With the 2020 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, and those picks helping teams in the middle of the playoffs, this is as good a time as ever to discuss the best draft picks for each team in the NFL. One team that's had an expansive amount of home run draft picks is the Los Angeles Rams. Let's delve into Rams history.
Of course, similar to most teams, the Rams have had more misses than hits in the draft over the years. However, when you take a further look at their all-time draft picks, they've had quite the assortment of talented players.
With all of the players that had success after being drafted by Los Angeles, it was tough to minimize it to five players. Without further ado, here are the best draft picks in the Rams history.
Steven Jackson
Fans of the Rams have been spoiled at the running back position over the years. Altogether, over the past 40 years, Los Angeles has had Eric Dickerson, Jerome Bettis, and Marshall Faulk.
Of those guys though, only Faulk spent more than five seasons with the team. At the same time, Faulk wasn't drafted by the Rams, he was actually taken by the Indianapolis Colts in 1994.
But one running back that is under-appreciated by most people (aside from Rams fans) is Steven Jackson. Jackson was the No. 24 pick by the Rams in the 2004 NFL Draft out of Oregon State.
While playing in the playoffs just once in his career with the Rams, Jackson is the all-time leading rusher in Rams history. With 10,138 yards to his name, while playing on bad teams, Jackson will forever be remembered for his time with the Rams.
Kevin Greene
Besides the running back position, the Rams have had plenty of dominant edge rushers to play for them over the years. In the 1960s and 1970s, Los Angeles had guys like Deacon Jones, Jack Youngblood, and Merlin Olsen striking fear in the opposing quarterback.
However, it's hard to gauge how those guys fared since they didn't record sacks or tackles in their careers. While all of those guys are worthy of being considered, Kevin Greene was the model of consistency for the Rams.
In the fifth round of the 1985 NFL Draft, Los Angeles selected Greene. Despite being a late-round pick, Greene notched 72.5 sacks in his eight years with the Rams (second all-time in team history). That includes a three-year span from 1988-1990 where he tallied 13 or more sacks each season.
Torry Holt
It goes without saying that the Rams boasted one of the best offenses in NFL history when they had the “Greatest Show on Turf”. While Kurt Warner manned the quarterback position, he had plenty of weapons to throw the ball to.
Among those weapons, Torry Holt became one of the best wide receivers in the league. To make the offense unstoppable, the Rams selected Holt with the No. 6 pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.
In his rookie season, Holt would help the Rams secure their first Super Bowl victory in team history. When Holt called it a career in 2009, he finished with 869 receptions, 12,660 receiving yards, and 74 touchdowns with the Rams. All of those were good enough for second all-time in team history.
Orlando Pace
Before Warner joined the Rams, they already found his blindside protector in the year prior. Back in the 1997 NFL Draft, the Rams decided to take Orlando Pace with the No. 1 pick. It's safe to say that he was well worth the first overall pick in the draft.
Over his 12 seasons with the Rams, Pace was durable, starting in 16 games in seven of them. In addition, the No. 1 pick was able to make the Pro Bowl seven times and received three All-Pro nods.
Above all, Pace was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016. When people speak about the most dominant left tackles in NFL history, Pace should be someone that is mentioned.
Isaac Bruce
Again, Holt was one of the best wide receivers to play for the Rams in their 84 years of existence. However, the best wide receiver to put on a Rams uniform was Isaac Bruce.
Surprisingly enough, Bruce was a second-round pick in the 1994 NFL Draft out of Memphis. The Memphis product would become one of the best wide receivers in NFL history during his time with the Rams.
Over the course of his 14 seasons with the Rams, Bruce hauled in a total of 942 receptions, 14,109 yards, and 84 touchdowns. Bruce holds nearly every receiving record for the Rams, with Holt behind him. Finally, after waiting for over 10 years, Bruce was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
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