Rams' Unconventional Draft Strategy: Stars or Stockpile?

0:00On March 5, since Sean McVeigh took over his head coach for the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, the team has drafted just one player in the first round. That's Jared Verse selected 19th overall in 2024, who went on to win defensive rookie of the year. Everyone else in the NFL has used at least six first round picks in that span, making the Rams a total outlier. Instead of drafting rookies, they've traded those high picks for established stars. Early moves included packaging picks to grab quarterback Jared Goff at number one in 2016, then flipping the 2017 first rounder. For wide receiver Brandon Cooks in 2018, those traits paid off big time, especially with quarterback Jalen Ramsey in 2019 and quarterback Matthew Stafford in early 20, 21. Stafford led them to a Super Bowl win that same year, and even earned MVP honors in 2025. More recently, they've traded out of the first round twice in 2019, and again at number 26 in 2025, picking up extra. Future picks. Last year they dealt the

1:062026 first rounder, number 29, plus more to land quarterback Trent McDuffy from the Chiefs while, holding onto another top pick. This win-now approach has built contenders, but leaves them light on young homegrown talent, so fans wonder if they'll finally stop pile draft capital, or keep chasing rings, or keep chasing rings, or keep chasing rings,