3 Rookies the Rams Will Have to Gameplan For

Sports Illustrated's Daniel Flick listed his predictions for the best rookies in the NFC West and chose Terrance Ferguson for the Rams. Here are the rest of his answers for the division.

Arizona Cardinals: Will Johnson, CB

The Cardinals made a stellar value pick at No. 47, selecting Johnson, who fell in large part due to medical concerns," wrote Flick. "But Johnson was projected as an early-to-middle first-round pick during the 2024 season due to his fluidity, instincts, ball production and natural cover skills. If he’s healthy, Johnson has the potential to start and be a high-end corner in the NFL."

Considering the Rams passed on Johnson not once but twice, if Johnson ends up being what he was once believed he could be, Les Snead will face heat, especially over concerns about the defensive back room.

San Francisco 49ers: Nick Martin, LB

"San Francisco lost starting linebacker Dre Greenlaw to the Broncos but added his replacement in Martin, a third-round pick from Oklahoma State. Opportunity exists for Martin, who has terrific range and blitz skills, to be an ultra-productive rookie. The 49ers will heavily depend on their 2025 draft class to reinvent their defense, and Martin figures to be a key piece in the middle of it all, literally and figuratively."

Before the 2024 season, I wrote about Martin and why the Rams should be interested in him. This is what I said.

An All-Big 12 first-team selection in 2023, Martin is without a doubt one of the best middle linebackers in the conference. One of the most surefire tacklers in college football, he had the most tackles in the Big 12 and was ranked fifth nationally last season in that category.

Martin also made 83 solo tackles, ranking him third in the country. He trailed Sam Houston State's Trevor Williams by only two tackles. He also had six sacks, one forced fumble and two interceptions in 2023, a perfect player for modern defenses.

Seattle Seahawks: Elijah Arroyo, TE

"A bit of projecting required with Arroyo’s role, as Noah Fant and A.J. Barner return to Seattle’s tight end room. But Arroyo’s athleticism and ability to stretch defenses vertically and horizontally give Seattle’s offense another playmaking element and, subsequently, an elevated ceiling. Arroyo has the versatility to line up in multiple spots and the ball skills and catch radius to haul in most passes thrown his way. His upside is exciting, and he could show it this fall."

The Rams selected Ferguson over Arroyo. That shouldn't be a point of debate or trash talk at all.