Reactions to Rams’ day two draft haul

TE Terrance Ferguson and EDGE Josaiah Stewart are headed to Los Angeles

Day two of the 2025 NFL Draft is in the books. Coming into the weekend, the Los Angeles Rams did not have a second round pick as a result of last year’s aggressive trade up for Braden Fiske. They remedied that by trading down with the Atlanta Falcons from 26th overall and gained a 2026 first rounder in the process.

The Rams made two selections on Friday evening. They picked Oregon TE Terrance Ferguson in the second round at #46 and then selected Michigan EDGE Josaiah Stewart at #90 in the third round.

Here are instant reactions from myself as well as from fans and experts on social media:

2nd round – Terrance Ferguson, TE; Oregon

My Thoughts: It’s clear that Sean McVay and Les Snead were on the hunt for pass catchers. Rumors circulated during the first round that the team was considering moving up at multiple points with the intent of landing Tetairoa McMillan and Emeka Egbuka. The Rams will be happy that their patience paid off, especially considering that Ferguson has the potential to start long-term at TE and by the fact they now have two first round picks in 2026.

How does Ferguson fit with the Rams? Truly, he might not play much in 2025 unless (1) they buck the trend of playing younger players over proven veterans, (2) McVay deploys a heavier dose of 12 personnel, or (3) Tyler Higbee misses extended time due to injury. On a more short-term basis, Ferguson could realistically help fix LA’s woes in the end zone and his 6-5, 256 lbs. frame makes for an ideal end zone target. The former Oregon Duck excels after the catch point and has some of the best long speed at the position in this draft class.

3rd round – Josaiah Stewart, EDGE; Michigan

My Thoughts: You aren’t going to draft a total package at EDGE in the third round unless they are coming from a small school, and that certainly isn’t the case for a player from Michigan. There will always be trade-offs for mid-round pass rushers. Stewart is no exception. His film and production is excellent. He’s a standout from a football perspective; however, the reason he wasn’t mentioned amongst the top EDGE rushers in this draft is because of his physical profile. Stewart is a size outlier at 6-1, 249 lbs. Despite his smaller frame, he ran a disappointing time in the 40-yard dash at 4.70.

Interestingly enough, this is effectively the opposite bet the Rams made with Byron Young in the third round two years ago when he was coming out of Tennessee. At the time Young was considered a relatively green player with the athletic profile and build that you can bet on to develop. The Rams threw him into the fire as a rookie on a young defense and allowed him to get reps under his belt.

Can Stewart continue his on-field production in the NFL despite a limited physical profile?