the Rams received 1998 3rd round pick (65th overall, Leonard…
the Rams received 1998 3rd round pick (65th overall, Leonard Little), while the Jets received 1998 3rd round pick (67th overall, Scott Frost), 1998 7th round pick (195th overall, Lawrence Hart). The hindsight grades are A- for the Rams and D for the Jets. The verdict is grounded in the actual starts, production, tenure and downstream draft results produced by those assets.
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 1998 3rd round pick (65th overall, Leonard Little )
New York Jets Received
- pick 1998 3rd round pick (67th overall, Scott Frost )
- pick 1998 7th round pick (195th overall, Lawrence Hart )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1998-04-18, the Rams received 1998 3rd round pick (65th overall, Leonard Little), while the Jets received 1998 3rd round pick (67th overall, Scott Frost), 1998 7th round pick (195th overall, Lawrence Hart). Hindsight is unusually useful here because the acquired assets now have a concrete NFL record. The grades can therefore be tied to what those players and picks actually produced for their new teams.
St. Louis Rams Return
The Rams selected Leonard Little at No. 65. He spent his entire 12-year NFL career with the franchise, playing 147 games with 98 starts and recording 87.5 sacks. His peak included 14.5 sacks in 2001, 12 in 2002, 12.5 in 2003 and 13 in 2006, giving St. Louis a long-term impact pass rusher. Those results are the basis for the Rams's A- grade.
New York Jets Return
The Jets selected Scott Frost at No. 67 and Lawrence Hart at No. 195. Frost played three Jets seasons, appearing in 43 games with one start and recording one interception and one sack in 2000. Hart never played a regular-season game for New York and logged only one NFL game, with Arizona in 2001. That record supports the Jets's D grade.
Value in Hindsight
The trade is best understood through those specific outcomes. The meaningful comparison is the actual games, starts, statistics, longevity and downstream draft use created by each side's return. A pick that was moved again is credited through the supported transaction chain, not by pretending the original team drafted a player it never selected.
Final Verdict
Los Angeles/Cleveland/St. Louis Rams Win, A- to D. Leonard Little became a 12-year franchise pass rusher with 147 games, 98 starts and 87.5 sacks. The Jets received only limited production from Scott Frost and no regular-season New York value from Lawrence Hart. That disparity supports the decisive Rams grade advantage.