12 players selected by the PFWA. From 2012-2015, multiple Rams players were named All-Rookies in each of those three seasons.
It’s difficult to find impactful rookies when you don’t have a first-round pick, but the Rams are making the most of their situation. They have promising young players entering Year 2 with Rapp, Darrell Henderson, Evans, Edwards and David Long Jr.