The first wave of free agency has passed, and saw the Rams re-sign some of their own (Alaric Jackson, Tutu Atwell; agreed to terms with Ronnie Rivers), bring back a familiar face (Coleman Shelton) and bring in external additions (Davante Adams and Poona Ford).
In terms of departures, two inside linebackers signed elsewhere – Christian Rozeboom to the Panthers and Jacob Hummel to the Ravens – as well as one outside linebacker, with Michael Hoecht going to the Bills.
Following those moves, here's what the latest expert projections are for the Rams at pick 26 in the 2025 NFL Draft.
As noted above, this selection would make a lot of sense given the attrition at inside linebacker.
A native of Moorpark, Calif., the 6-foot-2 1/2, 242-pound Schwesinger led the FBS with 90 solo tackles and ranked third with 136 total tackles while starting in 10 of 12 games played. He also had 8.5 tackles, four sacks, two interceptions, three pass breakups and one forced fumble on his way to First-Team All-American recognition by the Associated Press and First-Team All-Big Ten honors.
"The Rams stay local and get the super-rangy Carson Schwesinger to man the middle of their defense," Trapasso writes.
Fowler also has the Rams selecting Schwesinger at 26th overall.
"A name that has consistently popped, Carson Schwesinger is a bowling ball with knives in the middle of a defense and projects as a green dot for a long time," Fowler writes. "Considering the youth movement up front for L.A. over the last few drafts, adding a player like Schwesinger fills a need at the position while plugging in one of the draft's elite triggermen and one-on-one tacklers. He'd play off the likes of Braden Fiske, Jared Verse, Byron Young, and Kobie Turner extremely well."
The PFN analyst who wrote this projection sees the Rams going for Scourton as a continuation of their youth movement on defense.
A Walter Camp First-Team All-American and First-Team All-SEC performer in 2024, the 6-3, 257 Scourton started all 12 regular season games at defensive end for the Aggies and ranked third in the SEC with 14.0 tackles for loss. His five sacks led the team.
"At just 20 years old, Scourton is known for his explosive first step and relentless pursuit off the line," the author writes. "His athleticism allows him to disrupt quarterbacks and bully blockers up front."
Loveland remains a popular projection for the Rams. The 6-6, 248 Michigan product had a single-season tight end program record 56 catches, 582 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns on his way to being named a finalist for the John Mackey Award (nation's top tight end) while starting in seven of 10 games played.
"After releasing Cooper Kupp, the Rams need a reliable weapon to play in-line and as a big slot," Kosko writes. "Loveland is the perfect fit for that role, as his length would give quarterback Matthew Stafford a big target over the middle of the field. While he lacks consistent power as a run blocker, Loveland, if utilized properly, can thrive as a weapon in the passing game."
Winner of the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back, Barron tied for fourth in the FBS with five interceptions, and his 11 pass breakups led the Longhorns. The 5-11, 194 Barron started in all 16 games for Texas and was also a First-Team All-American by the Associated Press, a First-Team All-SEC selection, and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Defensive MVP.
"The Rams take Jahdae Barron, adding a versatile chess piece to their defensive backfield," Foster writes. "In his five years at Texas, Barron recorded over 500 snaps at safety, slot, and outside cornerback."
