While the Los Angeles Rams have the 13th pick in the draft, they could be aggressive and trade up.<\/p>\n
Under general manager Les Snead<\/a>, the Rams have done a great job drafting, but if they want specific players, they may need to trade up. The Rams have the 13th overall pick and have identified USC wide receiver Makai Lemon<\/a> as a player they want to draft. The No. 1 wide receiver on the draft board was one of the best pass catchers in college last season, but he may not be available when the Rams select at 13.<\/p>\n The Miami Dolphins have started a rebuild, hiring Jeff Hafley and signing quarterback Malik Willis<\/a>. They also released Tyreek Hill and traded Jaylen Waddle during the offseason.<\/p>\n Currently, Miami has few weapons on the outside, and Lemon would be a great young receiver for the start of their rebuild. Picking at No. 11, the Dolphins have two likely options – select Lemon or an offensive lineman to protect Willis.<\/p>\n If the Rams want Lemon, they have to trade up to select him. Several mock drafts have the Dolphins selecting Lemon. Snead has only traded up in the first round once, when he acquired the No. 1 overall pick in 2016 and drafted Jared Goff.<\/p>\n The construction of the roster brings a sense of urgency that the Rams must heed. However, the Rams have made notable contributions to the team, adding cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson<\/a> during the offseason. The Rams have been more aggressive this offseason than usual, something they haven\u2019t done since 2021. The Rams aren\u2019t drafting to fill a hole but rather to strengthen the team.<\/p>\n “Our macro philosophy is, if we can use free agency to not be desperate in the draft, we more than likely will be better drafters,” Snead said<\/a>, “because we’re not reaching, we’re not desperate. We’re not going in there with a major void major hole that has to be filled.”<\/p>\n Snead has done a good job trading up in the draft. 2024 was the last time the Rams traded up, moving from the 52nd to the 39th pick to select Braden Fiske<\/a>. Most of the players Snead has traded up for have been quality players in the league, like Cam Akers, Taylor Rapp, and Steve Avila.<\/p>\n The shift in offseason behavior is a signal that a trade could be possible. Some analysts suggest that the Rams should trade up.<\/p>\nThe Dilemma<\/h3>\n
Snead’s Success<\/h3>\n
Is Trading Up Necessary?<\/h3>\n