The last time the Los Angeles Rams made a first-round pick in the NFL draft was in 2016. At that time, Sean McVay worked as Washington’s offensive coordinator, and Puka Nacua was just starting high school.
It was after the Rams relocated from St. Louis to Los Angeles. Back then, the team wasn’t outstanding, having had 12 seasons without winning records. So, they aimed to make a big impact by trading up for Jared Goff.
This move and later trading Goff for Matthew Stafford helped transform the Rams from being overlooked to consistently competing in the playoffs.
They’ve had six winning seasons, reached the playoffs five times, won three NFC West titles, made two Super Bowl appearances, and won one championship since their last first-round pick.
The Rams have skipped the first round for several years because they traded those picks for key players. For instance, in 2017, they traded their pick for Jared Goff. In 2018, they used it to get Brandin Cooks. Then, in 2019, they traded back to get more draft picks.
In 2020 and 2021, their first-round picks went to Jacksonville for Jalen Ramsey, a star defensive back. And in 2022 and 2023, they went to Detroit for Matthew Stafford. Both players played crucial roles in the Rams’ championship victory.
Now, the Rams are back in the first round with the 19th pick. Fans are eager to see if they’ll make a selection this time.
