All 32 teams began the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft with their original picks, but the Los Angeles Rams were the only team to finish the night without selecting a player. After trading away the No. 26 pick, head coach Sean McVay’s post-draft remarks fueled speculation among fans that the team is already looking ahead to 2026 — possibly with Texas quarterback Arch Manning in mind.
Although the Rams didn’t make a first-round selection, McVay and general manager Les Snead addressed the media afterward. During the brief press conference, a reporter mentioned the Rams’ two first-round picks in 2026 — a stark contrast to their drought from 2017 to 2023 — but before the question was even finished, McVay interjected with a playful “for now,” hinting at another potential trade.
Even though it was clearly a joke, McVay’s comment stirred fan theories, especially after reports surfaced that the Rams had been targeting Jaxson Dart at No. 26 before the Giants selected him one spot earlier. With 37-year-old Matthew Stafford nearing the end of his contract, hopeful fans are now speculating that Los Angeles is setting up to land Arch Manning in the future.
Fan reactions ranged from lighthearted to bold predictions:
- “Yeah, we’re trading for Arch.”
- “Meaning??” in response to McVay’s cryptic quote.
- “Arch Manning, welcome to LA.”
Some fans even took the fantasy further, suggesting the Rams might try to use their future picks to trade for Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow — though that scenario would require a lot of luck.
Looking ahead, the Rams will start Day Two of the draft with two selections: No. 46 in the second round and No. 90 in the third. McVay expressed confidence in finding strong additions in the later rounds, despite missing out on the first. In their deal with the Falcons, Los Angeles acquired picks No. 46 and No. 242 in this draft, along with Atlanta’s 2026 first-rounder. In return, they sent away pick No. 26 and their 2025 third-rounder, which Atlanta used to draft James Pearce Jr. The Rams still have six more selections on Day Three, including a seventh-round pick from Atlanta.