If Rams trade down, the odds of landing these players increase

Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, we know Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead will have a few surprises up his sleeve for the 13th overall selection.

Anticipation is high for LA’s earliest pick since 2016. The Rams are going “all in” again and fans are clamoring for an impact player that can contribute right away. If all goes according to plan, it could be a long while before we see the team again wield a top 15 selection.

What if one of the surprises from Snead was a trade down, which somewhat flies in the face of pushing chips to the middle of the table and capitalizing on a Super Bowl window?

Who would LA target if they move down the draft order? Let’s evaluate some options.

Ty Simpson, QB

A lot of fans won’t like seeing Simpson’s name included in this list. The Alabama product has been tied to the Rams often in the days leading up to the draft. Is there fire beneath the smoke, or is this a smoke and mirrors illusion to keep opposition from uncovering LA”s true intentions?

If there no is fire, there certainly is a whole lot of smoke. Multiple insiders—especially Tom Pelissero and Todd McShay—have pushed that the Rams have done extensive homework on the quarterback and liked what they saw.

Don’t get me wrong. It would be a massive surprise and a rich price to pay in order to draft Simpson at #13. The pill grows easier to swallow if Snead were able to accumulate additional draft capital and come away with a quarterback that the front office and coaching staff believe in.

You may not subscribe to the idea that the Rams are targeting Simpson. None of us can deny the fact that the likelihood of Simpson landing in Los Angeles increases if the team moves down the draft order.

Kenyon Sadiq, TE

Similar to Simpson, I’m not sure that drafting Sadiq at #13 is much of a value play. Sadiq deserves to be the top tight end in the class. He’s still not on the level of Tyler Warren nor Colston Loveland from last year. Each of those players were top 10 picks, and Sadiq makes more sense outside of the first 15 selections.

So if the Rams were to move back to say pick 16 or 17, the overall maneuver will be more palatable than simply spending the top selections in back-to-back drafts at tight end.

There will be skeptics if Sadiq does end up with the Rams. Can Terrance Ferguson and Sadiq co-exist?

Omar Cooper, WR

Denzel Boston, WR

Cooper has his share of supporters on Turf Show Times. There is zero chance the Rams draft him at #13. That would be an egregious reach.

Is Cooper a stellar fit in Sean McVay’s offense? Yes. Would he be a day one contributor? Probably. He makes sense for the Rams in every single way other than it’s never a good idea to jump consensus boards by double digit draft slots.

Same goes for Denzel Boston. We know LA attempted to trade up for Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan a year ago. Boston has a very similar frame and skillset and would provide a legitimate avenue to replacing Davante Adams full-time in 2027 and beyond.

In some ways the depth at receiver in this class is the better value play compared to sticking and picking at #13. Staying in place and doing the predictable thing is also not an outcome we should expect from Snead.

Jacob Rodriguez, LB

The pecking order according to most analysts at linebacker behind Sonny Styles is a mixed bag. I personally think Rodriguez is the clear-cut second option.

Have the Rams historically invested in linebacker? No, they usually pull them off the scrap heap. Would this pick be out of character? Well, Snead drafted linebacker Alec Ogletree in the first round prior to the Sean McVay era.

But Rodriguez isn’t just any linebacker. At 6-1, 233 lbs. he runs a 4.57 40-yard dash. He maximizes his speed with strong and reliable instincts. Rodriguez could take over the “green dot” and defensive signal calling from day one and would probably start for most teams. Similar to Rams starter Nate Landman, Rodriguez has a propensity to punch the ball loose and forced seven fumbles last year alone.

If the Rams want to take their defense to the next level, Rodriguez would be an interesting move. Accumulating additional draft capital in the process makes the idea all the sweeter.

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