Los Angeles traded up 16 spots in the fourth round on April…
Los Angeles traded up 16 spots in the fourth round on April 29, 2017, sending New York picks No. 141 and No. 197 for No. 125. The Rams selected Eastern Washington edge defender Samson Ebukam, who played all 64 regular-season games over four Los Angeles seasons, starting 35 and recording 14 sacks, six passes defended, an interception returned for a touchdown and six forced fumbles. The move produced a durable defensive contributor and clear multi-year value.
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 2017 fourth round pick (#125- Samson Ebukam )
New York Jets Received
- pick 2017 fourth round pick (#141- Chad Hansen )
- pick 2017 sixth round pick (#197- Jeremy Clark )
Trade Analysis
The trade terms are directly confirmed by the Rams and Jets. Los Angeles sent picks No. 141 and No. 197 to New York on April 29, 2017 for pick No. 125, then selected Eastern Washington outside linebacker Samson Ebukam. The Jets used No. 141 on California wide receiver Chad Hansen and No. 197 on Michigan cornerback Jeremy Clark. The Rams had obtained No. 197 earlier the same day in their trade-down with Chicago, but that prior transaction does not change the evaluation here: Los Angeles used two draft assets to move up for Ebukam, while New York converted the move down into Hansen and Clark.
Ebukam became a substantial four-year Rams contributor. NFL career records show him playing all 16 regular-season games in each season from 2017 through 2020. He started two games as a rookie, 14 in 2018, five in 2019 and 14 in 2020 for 35 starts across 64 appearances. Over those four seasons he recorded 14 sacks, six passes defended and six forced fumbles. His most memorable individual game came against Kansas City in 2018, when he produced an interception return touchdown and a fumble-return touchdown in the Rams' 54-51 win. Even beyond that peak, his availability and pass-rush production gave Los Angeles useful value throughout his rookie contract.
Hansen's Jets tenure was much shorter. NFL records credit him with 15 games in 2017, nine receptions, 94 receiving yards and no touchdowns. New York waived him at the 2018 final roster cut, ending his Jets career after one season. Hansen later resurfaced with Houston in 2020 and produced 236 receiving yards in five games, but that later production came after several organizations had controlled his rights and therefore does not count as value for the Jets from this trade.
Clark produced even less on-field value for New York. NFL and Pro Football Reference records show two regular-season appearances, one in 2017 and one in 2018, with no starts and no recorded defensive statistics. His snaps came almost entirely on special teams. The Jets waived him during the 2019 preseason. New York's own later review of the 2017 draft noted that Hansen was a 2018 final cut and that Clark was waived in the 2019 preseason, underscoring how little long-term roster value remained from the two selections acquired in the move down.
The hindsight result clearly favors Los Angeles. The Rams gave up two later selections but received four full seasons of availability, 35 starts and 14 sacks from Ebukam. New York's two picks combined for 17 regular-season games, no starts and only nine receptions for 94 yards as measurable offensive production. An A- for the Rams and D for the Jets reflects the wide gap in realized team value while recognizing that a fourth-round trade-up still carried normal draft uncertainty at the time.