Have a look at who has made the fifth most picks in the National Football League since 2017, the start of the Sean McVay era. Contrary to popular belief that the Los Angeles Rams don’t value draft picks and instead have given up participation in the draft to make blockbuster, All-in trades, LA has actually been working the approach of taking “more shots at the basket” by making more smart picks in the mid rounds instead of less picks with a trade up into the first round strategy.
2017 - Cooper Kupp (3rd round), John Johnson (3rd round)
2018 - Joseph Noteboom (3rd round), Brian Allen (4th round)
2019 - Taylor Rapp (2nd round), Darrell Henderson (3rd round), David Long (3rd round), Greg Gaines (4th round), Nick Scott (7th round)
2020 - Cam Akers (2nd round), Van Jefferson (2nd round), Jordan Fuller (6th round)
2021 - Ernest Jones (3rd round)
It’s true that the Rams have not selected in the first round since 2016 and that Sean McVay has never made a first round pick as a head coach.