It’s been a long time, but the Rams have actually picked in the first round before. The last selection they made in Round 1 was Jared Goff, who they traded up for and drafted No. 1 overall in 2016. Since then, they’ve never picked earlier than 44th overall.
Dating back to 1990, the Rams have had their share of hits and misses in the first round. Aaron Donald and Todd Gurley were two great picks by the Rams, while Greg Robinson and Lawrence Phillips come to mind as draft busts.
We ranked the team’s nine worst first-round picks since 1990, though some of these selections were much worse than others.
9
2013: WR Tavon Austin, 8th overall
Even with the lengthy career Austin has had, he wasn’t worth the eighth overall pick in 2013. That’s what landed him on this list. He had at least 300 yards from scrimmage in each of his five years with the Rams and was a dynamic punt returner with three touchdown returns in his first three seasons, but he didn’t turn into the electric offensive weapon he was supposed to become.
He never had more than 500 yards receiving but he did have an impact as a ball carrier, too.
8
2002: LB Robert Thomas, 31st overall
Thomas didn’t get to play out his rookie contract with the Rams, getting traded to the Packers before the 2005 season. In three seasons with St. Louis, he made 30 starts, had 164 tackles and two sacks, so he was at least a contributor on defense.
Being the 31st overall pick lessens the pain of Thomas not panning out completely, but teams still expect more out of their first-round picks.
7
2007: DE Adam Carriker, 13th overall
Carriker was decent as a rookie, starting all 16 games. However, he only had two sacks and 32 tackles. He only started nine of the 15 games he played in 2008 and in 2009, he suffered a preseason shoulder injury that sidelined him for the entire season. The Rams traded him to Washington in 2010 where he played three seasons and made 33 starts, but injuries ended his career prematurely.
He shouldn’t be considered a draft bust, but he didn’t help the Rams much after being drafted 13th overall.
6
2000: RB Trung Canidate, 31st overall
Canidate was another player traded by the Rams before playing out his rookie contract. He was oddly drafted in the first round despite Marshall Faulk still being the lead back, and as a result, his role was limited for his three seasons in St. Louis. He started three games, had just 495 yards rushing in three seasons and only scored six touchdowns.
5
2003: DT Jimmy Kennedy, 12th overall
Kennedy lasted longer in the NFL than most players on this list, playing nine seasons, making 31 starts and appearing in 92 total games. Still, he was hardly impactful. He didn’t have a sack in either of his first two seasons and didn’t become a full-time starter until Year 4 with the Rams.
4
2014: OT Greg Robinson, 2nd overall
As big of a bust as Robinson was, he somehow made at least six starts in every season from 2014-2019. He struggled every step of the way and wasn’t the stud left tackle the Rams thought they were getting with the second overall pick in 2014 – the same draft Aaron Donald was in – lasting only three seasons with the franchise.
While with the Rams, he never had a PFF grade better than 61.3, which is wildly disappointing for the No. 2 overall pick.
3
2006: CB Tye Hill, 15th overall
Hill started 10 games as a rookie and picked off three passes, but it was all downhill after that. He made just seven starts in his second season and four the next year, eventually falling out of favor in St. Louis. Before the 2009 season, Hill was traded to the Falcons for a seventh-rounder. He played his last game in 2010 with the Lions, finishing his career with only 25 starts.
2
2009: OT Jason Smith, 2nd overall
In the same draft the Rams selected James Laurinaitis, they also took Smith second overall. It turned out to be a huge miss. He lasted just three seasons with the Rams before being traded to the Jets in 2012, making zero starts with New York that year. He never played another regular-season snap in his career after the 2012 season.
Smith missed time with a concussion in 2009 and lost his job at left tackle to Rodger Saffold, finishing his Rams tenure with just six games in 2011.
1
1996: RB Lawrence Phillips, 6th overall
Phillips didn’t pan out the way the Rams hoped – and the way many thought he would in the NFL. He lasted just a season and a half in St. Louis before being cut in Year 2 due to not only poor play, but also character issues. In 25 games (20 starts) with the Rams, Phillips gained 1,265 yards rushing and scored 12 touchdowns, but he averaged only 3.4 yards per carry.
He was picked up by the Dolphins after his Rams release and played one season with the 49ers in 1999, but that would be his last stint in the NFL.
