Turf Show Times
The Rams’ top young players and assets that could shape the team’s future.
In the NFL, having top young talent doesn’t carry quite the same long-term impact as it does in sports like baseball or hockey. Still, a promising young core can be a strong indicator of a team’s future outlook. During the early years of Les Snead’s time with the Los Angeles Rams, the roster was loaded with emerging talent. That trend shifted as the team began trading draft capital and assets in pursuit of a Super Bowl title.
Pro Football Focus recently released its ranking of the top 25 players under 25 years old. Puka Nacua has been featured on this list the last two years while Jared Verse made his debut. That sparked a closer look at who the Rams’ most promising young players are. For this exercise, we’ll expand the criteria slightly—focusing on players who are either under 25 or in their first three NFL seasons.
The fact that Verse plays a premier position and is on a rookie contract for the next three years makes him the most important asset. He is just 24 years old and won the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year. Said Jonathon Macri of PFF,
“The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year finished the 2024 season with 89 quarterback pressures — the most in the league — and managed a top-10 PFF grade in all three major defensive categories for the position (overall, run defense and pass rush). Verse also generated the fifth-most PFF WAR (0.42) for his position, putting him in elite company alongside Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt.”
Verse entered the conversation last season as one of the top edge rushers in the NFL. If he continues on his current development path, he could become one of the elite players at the position. The Rams have him on a rookie deal for the next four years and that makes him extremely valuable. Right now, the Rams are getting Verse at $3.7 million per year. When he signs his second contract, he will likely command more than $40 million.
Nacua will enter his age 24 season, but has two years remaining on his rookie contract. After a strong rookie campaign, Nacua solidified himself as a top-5 wide receiver in the NFL last season. Despite an injury, he still led the league in yards per route run. Said Macri on Nacua,
“Through two seasons, Nacua has delivered a 92.4 PFF receiving grade and 2.92 yards per route run — both of which lead all qualifying players for this list and rank second among all players overall during that span. Even though he missed time with injuries in 2024, Nacua made the most of his opportunities, leading the position in PFF receiving grade (92.6) and yards per route run (3.23) as 2024’s most efficient receiver.”
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