The Los Angeles Rams traded out of Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft, and there are ways they could regret it
The Atlanta Falcons made a bold trade with the Los Angeles Rams when they sent a second rounder this year and next year’s first rounder to L.A. to move up to pick 26, and though the trade looks bright for Les Snead, there are a few possible paths that would make this Rams’ move look not as good in the future as it did coming out of Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.
#Falcons trade 46, 242 and a first-rounder in 2026 for #Rams‘ picks at 26 and 101.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 25, 2025
James Pearce Jr. ends up being one of the best defensive players in the NFL
I don’t know much about Pearce, and even if I did, there is no way of knowing how his career will play out in the NFL, so we’ll have to see. All that said, there is a chance that Pearce ends up being a great player, and the quality of player where any time he makes a play (especially against the Rams) the talking heads discuss the fact the Rams could’ve had him, instead he went to ATL, and the rest will be history. For better or worse.
James Pearce Jr. crushes the Rams in a playoff game
Can you imagine all the narratives that will be at stake if the Rams play the Falcons in a playoff game this season or any season to come as long as Pearce is on ATL’s roster? If Pearce has a dominant performance against the Rams, then one could argue that Atlanta ended up with the edge over the Rams in the trade.
The Rams two first round picks don’t amount to much
Admittedly, I don’t think this is likely, BUT that doesn’t mean it can’t happen, and if the Rams end up with two late first round picks next year, and if they are unable to leverage either pick into a successful player, then what good were the picks? What good was the trade?
To quote No Country for Old Men, “If the rule you followed brought you to this, then what use was the rule?”
The 2026 QB Class is so STACKED that teams are already working to acquire as much capital as possible to land one of the generational talents.
• Arch Manning (Texas)
• LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina)
• Cade Klubnik (Clemson)
• Drew Allar (Penn State)
• Garrett Nussmeier… pic.twitter.com/kQDAYsSkUx— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) April 25, 2025
Another player L.A. could’ve had, booms
People still talk/write about L.A. taking Tutu Atwell over Creed Humphrey. This is not identical, as the Rams made this move for another first round pick, at the same time, the Rams could’ve taken a player to help them now. They didn’t (though we’ll see what they do with their new second round pick), so fans and the franchise will have to wait and see how this plays out. Will there be any seller’s remorse if a later first rounder blossoms when they could’ve flourished with the Rams?
DAY TWO! LOCK IN! pic.twitter.com/XyWRW7ceTa
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 25, 2025
Time will tell
I don’t dislike this trade, and we only know what we know, so be giddy! Jump for joy! Enjoy it! And accept that we won’t see the full impact of this trade for years to come, and there is no guarantee that L.A. won this trade, even if it looks good today.
