The Los Angeles Rams made a big trade in the 2025 NFL Draft, forgoing their only first-round pick and trading it to the Atlanta Falcons. The Rams packaged two 2025 picks in exchange for three picks from the Falcons.
Now that the big pieces of that trade are in place, it’s time to take a closer look and reevaluate the move
Original terms of the Rams’ 2025 NFL Draft trade
Rams receive: 2025 second-round pick (46 overall), 2025 seventh-round pick (242 overall), and 2026 first-round pick Falcons receive: 2025 first-round pick (26 overall) and 2025 third-round
pick (101 overall)
What did the Rams do with the picks from their 2025 NFL Draft trade?
In 2025, the Rams used their newly acquired second-round pick to select Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson. He played in 14 games catching three touchdown passes as a reserve.
The 242nd pick was initially the Rams, but they had traded it to Atlanta in 2023 in part of the Van Jefferson trade. It came back to L.A. in the 2025 deal, and the Rams selected WR Konata Mumpfield. He had 10 catches and a touchdown in 17 games.
With the 2026 first-round pick, slotted in at 13 overall, the Rams took their quarterback of the future in Ty Simpson.
Who did the Falcons select with the picks from the Rams’ 2025 NFL Draft trade?
The Falcons took their second pass rusher of the 2025 first round. After selecting Jalon Walker with their initial pick, Atlanta added James Pearce Jr with pick 26.
The 101st pick didn’t get used by the Falcons, though. They used it as part of a package to trade up to pick 96 and select Xavier Watts, the safety from Notre Dame. Watts started all 17 games for Atlanta, notching 96 tackles, 11 passes defended, five interceptions, and a fumble recovery. All in all, a great rookie season.
How was James Pearce’s performance for the Falcons?
James Pearce had a good season on the field for the Falcons, notching 10.5 sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery, and 16 QB hits in his rookie year. He played in all 17 games, starting three.
It was off the field after the season where Pearce had some very troubling behavior. He was arrested on very serious charges stemming from an incident where he is alleged to have rammed his vehicle into his ex-girlfriend’s car as she attempted to flee to the police station. He was eventually arrested after attempting to evade arrest. He is not with the team during their offseason program, but has not been disciplined by the team or league at this point.
Who won the 2025 NFL Draft trade between the Falcons and Rams?
Pearce’s off-the-field problems are going to swing this trade toward the Rams’ direction, but I still think the Falcons are ahead right now. If the Falcons had selected a different person, it could be even more lopsided to Atlanta.
Xavier Watts was a game-changing safety in 2025 and will continue to make a big impact moving forward. He’s been better than the combined impact of Terrance Ferguson and Konta Mumpfield, and with Ferguson still in a three-man rotation, who knows if he will get the opportunity to put up better numbers in 2026. The performance of Ty Simpson is even more important, but he’ll get a runway.
