What was the Rams best NFL draft class? Analyst says it happened in the 1940s

[ASFN Admin]

The Los Angeles Rams have had a lot of good draft classes in their franchise's history.

The 2024 group is among the best of the most recent NFL classes, while the 2023 class of Puka Nacua, Byron Young and Kobie Turner is also elite. The Rams also had a ton of incredible classes in the 1970s, 80s and 90s that shepherded in successful eras in the team's history.

But Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano went back even further to find the Rams' top class. He picked the team's 1945 class as the franchise's best group ever because of the two Hall-of-Famers taken: Elroy Hirsch in the first round and Tom Fears in the 11th round.

"The then-Cleveland Rams used a first-round pick on Elroy 'Crazylegs' Hirsch, who led the NFL with 66 receptions, 1,495 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns in 1951," Manzano wrote. "Hirsch, a Wisconsin native, quickly turned Hollywood after the team moved to Los Angeles, becoming an actor and starring in his own biopic, the '53 film 'Crazylegs.' In the 11th round, the Rams took Tom Fears, who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, before his family moved to Southern California."

While the Rams have drafted a lot of Hall of Fame players during the history of the franchise, this is the only one with two players in Canton.

The Rams went 9-1 that season and won the NFL Championship Game. The group went to three consecutive championship starting in 1949 and won again in 1951.

Here is the full list of drafted players from 1945:

• Round 1, Pick 12 – Elroy Hirsch
• Round 2, Pick 16 – Mike Lazetich
• Round 3, Pick 21 – W.G. Wooten
• Round 4, Pick 32 – Jack Zilly
• Round 5, Pick 37 – Roger Harding
• Round 6, Pick 48 – Gerry Cowhig
• Round 7, Pick 59 – Fred Negus
• Round 8, Pick 70 – Johnny August
• Round 9, Pick 81 – Dick Huffman
• Round 10, Pick 92 – Vern Walters
• Round 11, Pick 103 – Tom Fears
• Round 12, Pick 114 – Joe Winkler
• Round 13, Pick 125 – Jack Aland
• Round 14, Pick 136 – Chuck Uknes
• Round 15, Pick 147 – Bill Lund
• Round 16, Pick 158 – Bob Barton
• Round 17, Pick 169 – Dick Hoerner
• Round 18, Pick 180 – Lee Kennon
• Round 19, Pick 191 – Eagle Matulich
• Round 20, Pick 202 – Bill Griffin
• Round 21, Pick 213 – Leroy Erickson
• Round 22, Pick 224 – Ray Evans
• Round 23, Pick 235 – Luke Higgins
• Round 24, Pick 246 – Stan Nowak
• Round 25, Pick 257 – Gene Konopka
• Round 26, Pick 268 – Ray Florek
• Round 27, Pick 279 – Russ Perry
• Round 28, Pick 290 – Pat West
• Round 29, Pick 301 – Bill Davis
• Round 30, Pick 312 – Charley Compton

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams best NFL draft class was in the 40s, per analyst

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