Yes, there are certain directions the Los Angeles Rams should not go in late April. But we will cut through the clutter.
The Rams’ 2026 NFL Draft guide is here to get you ready for the upcoming annual seven-round selection meeting. Ahead of this crucial week, let’s look at the Rams’ draft picks, biggest needs, potential targets, and recent draft history. The draft is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this year, with Round 1 kicking off on April 23. Rounds 2 and 3 happen on April 24. The festivities wrap up with Rounds 4-7 on April 25.
Rams’ 2026 NFL Draft picks
The Rams have early picks, but are thin in the middle. They don’t have a pick in the fourth or fifth rounds. Trading picks is commonplace under head coach Sean McVay’s.
The deal to acquire standout defensive back Trent McDuffie cost them their second first-round pick, which was No. 29 overall. They also traded fifth- and sixth-round selections in that deal.
Round 1, Pick 13
Round 2, Pick 61
Round 3, Pick 93
Round 6, Pick 207
Round 7, Pick 232
Round 7, Pick 251
Round 7, Pick 252
Rams 2026 NFL Draft needs and targets
WR: This became a position of need unexpectedly. The Rams have Puka Nacua and Davante Adams leading their receiver room. But Nacua’s troubled offseason makes it more possible the team will draft a wide receiver in Round 1.
And that brings USC’s Makai Lemon and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson into the picture. The big question may only be: which one?
Lemon ranks behind Tyson, according to NFL Draft Buzz. Tyson wins the argument, but it’s tight between him, Lemon, and Carnell Tate.
“(Tyson) is a receiver who wins with craft, body control, and competitive fire rather than overwhelming physical tools,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “His 4.5 speed is not going to scare anyone on paper, but his release package and route-running savvy create separation that stopwatches cannot measure. He thrives in the intermediate areas of the field, finding soft spots in zone coverage and working back to the quarterback on in-breaking routes.”
Likewise, Lemon isn’t going to break land-speed records.
“Lemon operates in that slot-dominant archetype where intelligence and technique compensate for what he lacks in straight-line speed and prototype size,” NFL Draft Buzz wrote. “His ability to manipulate leverage at the top of routes, combined with catch point skills that exceed what his 5-11 frame suggests, gives offensive coordinators a reliable target they can deploy across formations from day one. The question is never whether Lemon will get open. The question is how teams want to maximize everything he brings to the table.”
If the Rams had to choose between the three, Tate might be the guy. But with him likely off the board, look for Tyson to be the lead choice.
OT: Whether the Rams go this direction may be completely dependent on what happens with the first 12 picks. If Francis Mauigoa of Miami is somehow still around, the Rams might be persuaded to make that choice.
Mauigoa might not splash early, but he looks like a decade starter, according to NFL.com.
“Highly touted prospect who met expectations as a durable three-year starter at right tackle,” Lance Zierlein wrote. “Mauigoa has a guard’s broad build, but he moves like a tackle in pass sets. He’s highly experienced with an impressive football IQ that pops on tape. He’ll be an early starter at right tackle, but a move to guard could be on the table in the future.”
Georgia’s Monroe Freeling or Utah’s Spencer Fano, a pair of solid tackles, likely wouldn’t move the Rams off a wide receiver.
CB: It might seem odd to see this position as a need. After all, not only did the Rams trade for Trent McDuffie, but they also added Jaylen Watson in free agency.
But they still can use an upgrade at the position. McVay wants strength in numbers in the defensive backfield after witnessing the meltdown in the playoffs that kept the Rams out of the Super Bowl.
So it’s not out of the question that the Rams consider Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy with the No. 13 pick. This is especially true after his solid pro day. McCoy has Pro Bowl potential at the high end. He has all the tools, according to nflmockdraftdatabase.com.
“Known for his physicality in press coverage and his ability to match up against bigger, faster receivers, McCoy has the potential to be a game-changer in the NFL,” the NFL Mock Draft Database wrote. “His explosive athleticism, competitive toughness, and instincts on the field have earned him recognition as a top cornerback prospect. McCoy’s talent, size, and playmaking ability suggest that he has what it takes to succeed at the next level and become a legitimate NFL starter.”
Recent draft history — top picks for the last five years
2025: TE Terrance Ferguson, Oregon (Round 2, Pick 46)
2024: DL Jared Verse, Florida State (Round 1,19)
2023: C Steve Avila, TCU (Round 2, 36)
2022: OL Logan Bruss, Wisconsin (Round 3, 104)
2021: WR Tutu Atwell, Louisville (Round 2, 57)
The Rams hit on Verse, who has Pro Bowl selections in each of his first two seasons. And there’s reason to believe Ferguson will develop into more of a weapon in his second season.
In the previous three years, the Rams didn’t find anything special. Although it should be noted that they didn’t have a first-round pick in any of those seasons. Maybe their attitude toward first-round picks isn’t so great after all?
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