Tag: rams draft

Report: Rams are making calls about trading into top 10

The Rams are looking to trade up in the first round, potentially into the top 10

The Los Angeles Rams are going to take full advantage of having a first-round pick this year by attempting to land a true blue-chip prospect. There have been rumblings about the Rams looking to trade up, though it was unclear how far they’d want to go.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Rams have been making calls to teams about trading into the top 10. That would be at least a nine-spot jump for Les Snead and Sean McVay, which could cost them their first-round pick in 2025.

The Falcons at No. 8, Bears at No. 9 and Jets at No. 10 would all make sense as teams that could look to move down to No. 19 in a deal with the Rams. If the Rams want to get in front of the Titans for a tackle like Joe Alt, they could make a trade with the Giants at No. 6.

Another player they could be targeting is Rome Odunze, who they met with at the NFL combine and were linked to as a potential landing spot for the standout Washington receiver.

Look: The Rams put a football field on the beach for their 2024 draft party

The Rams created a 60-yard football field on the beach for their draft party, because of course they did

The Los Angeles Rams may not be frequent participants in the first round of the draft, but they always go all-out for the big event. They’ve started a tradition of renting a luxurious house to be their draft headquarters, and this year, they’re hosting a draft party in Hermosa Beach.

The party should be a fun event for fans who attend, and it’s complete with a replica football field on the beach. That’s right, the Rams put a 60-yard football field on the sand, complete with Rams styling in the end zones and at midfield.

They unveiled the field on Thursday before Round 1 and it looks predictably awesome.

The party will take place on Thursday and Friday for the first through third rounds of the draft, and it’s free for fans to attend. There will be football clinics and contests on the football field, with current and former players also taking part in the fun.

What time will the Rams pick at No. 19 overall in the 2024 NFL draft?

The Rams hold the 19th overall pick, but what time will they go on the clock and make their selection?

Though there seems to be a good chance the Los Angeles Rams will either trade up or down in Round 1, they’re slated to pick at No. 19 overall tonight. That’s in the second half of the first round, so they’ll be waiting a little bit before turning in the card with their selection’s name on it.

With the draft starting at 8 p.m. ET and teams getting 10 minutes to make each selection, it’ll be a couple of hours before the Rams go on the clock. Based on the last two years, we can get a good idea of when Los Angeles will be picking.

In 2022, the Saints selected Trevor Penning 19th overall at 10:13 p.m. ET.

In 2023, the Buccaneers selected Calijah Kancey 19th overall at 10:22 p.m. ET.

Therefore, assuming the Rams keep the 19th pick, they’ll make their selection around 10:15 p.m. ET, so plan accordingly.

The first round will likely wrap up between 11:30 p.m. ET and midnight, so the teams at the end of Round 1 have quite a long wait.

Report: Rams making calls about trading up, would be for a top defender

Dan Graziano of ESPN says the Rams are among the teams making calls to trade up in Round 1, and it would be “to get one of their top targets on defense”

Les Snead said on Tuesday that the Los Angeles Rams are open to all options in the first round, whether it’s trading up for a player, staying put at No. 19 or trading back to accumulate picks. They won’t know for sure what’s best for them until the first round actually gets underway on Thursday night, but there’s plenty of buzz about them moving up.

Dan Graziano of ESPN shared in his pre-draft notebook that the Rams are among the teams that have made calls about trading up in Round 1. And if the Rams were to move up, “it would be to get one of their top targets on defense.”

The people I talk to think we’re likely to see more trades in the second half of the first round than in the first half. The Colts (No. 15), Jaguars (No. 17), Rams (No. 19) and Eagles (No. 22) are all teams I’ve heard have been making calls about potentially moving up.

It’s not surprising that the Rams are exploring their options when it comes to moving up. They’re an aggressive organization that’s never afraid to make a splash, whether it’s in free agency, the draft or the trade market. It’s also not shocking that they’d be targeting a defensive player, given their needs on that side of the ball.

While it would make sense for them to trade up for one of the top offensive tackles or a wide receiver like Rome Odunze, there are also highly regarded defenders in this class such as Byron Murphy II, Dallas Turner, Laiatu Latu, Jared Verse and Quinyon Mitchell who may not make it to No. 19.

If one of those players begins to slip, the Rams could make a move into the early teens to scoop them up.

Bill Barnwell floats idea of Rams trading two 1st-rounders for CB Pat Surtain II

In Bill Barnwell’s trade-filled mock draft, he floats the idea of the Rams trading two first-rounders for Broncos CB Pat Surtain II

If there’s a team that could swing a big trade for a proven veteran before or during the NFL draft this year, it’s the Los Angeles Rams. They’ve done it before, landing players such as Brandin Cooks, Jalen Ramsey and Matthew Stafford for first-round picks during Sean McVay’s tenure.

There are no indications they’ll make such a blockbuster move in the next week, but nothing can ever be ruled out with Les Snead and McVay.

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell has one potential target for the Rams to consider, however. That player is Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II. In Barnwell’s annual mock draft where he comes up with a trade for each team in Round 1, he pitched the idea of the Rams acquiring Surtain in a massive deal with the Broncos.

Broncos get: 1-19, 2025 first-round pick, 3-99
Rams get: CB Pat Surtain, 2026 fifth-round pick

Barnwell isn’t suggesting the Rams will make such a move and he has no inside information, but he’s simply sharing a trade that “might make sense,” as he put it.

There aren’t many players who are simultaneously playing at that level and for a team that’s rebuilding.

The Broncos might be the lone exception, which is why a Surtain deal would be plausible. The Rams already showed they were willing to spend this much for a complete cornerback when they acquired Ramsey in 2019, and Surtain might be the former Jags star’s successor as the league’s best player at the position. Surtain is excellent in coverage on the outside and in the slot, capable of shadowing the opposing team’s top wide receiver, and is physical enough to hold his own as a tackler. He just turned 24 on Sunday and will make a combined $23.3 million over the next two years with his fifth-year option, giving L.A. plenty of runway as it negotiates a new extension with him.

If the Rams were going to make such a significant move at cornerback this offseason, it likely would’ve come before they signed both Darious Williams and Tre’Davious White. While neither cornerback should prevent the Rams from acquiring a young cornerback, particularly one of Surtain’s caliber, those signings do make it less likely for a trade like this one to happen.

There are no indications the Broncos want to trade Surtain, who’s their best player on the roster, but as Barnwell notes, they’re rebuilding and could use as many assets as they can get – especially if they want to move up for a quarterback in this year’s draft.

As unlikely as this trade is to happen, it’s fun to think about the Rams acquiring yet another young star, even if it rids fans of seeing them make a first-round pick for another two years.

One ideal 4th-round target at each of Rams’ top positions of need

The Rams once again pick at the end of the 4th round. Who would be an ideal target for them at No. 142?

After a long wait for their first pick in the 2022 NFL draft, the Rams will have a little bit more waiting to do before their second selection, too. They’ll go on the clock at No. 142 overall in the fourth round, which is the second-to-last pick in the round.

They already addressed their need at guard with Logan Bruss in the third round, but they still have other holes to fill. Here is one ideal target at each of their top positions of need on Saturday.

One wide receiver the Rams could target in each round of the 2022 NFL draft

The Rams are always looking for wide receiver help. Here are five players they could target in the draft on Friday and Saturday.

With Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson and Van Jefferson, the Los Angeles Rams already have their starting wide receivers. It’s highly unlikely that anyone is going to unseat those three for a starting job in Week 1, whether that player is added in the draft or as a free agent.

That doesn’t mean the Rams are fully satisfied with their receiving corps. Sean McVay likes adding wideouts in the draft, whether it’s on Day 2 or much later on.

Here are five receivers the Rams could target this weekend, one in each round.

Every team’s 3 biggest roster needs heading into the 2022 NFL draft

What are each team’s three biggest needs heading into the 2022 NFL draft and what positions should the Rams focus on?

The 2022 NFL draft is right around the corner as each team puts the finishing touches on its draft board before the picks are made next week in Las Vegas. The good teams have already filled most of their roster holes and can go into the draft without feeling forced to select a specific position early.

Other teams, however, aren’t so fortunate. For the Jets, Giants and Jaguars, there are a bunch of spots that need to be filled before the 2022 season, and the draft is a great opportunity to accomplish that.

The NFL Wire network has put together a list of every team’s three biggest roster needs heading into the draft, preparing you for what positions could be addressed next weekend.

Watch Rams scouts break down TE Jacob Harris: ‘He’s definitely a physical freak’

Jacob Harris caught the eye of the Rams thanks to his size and speed.

The Rams showed interest in UCF wide receiver Jacob Harris leading up to the draft. They met with him over video conference and got to know the raw prospect before eventually selecting him in the fourth round.

Harris only played one year of high school football and spent just two years catching passes in college, so he’s not the cleanest prospect. But the Rams plan to play him at tight end and utilize his rare combination of size, speed, quickness and leaping ability as a matchup nightmare for defenders.

In the sixth episode of the Rams’ series “Inside the Draft,” fans get a peek behind the curtain of what went into the selection of Harris at No. 141 overall.

One scout said “he’s definitely a physical freak” and someone “that has passion,” which will help him make it in the NFL because he’s so involved on special teams, too.

“You see that and you’re like, ‘Hey, if this is a guy that hadn’t played a ton of football, well, he’s going to buy time because he’s going to want to get on special teams. He’s gonna want to do it the right way and he’s going to play with passion. So he jumped on the scene then and I think he’s going to be a great addition to the team.”

Harris may not contribute much on offense as a rookie in 2021, but Les Snead said he was probably the top special teams player in the entire draft, so expect to see him covering kicks and attempting to block some field goals.

At 6-foot-5 with 4.39 speed and a 40.5-inch vertical, Harris is already one of the most athletic players on the entire team.

5 Rams players who could get beat out by rookies in 2021

David Long Jr. and Micah Kiser are two players to watch in camp this year as rookies push for playing time.

It was clear during the 2021 NFL draft that the Los Angeles Rams didn’t select players based on need. They took the best prospects available to them at each spot, led by wide receiver Tutu Atwell.

There are no clear-cut Day 1 starters in this draft class for the Rams, but there are players who will push veterans for playing time and potentially even vault them on the depth chart. Competition is always a good thing in the NFL and Los Angeles will have plenty of it this offseason.

Here are five veterans who could get beat out by rookies this year.