The Los Angeles Rams leapfrogged nearly half the league to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft via a trade with the Tennessee Titans, the Titans announced on Thursday.
In exchange for the top pick, the Titans receive the Rams’ original first-round pick at 15th overall, two second-rounders (43rd and 45th overall) and a third-round selection (76th). The Titans will also get the Rams’ first- and third-round selections in next year’s draft.
The Titans now have six of the top 76 picks in the draft.
The Rams’ move toward becoming the first team on the clock once the draft commences on April 28 could be a sign just how desperate the franchise is for a new quarterback. The Cleveland Browns, who hold the No. 2 overall selection, also have major hole to fill at the position.
North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz and Cal’s Jared Goff are projected to be the top quarterbacks selected --- and the Browns were in position to select either since the Titans tapped Marcus Mariota with the second overall pick a year ago.
For the Titans, it gives a team with numerous holes to fill numerous selections to try and land several top players.
Said Titans general manager Jon Robinson in a story posted on the team's website:
“Being able to acquire six players in the top 76 this year, along with next year when you factor that into it — I am assuming five in the top three rounds — that is 11 players that we can add to this football team that should not only increase our depth, but give us good quality players at all those positions,’’ Titans general manager Jon Robinson said.
“In the end we thought it was a decision that was best for this football team. It made sense for us to do it, and that’s why we moved on it. We talked to several teams about the pick. There was interest in the pick, and in the end we thought this was the option that made the most sense for us...We think we can really bolster this roster with the picks that we now have.”
