Rams Hold A Top-15 Pick For First Time Since 2016. Will They Draft A Receiver?

Immediately aft past year’s NFL draft, successful which nan Rams came distant pinch 2 first-round picks successful 2026, coach Sean McVay put disconnected immoderate hint of anticipation astir really nan squad mightiness leverage their bounty successful this year’s draft.

“One year’s for illustration canine years to maine successful coaching,” McVay said, chuckling, “That’s a agelong measurement away.”

Not anymore.

On Thursday, nan three-day draught originates successful Pittsburgh.

The Rams already upgraded nan roster that helped them scope nan NFC title crippled past season.

To a squad that featured backmost Matthew Stafford — nan NFL astir valuable subordinate — prima receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams and Pro Bowl separator rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young, nan Rams re-signed information Kam Curl and added cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.

The Rams gave up nan No. 29 prime successful a waste and acquisition pinch nan Kansas City Chiefs for McDuffie, an All-Pro nan Rams promptly made nan highest-paid subordinate astatine his position successful NFL history.

But they still person nan No. 13 prime — acquired successful nan 2025 draft-day waste and acquisition pinch nan Atlanta Falcons — giving them a chance to supplement a roster that makes nan Rams a favourite to play successful Super Bowl LXI astatine SoFi Stadium successful February.

The Rams do not person a “void” aliases an contiguous request for a rookie to switch a starter, McVay said, truthful location is nary request to “press” pinch nan No. 13 pick.

“That was accomplished and accommodated by nan guys that we signed aliases re-signed, aliases that we person nether contract,” he said, “so we consciousness really good.”

The Rams will spell into nan draught pinch 1 prime successful nan first, 2nd and 3rd rounds, 1 prime successful nan sixth information and 3 successful nan seventh.

The Rams person not had a top-10 prime since 2016, erstwhile they selected backmost Jared Goff No. 1. This is only nan 3rd clip since they returned to Los Angeles from St. Louis successful 2016 that they will spell into nan draught pinch a first-round pick. In 2024, they chose Verse pinch nan 19th pick.

Is this nan twelvemonth that McVay, hired successful 2017, yet gets a chance to draught an effect accomplishment subordinate connected offense?

“We’re eager to adhd a really bully subordinate astatine [No.] 13,” he said, adding, “There’s accomplishment players that I like, and that we like, and there’s a batch of positions of guys that we for illustration successful this class.”

General head Les Snead has ne'er been awkward astir attempting to waste and acquisition up to prime a desired subordinate aliases backmost to get much draught capital. Last year, nan Rams traded nan 26th pick and a third-round prime to nan Falcons for a second-round prime and a seventh-round pick, and nan first-round prime this year.

Would nan Rams waste and acquisition up aliases backmost from No. 13?

“You’re happy astatine 13 but those options are ever connected nan table,” Snead said.

If nan Rams person a need, it is astir apt astatine receiver.

Adams is successful nan last twelvemonth of nan two-year statement nan early Hall of Famer signed arsenic a free supplier earlier past season. He led nan NFL pinch 14 touchdown receptions, but was still discussed successful waste and acquisition talks.

Nacua, a fourth-year pro, led nan NFL pinch 129 catches past play but has had off-the-field problems, including an alleged biting incident that led to a civilian lawsuit. He entered a rehabilitation programme successful March but is participating successful voluntary offseason workouts. Nacua is eligible for a monolithic extension, but nan Rams are now taking a wait-and-see attack earlier making a semipermanent commitment.

The draught people includes receivers specified arsenic Carnell Tate from Ohio State, Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) and Makai Lemon (USC) among others.

Snead did not person to look acold to measure Lemon, nan Biletnikoff Award-winner arsenic assemblage football’s apical receiver.

Snead’s girl attends USC, and his boy useful successful USC’s shot beforehand office.

“Lemon’s a nosy subordinate to watch,” Snead said, adding, “As a fan, arsenic a begetter pinch 2 kids there, it was nosy erstwhile you saw nan shot spell up and it was heading toward Lemon’s hands. You ever felt for illustration he’d bring it down.”

Offensive statement and separator rusher are among different positions nan Rams could explore, and backmost is not disconnected nan array successful later rounds.

Stafford is astatine nan acold extremity of his career, Jimmy Garoppolo is simply a free supplier contemplating retirement, and fourth-year pro Stetson Bennett has not played successful a regular play game.

McVay said Bennett is “considered a backup,” a domiciled he filled nan first 2 games successful 2024 erstwhile Garoppolo was suspended.

“That wouldn’t beryllium thing that we’d beryllium acrophobic of,” McVay said.