The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2025 NFL Draft with a flexible strategy—and ultimately chose patience and long-term planning over impulse. While many expected general manager Les Snead to trade down from the No. 26 overall pick, the team did briefly explore a move up the board.
However, they struck a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, moving down 20 spots from No. 26 to No. 46, and giving up their third-round pick (No. 101). In return, they acquired pick No. 242 and, most notably, a first-round selection in 2026.
Head coach Sean McVay praised the move, calling it a “big deal” and describing the offer as “too good to be able to pass up.” He explained,
The trade also subtly underscored their continued exploration of life after Matthew Stafford. While McVay admitted in April that he hadn’t done extensive scouting on this year’s quarterback class—expressing confidence in Stafford’s remaining years—the team’s positioning in the draft suggested otherwise.
Notably, only two quarterbacks were taken in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and Shedeur Sanders wasn’t one of them. After a shaky pre-draft process from Sanders and a surging performance from Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart, the hierarchy shifted. Dart, a first-team All-SEC selection, rose up boards and landed with the New York Giants at No. 25.
Los Angeles Rams Were Going To Take QB, According To NFL Insider
That pick may have directly influenced the trade. ESPN’s Todd McShay noted that had the Giants not taken Dart, the Rams likely would have.
“I see all the complaining [from Giants fans]… I don’t understand it. The Rams, I think, were going to take [Dart] at No. 26. So they (the Giants) moved up to the exact right spot,” McShay said. “The Rams will never tell you that, but they moved up to the right spot to go get him.”
Whether the Rams were truly targeting Dart or simply maximizing draft capital, the decision to trade down rather than reach shows a franchise prioritizing sustainable roster-building. With Stafford under center and an extra first-round pick secured, the Rams continue to balance their win-now window with an eye toward the future—particularly at quarterback.
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