Trade! This Mock Draft Features Interesting Twist for Rams

Los Angeles Rams pick up Florida State cornerback, additional pick in mock draft featuring team beat writers.

Jan 30, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; Damien Martinez runs by National team defensive back Azareye'h Thomas of Florida State (8) during Senior Bowl practice for the National team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Assuming they don’t want Jaxson Dart, Les Snead and Sean McVay need picks. The Bills need an edge-rusher. So, when NFL beat writers from The Athletic got together to complete their annual mock draft, they proposed a trade.

In order to move back four spots from 26 to 30 in the first round and take a cornerback they probably could get at 26, the Rams picked up an additional pick from Buffalo, No. 109 in the fourth round. Joe Buscaglia and Jourdan Rodrigue detailed the mock trade on Wednesday.

With the Rams’ selection at 26, the Bills would take Donovan Ezeiruaku from Boston College, Buscaglia said. And at No. 30, the Rams took Florida State’s Azareye’h Thomas. Rodrigue envisioned more than one team – Detroit and Snead’s former director of scouting Brad Holmes -- on the phone with Snead when he was on the clock at 26.

“The Lions and Bills both called the Rams inquiring about a possible trade,” Rodrigue wrote. “Detroit attempted to convince the Rams to send back one too many extra picks by using the powerful bond of friendship as a negotiation tactic, but Snead wasn’t biting and kept his beloved fourth-rounder this year, his fourth-rounder in 2026, plus got pick No. 109 in a sweet deal with Buffalo and only had to move back four spots.”

Moving back four spots in that trade would give the Rams nine total selections. The Rams, who join the Vikings and Steelers as the only three teams without a second-round selection, still need to wait an eternity until their next choice, No. 90 in the third round. Los Angeles also has No. 101 at the end of the third round, a special compensatory selection for Raheem Morris.

To begin Day 3, after the Buscaglia-Rodrigue trade, the Rams would be busy. In addition to their own fourth-rounder (No. 127), they’d also have No. 109 from the Bills – who acquired that choice from Chicago on draft weekend last year. The Bears sent it Buffalo in order to slide into the fifth round of the 2024 draft and take defensive end Austin Booker.

Snead and McVay are currently scheduled to close their draft with four choices in the sixth round. And adding Thomas at the start could give Chris Shula a versatile defender. The Los Angeles secondary already has budding stars in Kamren Kinchens and Quentin Lake.

Thomas is a long corner at 6-1½ and 197-pounds with 32½-inch arms. Rodrigue said he’d provide Shula good range and the size they need to pair with Darious Williams and complement Ahkello Witherspoon, who re-signed with Los Angeles on Wednesday.

“Cobie Durant could move into the slot full-time with the selection of Thomas, who adds youth and talent to the DB room to match much of the rest of the defense,” Rodrigue concluded.

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