The 2024 NFL Draft class is over with, and content now stems around reacting to the team's draft classes and the process behind them. The Los Angeles Rams drafted 10 players in the 2024 class, one of the largest classes of the draft.
While the Rams have generally received high praise for their 2024 draft class, one prominent analyst strongly disagreed with that notion. In fact, he took it so far as to say the Rams were the biggest losers of the draft, mainly stemming from their expensive move up to select Florida State defensive tackle Braden Fiske.
That analyst, ESPN's Seth Walder, made an appearance on the “This is Football” podcast hosted by Kevin Clark. Walder labeled the Rams as a loser of the draft. Here's what he had to say:
"I’m going to say the Rams. I was really critical of that trade that they made [for Braden Fiske] They traded 52, 155 and a future [2nd round pick] for 39. You’re giving up a future second round pick, and then some, in order just to move within the second round. I don’t think we need to do any math to agree that that doesn’t make a lot of sense. And that is taking a shiny object right in front of you because you can’t wait until next year. That is really costly. Just to put in context, that was the most expensive, the highest overpay in day two in the last six years, at least that’s as far back as I as I have logged. That’s a really bad deal."
The Rams have received a fair amount of criticism for the Fiske selection, with most opinions usually agreeing with Walder that the Rams were fleeced in said trade.
It might not be fair to criticize a trade until we see the player play, but you can criticize the process that arrives to the trade. Many believe the Rams panicked into the move when three defensive tackles went to start the second round.
