Rams take Josaiah Stewart in 3rd round
The Los Angeles Rams selected Michigan edge rusher Josaiah Stewart in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 90th overall.
He's the Rams' second pick Friday after tight end Terrance Ferguson. Los Angeles traded out of the first round Thursday to collect more draft capital.
Stewart had a career year with 12.5 sacks at Coastal Carolina in 2021 and spent his final two college seasons at Michigan. The 22-year-old, who recorded 14 sacks over the last two years, could provide depth to a Rams pass rush headlined by edge rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young.
Pre-draft profile
Stewart is a fascinating player. It'd be easy to rule him out based on the frame alone - his height and arm length are in the first and fifth percentiles, respectively, among edge defenders. It's certainly possible the stature holds him back, but his game says otherwise. Stewart led the edge-rusher class in pass-rush win rate in true pass sets, according to PFF. It's not difficult to see why. He explodes off the ball, putting his opponent at a disadvantage even before employing an impressive arsenal of moves. He can win the edge with burst, counter inside, or convert speed to power and drive a tackle into the quarterback's lap. That last point drives home the most interesting aspect: Stewart is far more physical than you might expect. It shows up in his willingness to throw his weight around in the run game too. If an edge defender with outlier size is going to succeed at the next level, this is how he would play. Stewart has a chance to blow away expectations.