The Rams don’t care about 1st-round picks, and somehow it works

Conventional football logic has always told us that building through the draft is the only way to form a contender, but the Los Angeles Rams have gone full L.A. on that notion, following the Lakers path to flashy deals and quick rebuilds. Instead of biding their time and being patient, the Rams make big, bold, brash deals to bring in some of the sport’s biggest stars — and yet it all works. In looking back at the team’s draft history they have only made three picks in the first round going all the way back to 2016, and two of those guys have since been traded away.

The latest came from Jared Verse, who was selected by the Rams in the 1st round in 2024 and made two Pro Bowls with the organization. He was shipped off on Monday as part of a package that brought Defensive Player of the Year pass rusher Myles Garrett to the Rams. It’s turned Los Angeles into the immediate Super Bowl favorite by a sizable margin, as the team continues to test how far it can push its window back open in order to bring home another ring.

This path has led to the Rams winning a Super Bowl in 2021, losing one in 2018 — as well as making the playoffs in seven of the last nine seasons. It’s actually working. Let’s take a stroll back through memory lane and see what the Rams have done with their 1st round draft picks in the last decade.

2016: QB Jared Goff — Traded to Detroit as part of a package for QB Matthew Stafford

2017: Traded to Tennessee to move up and take Jared Goff in 2016

2018: Traded to New England for WR Brandin Cooks and a 4th round pick

2019: Traded with a 4th rounder to Atlanta for their 2nd and 3rd round picks

2020: Traded with a 4th rounder and 2020 1st round to Jacksonville for CB Jalen Ramsey

2021: Traded to finalize Jalen Ramsey trade with Jacksonville

2022: Traded to Detroit Lions as part of package for QB Matthew Stafford

2023: Traded to finalize Matthew Stafford trade with Detroit

2024: DE Jared Verse

2025: Traded to Atlanta Falcons for a 2nd round pick, 7th round pick, and 1st round pick in 2026

2026: Traded to Kansas City Chiefs for CB Trent McDuffie. Used Atlanta pick to select QB Ty Simpson

This approach seemingly makes no sense, because it doesn’t — except for the fact that the Rams have really nailed making picks in the later rounds of the draft. This team has consistently found talent in surprising places, and that has led to a scenario where they are able to compete every year without building young players from scratch.

Over this same 10 year span these are the players the Rams have found outside of the 1st round:

• Cooper Kupp: 3rd round, 2017
• Taylor Rapp: 2nd round, 2019
• David Edwards: 5th round, 2019
• Ernest Jones, 3rd round 2021
• Kyren Williams, 5th round 2022
• Byron Young, 3rd round 2023
• Kobie Turner, 3rd round 2023
• Puka Nacua, 5th round 2023

Nobody is better at tossing aside their first-round players and finding value later in the draft than the Rams. Maybe this should be a lesson for Ty Simpson: Perhaps you should just rent a place for now, and see if you end up somewhere different in the near future.