Rams' 20 best draft picks since 2000

[theramswire.usatoday.com] Rams' 20 best draft picks since 2000


Cameron DaSilva
April 19, 2022 11:55 am PT

Before you know it, the Los Angeles Rams will be on the clock in the 2022 NFL draft, seeking the next great player to add to their roster. Since Les Snead came aboard as general manager in 2012, the Rams have landed quite a few premier talents over the years, from Aaron Donald to Todd Gurley to Cooper Kupp.

There were some misses along the way, of course, but this isn’t a time to harp on the busts. Instead, we’re looking at the top 20 draft picks by the Rams since 2000, with the criteria being production, draft position and longevity.

1
Aaron Donald (2014) – Round 1, Pick 13
Not only is Donald the Rams’ best pick of the 2000s, but he’s one of their all-time best draft selections. Already a lock to make the Hall of Fame when first eligible, Donald is trying to bolster his resume to the point where he’s considered the greatest defensive tackle in NFL history. And honestly, if he keeps dominating the way he has in his first eight seasons, that title is well within reach.

2
Steven Jackson (2004) – Round 1, Pick 24
Jackson was a staple of the Rams offense for almost a decade, rushing for more than 1,000 yards in eight straight years from 2005-2012. He finished his career in St. Louis with 10,138 rushing yards and 56 touchdowns, ranking first in franchise history in yards on the ground. Yes, even more than Marshall Faulk and Eric Dickerson. Jackson was a high-volume, high-production player for the Rams.


3
Robert Quinn (2011) – Round 1, Pick 14
Quinn was the leader of the Rams pass rush before Donald arrived, recording at least 10 sacks in three consecutive years, including the 2013 season when he had 19 sacks, a league-high 23 tackles for a loss and earned his only first-team All-Pro selection. He’s continued to play well since getting shipped out of Los Angeles, making the Pro Bowl this past season with the Bears.

4
Cooper Kupp (2017) – Round 3, Pick 69
Even as a third-round pick, there was a lot of hype about Kupp when he was drafted in 2017. He was productive right away as a rookie, but he ascended to superstar status in 2021 with 145 receptions, 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns, leading the NFL in all three categories. He was the Offensive Player of the Year, an All-Pro and Super Bowl MVP, too. If he retired today, he’d still be one of the better picks of the last two decades for the Rams.


5
Jared Goff (2016) – Round 1, Pick 1
Say what you want about Goff, but he was actually an above-average quarterback in 2018 – and was a Pro Bowler in 2017. In 2018, his second year with McVay, Goff threw for 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns and only had 12 interceptions. He was an MVP candidate prior to the final few weeks of the season, throwing 26 touchdown passes and just six picks in his first 11 games. Things may not have panned out with Goff being the franchise quarterback for a decade, but he helped get them to the Super Bowl and made the Pro Bowl twice. He just regressed too much and too soon for the Rams to continue.

6
Rodger Saffold (2010) – Round 2, Pick 33
Saffold battled injuries and a lack of position stability early in his career but in his two years with Sean McVay as his head coach, he thrived at left guard and was even a second-team All-Pro in 2017. It’s unfortunate his time in Los Angeles didn’t last longer, with Saffold leaving in 2019, but he was a big part of the Rams’ resurgence in 2017 and 2018.

7
Todd Gurley (2015) – Round 1, Pick 10
If not for knee trouble, Gurley might still be a 1,000-yard rusher. He led the NFL in total touchdowns in 2017 and 2018, being selected as a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro both years. He fell off a bit in 2019 when the Rams were forced to manage his knee injury, but Gurley was as important as anyone on the team in 2017 and 2018. The offense flowed through him and even if he only lasted five years with the Rams, he was a good pick at No. 10 overall.

8
Michael Brockers (2012) – Round 1, Pick 14
Brockers spent the first nine years of his career with the Rams before getting traded to the Lions last offseason. He was good for a few sacks per year and stout play against the run each week, even moving from defensive tackle to end when the Rams switched to a 3-4 scheme in 2017. He was a leader in the locker room and an important part of the defensive front, even if he didn’t offer a ton as a pass rusher.


9
Janoris Jenkins (2012) – Round 2, Pick 39
Jenkins was a fun player to watch at cornerback if you liked big plays because he was either going to make one or allow one just about every week. In four years with the Rams, he had 10 interceptions, five of which were returned for touchdowns. In his rookie year alone, he scored four defensive touchdowns and had four picks. As a second-round pick, he was a great find for Les Snead, who was a rookie GM at the time.


10
James Laurinaitis (2009) – Round 2, Pick 35
Laurinaitis could be counted on to suit up each and every week during his time with the Rams, never missing a single game in seven years. He led the NFL with 117 solo tackles in 2012 and had at least 100 total tackles in all seven seasons in St. Louis. His best year was in 2011 when he had 142 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions and 11 tackles for a loss.


11
Chris Long (2008) – Round 1, Pick 2
After not making the playoffs once in eight years with the Rams, Long went on to win two Super Bowls: one with the Patriots and another with the Eagles. In 2011 and 2012, he had 24.5 total sacks and 40 QB hits, the best two-year stretch of his career. Injuries limited him late in his Rams career but he was still productive as a former No. 2 overall pick.


12
Rob Havenstein (2015) – Round 2, Pick 57
Havenstein isn’t a player who gets a ton of praise or recognition but ever since 2017, he’s been one of the best right tackles in football – with the exception of the 2019 season when just about everyone on the Rams’ offensive line struggled. A former second-round pick, Havenstein has been a reliable pass protector, but he’s also a powerful run blocker, which is critical with the Rams’ outside zone scheme.

13
Pisa Tinoisamoa (2003) – Round 2, Pick 43
Tinoisamoa led the Rams in tackles in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2008, manning the middle of the defense. He finished his time in St. Louis with seven interceptions and 26 passes defensed, too, showing he could make plays against the pass. The Rams defense was never great while he was in St. Louis but that can’t wholly be blamed on Tinoisamoa.


14
O.J. Atogwe (2005) – Round 3, Pick 66
Atogwe was a ball hawk in his six years with the Rams, intercepting 22 passes and breaking up 42 of them in 88 games. A true free safety, he was a valuable player to have in the deep part of the field. In 2007, he had eight interceptions for 125 yards and one touchdown, making 75 total tackles to rank second on the team.


15
Trumaine Johnson (2012) – Round 3, Pick 65
Don’t remember Johnson for his steep decline after leaving the Rams in 2018. Remember him for the value he provided in the secondary as a former third-round pick. He was obviously good enough to warrant the franchise tag twice, and then proceeded to land a $72.5 million contract from the Jets in 2018. That obviously didn’t work out for New York as he played just 17 games, but he exceeded expectations when considering where he was drafted.

16
Greg Zuerlein (2012) – Round 6, Pick 171
Zuerlein’s peak season was in 2017, and it sure was a good one. He made 38 of 40 field goal attempts and 44 of his 46 PATs, earning first-team All-Pro honors and making his first Pro Bowl. Though he wasn’t as reliable in 2018, he did deliver two of the biggest kicks in franchise history: one to tie the NFC title game (48 yards) and one to win it in overtime (57 yards). Without him, the Rams may not have made the Super Bowl that year.

17
Tyler Higbee (2016) – Round 4, Pick 110
Higbee has played at least 15 games in each of his six seasons and has totaled 2,487 yards in his Rams career. He’s increased his touchdown totals as time has gone on, too, topping out at five in each of the last two years. The numbers don’t show how good he is as a blocker, too, which is an underrated part of his game.


18
John Johnson (2017) – Round 3, Pick 91
It might seem like recency bias to put Johnson on this list, since he only played three and a half seasons with the Rams, but he was a stud as a third-round pick. A leader in the secondary and the defensive signal caller, Johnson was not only a playmaker, but also a leader. He had 100-plus tackles twice and also picked off eight passes in only 54 games – not including his pivotal pick in the NFC championship game against the Saints.

19
Jordan Fuller (2020) – Round 6, Pick 199
Fuller is the most recent pick on this list but he deserves some recognition. He was a sixth-round pick, was a Week 1 starter as a rookie and in just his second season, he was given the role as the defensive signal caller. Oh, and he was voted a captain in Year 2. Fuller could break the trend of the Rams not re-signing their own defensive backs because he’s become an important part of the defense after just two seasons in the NFL.

20
Brian Young (2000) – Round 5, Pick 139
Young was drafted by the Rams in the fifth round and though he didn’t start as a rookie, he started all 16 games in 2001. That year, he set a career-high with 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for a loss, also picking off one pass and forcing a fumble. He left the Rams after four seasons and went on to play five years with the Saints, but he left his mark in St. Louis as a former fifth-rounder.