When it comes to the Los Angeles Rams’ approach to improving their roster, there aren’t any pressing needs they must address in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, that hasn’t stopped speculation that the team will walk away with one of the top two tight ends in this year’s rookie class—Penn State’s Tyler Warren or Michigan’s Colston Loveland.
For Rams fans, the expectation of landing one of these tight ends has less to do with a specific team need and more to do with the pattern established over the past two drafts. In 2023, the Rams made aggressive attempts to trade up for tight end Dalton Kincaid, and in 2024, they tried unsuccessfully to move up for Brock Bowers. Since neither attempt panned out, fans assume the team will follow a similar strategy this year.
With two highly regarded tight end prospects drawing attention from analysts, it seems reasonable to expect the Rams to secure at least one of them. However, when a draft class is deep at a certain position, it often increases competition among teams, making it harder to land top talent. We saw this in the 2024 NFL Draft when the first 14 picks were all offensive players, which ultimately allowed Florida State linebacker Jared Verse to fall to the Rams at No. 19—an outcome that worked in their favor, as Verse went on to win Defensive Rookie of the Year.
But according to ESPN’s latest mock draft by Mike Tannenbaum, things may not go as expected for the Rams. After the first wave of free agency, Tannenbaum predicts that both Warren and Loveland will be off the board well before the Rams make their 26th overall pick. Even early Rams targets like offensive tackle Josh Simmons and wide receiver Matthew Golden are projected to be selected ahead of them.
So who does Tannenbaum have the Rams selecting? Surprisingly, he projects them taking Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart at No. 26. On one hand, this aligns with the team’s stated goal of planning for the post-Matthew Stafford era. On the other, it raises questions about whether this pick is a logical choice or simply a bold, attention-grabbing prediction. Let’s explore how likely this scenario truly is.