Best NFC 2025 NFL Draft picks
USA TODAY’s Tyler Dragon breaks down which teams in the NFC drafted the best this year.
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The Los Angeles Rams surged with momentum in the latter half of the 2023 season and carried that into 2024, finishing with a 10-7 record atop the NFC West.
They finished two wins shy of reaching the Super Bowl after they handed the Philadelphia Eagles their toughest challenge in the postseason but ultimately came up short.
Their Super Bowl victory just four seasons ago, combined with their impressive performance against the eventual Super Bowl champs, set the stage for an exciting 2025 season. Can the Rams reclaim their spot at the top?Â
The offense is spearheaded by quarterback Matthew Stafford and has tremendous firepower. With a lineup boasting the likes of Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams, the Rams are a force to be reckoned with on offense. They also made a big splash early in free agency, signing three-time All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams. Longtime Ram Cooper Kupp joined the Seahawks in free agency, but the addition of Adams has quelled any concerns about playmakers in L.A.
The Rams command attention under the leadership of head coach Sean McVay and a star-studded offensive lineup. However, the team’s success depends on its young defensive core.
That defense is led by second-year players Jared Verse and Braden Fiske and could see more improvement in 2025. Los Angeles signed Poona Ford from the Los Angeles Chargers to help improve run defense. The Rams have also been a top landing spot mentioned for three-time All-Pro corner Jalen Ramsey.
The Rams stuck to tradition and traded back out of the first round in the draft. They have picked just once in the first round since 2017 (Verse in 2024). Their decision to trade back landed them the Falcons 2026 first-round pick. With their first pick in the second round, they selected tight end Terrance Ferguson to give Stafford another weapon at his disposal.
The Rams are gearing up with the intention to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders in 2025, but who are they set to play? Here’s a look at Los Angeles’ 2025 opponents ahead of the NFL’s schedule release.
Rams 2025 opponents
Here’s the full list of Rams opponents for 2025:
HomeRoad
As they do every year, the Rams will play two games against each of their NFC West opponents at home and on the road. This year, they face the NFC South and AFC South because of the NFL’s rotating yearly schedule.
Their final three opponents – the Ravens, Eagles and Lions – were determined based on the Rams’ first-place finish in the NFC West last season.
When is the 2025 NFL schedule release?
The NFL will unveil its full 2025 schedule on Wednesday, May 14.
On this date, the league will announce all 18 weeks of matchups and bye weeks for each team. This year’s schedule release will occur one day earlier than last year’s, which was on May 15.
Last year, the NFL announced the complete 2024 schedule at 8 p.m. ET, so fans can expect a similar timing this time around.