The Los Angeles Rams may have one of the best rosters on paper, but it’s mainly constructed of veterans rather than long-term developmental players. As such, the Rams’ roster ranks 26th-oldest heading into the 2026 season.
This isn’t a bad thing, especially for a team with immediate Super Bowl aspirations spearheaded by a 38-year-old quarterback, but it means they checked in at No. 32 in ESPN’s latest ranking of NFL teams’ under-25 talent.
ESPN built the rankings using starts and snaps logged by players under 25, age-adjusted quality of play with extra weight for Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections, contract value and length, positional importance, draft capital added in the first three rounds of the 2026 draft, projected 2026 depth charts, and any injuries or suspensions likely to affect availability.
Unsurprisingly, the Rams don’t have many of those types of players on their roster at the moment.
Perhaps you have heard that the Rams are not as fond of first-round draft picks as other teams? Certainly, trades they have made for veterans contribute to the fact that while Los Angeles has a ton of talent, very little of it is under 25 years old.
The Rams only had two players currently under 25 who started games last season: safety Kamren Kinchens, who will be 24 at the end of September, and tight end Terrance Ferguson, who is also 23. Another one of the tight ends, second-round rookie Max Klare, just turned 23 on July 8. First-round quarterback Simpson will turn 24 in December. The Rams hope Simpson doesn’t get on the field for a couple of seasons because they have someone much older they would rather see under center: reigning MVP Matthew Stafford, who is 38 years old.
First-round quarterback Ty Simpson is the lone player ESPN tabs as a blue chip for the Rams’ under-25 core, and even he isn’t expected to see the field anytime soon behind Stafford. Compounding the shortage, Los Angeles just graduated several of its best young pieces out of eligibility: cornerback Trent McDuffie, offensive tackle Warren McClendon Jr. and wide receiver Puka Nacua all turned 25 and no longer count toward the rankings.
That combination — an aging roster built through trades and free agency, a limited draft footprint and a wave of players aging out right as they hit their prime — leaves the Rams with the league’s thinnest projected young talent pool heading into 2026, according to ESPN.
But again, that won’t matter if they bring home a Lombardi Trophy.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams fall to dead last in new ESPN ranking
