Making the Case: Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion should be more in consideration for the Los Angeles Rams in 2026 NFL Draft
The Los Angeles Rams have been interested in several wide receivers atop the 2026 NFL Draft. Does Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion make sense in the first round?
The Los Angeles Rams haven’t hidden their interest in a wide receiver in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Given their interest in other wide receivers throughout the draft and free agency, their pick at No. 13 has been linked to numerous wide receivers. One receiver that has occasionally popped up in mock drafts has been Texas A&M Aggie KC Concepcion.
However, does the pairing make a lot of sense? Should the Rams draft KC Concepcion in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft?
I’m kickstarting a series of “Making the Case” articles for all of the top prospects connected to the Rams. I will link each article to each other as this series develops.
The case for KC Concepcion with the Los Angeles Rams
If the Rams are going to take a wide receiver in the first round, that player should be the long-term Davante Adams replacement, in my opinion. Role-wise, that’s a primarily on-ball X receiver. For the Rams, that player is a vertical threat they can trust to win against man coverage. Adams saw press coverage on over 50% of his snaps on-ball last season.
What does this mean for KC Concepcion? For my money, he’s the best receiver at beating press coverage in this draft. He routinely dominated press coverage and is a nightmare to cover in man-to-man. He’s a phenomenal route runner with a detailed release package at the line of scrimmage to win against press. Concepcion wins at the line of scrimmage in much the same way as Adams, winning with technique more than simply relying on his speed.
That’s not to discount his speed, however. Concepcion didn’t test due to a knee scope, but he would have easily cleared into the 4.3s, in my opinion. He’s the most explosive receiver in the class and he chews up grass in a hurry.
For the Rams, he would be the missing piece. The team needs more natural explosives, and Concepcion is a walking big-play threat. Additionally, he would deliver as a returner, an area the Rams are openly interested in improving.
The case against KC Concepcion with the Los Angeles Rams
The biggest detraction I can think of for Concepcion is an internal debate to “get bigger” at wide receiver. After all, several of the Rams’ recent targets at that position group are bigger X receivers. Remember, they’ve been linked to Tetairoa McMillan and Mike Evans in recent offseasons, and Davante Adams is 6’1, 212-pounds.
While Concepcion isn’t Atwell-sized, he’s not going to be an elite blocker. Whether that will matter or not for the Rams in that role is going to be up to the team. They trusted Konata Mumpfield to do so as a rookie, and he is smaller than Concepcion.
His drops have been a cause for concern, but they aren’t to me. It’s a fixable technique issue, rather than his hands simply being too small or a lack of focus. It will take time to fix though, which will no doubt be frustrating. However, the Rams have fixed Puka Nacua’s drops over the years, and his hands are only a quarter inch bigger than Concepcion’s (9 1/2″ vs 9 1/4″).
Additionally, Concepcion has recently had a knee scope. While it doesn’t sound major, it could be a red flag that gives the Rams pause at No. 13 overall.
Verdict
To me, the positives to Concepcion’s game far outweigh the negatives. I’ve seen complaints about the “value” of Concepcion at 13, which mostly amounts to him never being mocked that high until now.
Obviously, the Rams have to be comfortable with his medicals. However, his medical situation is much cleaner than Jordyn Tyson’s, a player frequently mocked to the Rams at 13.
He is the best receiver likely to be available who can fill that long-term void at “X” in a similar capacity that we’ve seen players like Brandin Cooks, Odell Beckham Jr., and Davante Adams have for so long. I’d be fully on-board at No. 13.
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