The 2026 NFL Draft class is one of the more unique groups we’ve seen. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and some will see this in a positive light and others would flat out say this is not a great year in terms of the overall talent.
The class has blue chip talent. That is certain. However, the best prospects are concentrated in areas that would usually be considered lower value positions. The finite talent at premium positions could fly off the board, including at receiver and tackle.
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We know the Los Angeles Rams are probably in the receiver market given that this is one of the remaining areas of their roster where they could use some more help. They are set at tackle for at least 2026. Could the Rams stand to benefit from the eventual run on tackles, which may happen even earlier than most are expecting?
Top tackles with consensus board rankings
From NFL Mock Draft Database:
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Francis Mauigoa, Miami (6)
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Monroe Freeling, Georgia (14)
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Kadyn Proctor, Alabama (19)
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Blake Miller, Clemson (25)
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Max Iheanachor, Arizona State (30)
With the Rams picking 13th, that makes three tackles in the range of their pick. LA would probably love to see teams in front of them start the run on tackles and push talent at other positions further down the board.
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Teams in front of Rams and in the tackle market
As a general note, we often see new regimes (whether head coaches or front offices or both) start out their first draft by focusing on the trenches in hopes of building an ecosystem for a quarterback currently on the roster or for one who could join soon. This thought applies to all the above teams with the exception of the Chiefs. Kansas City may look to reinvest on the offensive line following Patrick Mahomes’ injury given that they will want to protect him moving forward and he may be limited in 2026.
The Cardinals could be the first team to take a tackle in Mauigoa, though they’d probably like to trade down before doing so as they have plenty of work to do in order to make their roster more well rounded.
It’s worth keeping an eye on the Giants in the tackle market, though more likely for their second pick rather than fifth overall.
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How many tackles will be taken before #13?
Mauigoa is the consensus first tackle. After that point teams will need to decide which style best suits what they are looking for. Fano is more of a power player and could be a guard at the NFL level. Freeling is athletic but considered more of a project.
If the Cardinals are unable to trade back and the first tackle comes off the board as early as the third pick, teams in the back of the top 10 picks could take the sure thing instead of gambling with a later round tackle. Their is depth in this draft class at certain positions such as receiver, linebacker, and defensive back. It’s easier to wait at these areas and talk yourself into coming back to them later.
If you need a starting tackle, you better take one early in the first round before the supply dries up.
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Do Rams stand to benefit?
The most probable outcome is that two tackles are off the board by the time LA is on the clock at #13. Three is still reasonably likely.
In this scenario, who could surprisingly fall to Les Snead’s waiting arms? While Jordyn Tyson’s name is gaining steam in the lead up to the draft, he could fall down the order if the Chiefs instead opt to fill a need a tackle. Perhaps a versatile corner like Mansoor Delane could tumble and add more optionality to the Rams’ secondary that already features the do-it-all corner Trent McDuffie. It would take some creativity from Chris Shula to fit the pieces together, but it’s a great problem to have two very talented corners.
Which names do you think could fall if the run on tackles begins early? Let us know in the comments.
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