The Rams are scheduled to pick in the first round for the second-straight year, holding the No. 26 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
However, they currently do not have a 2025 second-round pick after trading theirs to the Panthers as part of moving up to select defensive end Braden Fiske in last year's draft. While Fiske's team-leading 8.5 sacks and Defensive Rookie of the Year-finalist performance more than justified that decision, it currently has Los Angeles looking at a big gap between its first two selections in this year's draft.
On a conference call Thursday ahead of next week's scouting combine, NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah was asked by TheRams.com if it made more sense to stick-and-pick at 26th overall, or trade back to acquire more picks given the aforementioned gap.
Jeremiah said he'd be in favor of trading back.
"Well, (Rams general manager) Les (Snead) has done such a good job in that range, so getting out of there and collecting extra picks, I'm all for that, especially when you kind of look at the direction that they could be looking," Jeremiah said. "The tackle (position), I wouldn't feel as confident of what you are going to get if you trade back, but there's still a need for corners, receivers. They could pluck a tight end. That's good position groups there on Day 2. If they were to slide back a little bit and collect some more resources there, I've got a lot of respect and appreciation for their ability to scout and find guys there. That would definitely make sense to me."
Cornerback and wide receiver make sense as positions of need for the Rams. Ahkello Witherspoon is a pending unrestricted free agent at cornerback, and Los Angeles has two at wide receiver in Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell. Additionally, Cooper Kupp announced on social media earlier this month that the team intended to trade him.
In his latest mock draft, Jeremiah projected the Rams to take Toledo defensive tackle Darious Alexander – one of his top performers at this year's Senior Bowl – at No. 26.
"Alexander flashed every day in practice this week," Jeremiah wrote in his Senior Bowl recap for NFL.com. "His combination of size and athleticism is really impressive. He has long arms (34 inches) and is a rangy interior defensive lineman. His body type reminds me of Chiefs All-Pro DT Chris Jones."
Jeremiah said on Thursday's conference call it's "the deepest defensive tackle class I can remember."
Speaking of depth, Jeremiah has five cornerbacks in his top 50, five wide receivers (five including two-way star Travis Hunter, whom he lists at that position instead of corner), and four tight ends. As for offensive tackle, he has five on that list, but four of the five are projected to be off the board by the time the Rams are on the clock, based on his latest mock draft.
In his first mock draft, he had the Rams taking Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr.
