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The Los Angeles Rams’ 5 Worst Draft Picks in the Last 10 Years
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- The Los Angeles Rams’ 5 Worst Draft Picks in the Last 10 Years
Drafting is an inexact science. Even the best of the best miss for any number of reasons—injuries, poor scheme fit, off-the-field issues, lack of development, and so on. With the 2026 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, things should be quiet on the personnel side until training camps open in July.
With that in mind, it seems like the perfect time to go back over the last 10 drafts to identify picks which didn't pan out for each of the 32 clubs. Before we begin, let's set the ground rules: We're starting with the 2016 draft, so no players from the 2026 draft are eligible.
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Now that we've established the parameters, here are the Los Angeles Rams ' five worst draft picks of the past decade:
Dishonorable Mentions
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CB David Long (79th Overall, 2019)
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OL Bobby Evans (97th Overall, 2019)
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LB Terrell Lewis (84th Overall, 2020)
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DL Logan Bruss (104th Overall, 2022)
5) TE Gerald Everett , 44th Overall (2017)
Many viewed the undersized Everett as a reach when the Rams plucked him off draft boards early in Round 2, and though he carved out an eight-year NFL career, his numbers never reached what you'd want from such a high draft choice. That the rival 49ers unearthed George Kittle later in the same draft rubbed a little extra salt in the wound.
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4) WR Van Jefferson , 57th Overall (2020)
Somewhere in this world, there's a fantasy owner still awaiting Jefferson's long-prophesied breakout campaign. In fairness, he was solid in 2021 when Robert Woods got hurt, but that was the high point of his time in LA (and the NFL). When Puka Nacua emerged in 2023, Jefferson was shipped to Atlanta along with a seventh-round pick for a sixth-rounder. He's done little since, and at age 30, it's hard to imagine things will improve.
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3) RB Darrell Henderson , 70th Overall (2019)
LA parted with a pair of late third-round picks to move up and select Henderson. Four running backs would be drafted after the Memphis product in Round 3— David Montgomery , Devin Singletary , Damien Harris , and Alexander Mattison —and it's fair to say all of them had better careers. While he had his moments, Henderson battled injuries and could never hold onto a starting job. He was gone from the NFL after 2023.
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2) WR Tutu Atwell , 57th Overall (2021)
LA struggled with downfield separation in 2020. To rectify that, they grabbed Atwell with their first pick of 2021. He responded by catching zero passes as a rookie. Atwell's numbers ticked up in three subsequent seasons, prompting LA to re-sign him for an additional year. He caught just six passes a season ago, however, and he'll be trying his luck with the rebuilding Dolphins in 2026. Among the receivers selected after Atwell in 2021 were Nico Collins and Amon-Ra St. Brown , the latter of whom had starred locally at USC.
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1) RB Cam Akers , 52nd Overall (2020)
Akers had a tumultuous tenure in Los Angeles . He's perhaps best remembered for making it back from a torn Achilles in 2021, even logging 13 carries in the Super Bowl. The following year, he requested a trade after barely playing in Week 1. Things eventually smoothed over, but they flared up again in 2023 when he started the opener, carried the ball 22 times, and then was inactive in Week 2. Akers and a conditional seventh-rounder traded to the Vikings shortly thereafter for a conditional sixth-round pick in 2026.
Related: The Los Angeles Chargers' 5 Worst Draft Picks in the Last 10 Years
This story was originally published by Lindys Sports on Jun 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Lindys Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
