For the second year in a row, the Los Angeles Rams will sit idly by as the rest of the NFL makes its first-round selections on April 26. They were without a top-32 pick in 2017 after trading up for Jared Goff one year prior, but this time, it’s the result of a recent Brandin Cooks trade that sent the Patriots the 23rd overall pick.
This is a familiar feeling for Rams fans. However, in 2018, they’ll have to wait until the third round – barring a trade – to see the Rams make their first selection. The Sammy Watkins deal deprived them of their second-round pick, as well, giving the Rams zero top-50 selections.
That doesn’t seem to worry Sean McVay. He and Les Snead weren’t afforded the chance to make a first-round pick in 2017, and they’re both OK with waiting again this year. Cooks was too good of a talent to pass up, and likely better than any prospect they would have selected at No. 23.
“I think we feel pretty good about being able to make some of the moves we’ve made,” McVay said this week. “You still do have a long-term vision and there’s guys on our roster that you want to make sure you’re taking care of for years down the road. I think those are things we’ve got in place and we’ve got some plans where we’re in the process of figuring that out. What it does do is it creates a level of urgency. When 87 does come around, then we’ve got a few picks in the fourth round, we’ve gotta do a great job of maximizing those opportunities.”
McVay looks to last year’s haul as an example of the sort of talent the Rams can acquire sans a first- or second-round pick. They got major contributions out of Cooper Kupp, John Johnson and even help from Gerald Everett, so McVay is confident this year’s class will bring the same sort of production.
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
“You look at some of the players we were able to acquire in the third round and on. Getting two quality starters in Cooper Kupp and John Johnson. You get a guy in Josh Reynolds that steps up and Samson Ebukam is a guy that’s exciting. Last year demonstrates that no matter when you pick, there are going to be good players available.”
Los Angeles will most likely spend its top pick on a defensive prospect, probably at inside or outside linebacker. Those remain the biggest holes on the roster, lacking both elite talent and depth further down the chart.