The Los Angeles Rams will have to wait a long time on draft night before their No. 26 pick.
While this isn't a bad thing given how close the Rams were to competing for an NFC championship, it also means they may miss out on some blue chip talent that could help their 2025 Super Bowl campaign immediately or build a better long term future.
However, the Rams would have to make some bold trades to move up the first-round board and snag a coveted asset. General manager Les Snead is no stranger to trades, but he hasn't pulled the trigger on a first-round trade-up in awhile. The Rams reportedly tried to trade into the top-10 in 2024 but were unsuccessful.
If Snead wants to push the chips all the way in for 2025, moving up for one of these prospects might be the best way to do it.
Here are six players the Rams should trade up for in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Texas CB Jahdae Barron
The Rams need a cornerback and Barron could rival Will Johnson as the second-best at that position in this class after WR/CB Travis Hunter. Barron is productive, experienced, and would slot immediately into a starting role in Chris Shula's defense.
Penn State TE Tyler Warren
The Rams were reportedly interested in Brock Bowers in 2024 before the Las Vegas Raiders drafted him with the No. 13 pick, so it stands to reason they’d move up for Warren if he started to slip. Warren would add to the Rams' already-loaded pass-catcher core as a do-it-all player and would inherit Tyler Higbee's future role, too. We can loop in Michigan’s Colston Loveland into this scenario, too, if Warrren does super early and Loveland falls.
Alabama LB Jihaad Campbell
It would be very out of character not only for the Rams to draft a linebacker in the first round but to trade up for one, but Campbell might be worth it. He looks the part of immediate NFL starting inside linebacker and would add another level of punch to the Rams' young and stout defensive front.
Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders
The Rams are a sleeper team that could draft a quarterback early, and moving up Sanders if he falls a little down the board would be a bold move. While it’s unlikely Snead would move into the top 10, he could try and grab Sanders if he started to slip into the middle of the first. This would be a long-term bet on Sanders’ pro-ready skillset, but allow him time to learn under Matthew Stafford for at least one season. The
