The lone spot on the Los Angeles Rams defense that is not like the other areas is the state of the inside linebacker position. While the Rams have competent starters everywhere else on the defense, the inside linebacker position does not fit that category.
Whether or not the Rams value the inside linebacker position enough to aim at the spot in Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft is another matter altogether. But if the team does want to get significantly better in 2025, then the latest draft day trade proposed by Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame will do exactly that.
Well, almost.
Not all Rams fans will be pleased with his proposed trade. In a draft that sets the stage for multiple teams seeking to trade back, Verderame's proposed trade requires the Rams to ship four picks to the Minnesota VIkings to move up two spots. I struggle to see it. In a draft that is touted by depth and a strong middle of the draft plateau of NFL talent, I don't think that the Rams consider Round 6 draft picks like pennies to be tossed into the mix willy-nilly.
In any case, here is Verderame's proposed trade:
Los Angeles Rams
Minnesota VikingsThe justification is a presumption that all NFL teams subscribe to the Rich Hill draft value chart. The modified value chart tends to compress the value of picks into a more manageable economy than the alternative value chart. But as we emphasized in the 2024 NFL Draft, the picks are not the important factor. The true value of picks is the player that is ultimately selected.
For the Los Angeles Rams, the only reason to trade up is the belief that some other team will trade into Pick 24 and 25 to steal the uniquely talented player chosen, in this case Alabama ILB Jihaad Campbell. But the next player chosen is North Dakota State IOL Grey Zabel. And the 26th player selected is Florida State CB Azareye'h Thomas.
So the mock draft itself shows no reason to trade up to claim Campbell when he would fall to the Rams at the 26th overall pick in the first place.
Perhaps the other hiccup in this proposed trade-up is the fact that the Rams are unlikely to prioritize a linebacker over cornerbacks like Maxwell Hairston or Aaareye'h Thomas. The Rams view OT, QB, CB, Edge, and WR as the optimal value positions to target in Round 1. While the team could make an exception for an epically talented player at another position, Jihaad Campbell does not satisfy that requirement. In the 2025 NFL Draft tracker, Campbell is projected outside of the Top 30 rookie prospects in this draft.
Rams GM Les Snead won't trade up for a guy who will almost certainly be there.
A bold trade? Yes. A foolish trade? Yes to that as well. The Rams are most effective in Rounds 5 and 6, when their exhausting investment of personnel hours researching rookie prospects truly pays off. There is no way the team will ship three picks in Round 6 for an inside linebacker. The front office view each Day 3 pick as holding the chance to land a starter.
And for their recent history, they're right.
As always, thanks for reading.
