The Los Angeles Rams finally find difference maker in the secondary they have been desperate for in latest 2026 NFL mock draft

Los Angeles Rams receive a massive steal in latest 2026 NFL mock draft

Ryan Roberts — National College Football Writer
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The Los Angeles Rams have a pretty uniquely built defense under head coach Sean McVay and defensive coordinator Chris Shula. They have a potent defensive line led by Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. In the linebacker and secondary levels, however, the unit is a mishmash of solid veteran players and some intriguing younger talent. 

As of today, you don’t have a legitimate difference maker on the back end in the secondary, something this Rams staff may just be searching for. They really haven’t had one since Jalen Ramsey roamed all over the secondary a few years ago. Having a player that opposing offenses have to constantly be aware of is a huge boost for a defense. 

In a recent mock draft from Kyle Crabbs of A to Z Sports, he did his best to find that potential difference maker to land in LA. With two selections in the hypothetical mock, the Rams opted to use their first pick, No. 10 overall, to select Ohio State All-American safety Caleb Downs. 

Here is what Crabbs had to say about Downs, and his potential fit in Los Angeles. 

10. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons) – SAF Caleb Downs, Ohio State

The trade down with Atlanta last offseason comes up aces for the Rams, who land one of the better players in this year’s draft in the name of (spooky noises) positional value! The horror!

Don’t believe me? Allow me to remind you that Kyle Hamilton fell to the Ravens with the 14th-overall pick. Downs is instinctive, physical, and offers a ton of back-end appeal for Chris Shula’s defense.

Deeper dive on the fit 

A former five-star player in the 2023 recruiting class, Downs has been a tremendous player in his two years with the Buckeyes and Alabama. At 6-0 (probably generous) and 205 pounds, Downs isn’t the biggest safety you will find, but that hasn’t stopped him from being extremely productive. So far during his career, Downs has managed to collect 194 total tackles, four interceptions, 10 pass breakups, and 12 tackles for loss. 

Downs has made his biggest impact as an open field tackler, where the Georgia native rarely ever misses a tackle. He also boasts some of the best instincts you are going to find on the back end, making plenty of plays when robbing short zones and reading the eyes of opposing quarterbacks. Downs is one of those players who just always seems to be in the right spot. 

A prospective defensive coordinator is going to have to understand how to utilize Downs effectively. He is not the rangy free safety type on the back end, much better utilized coming downhill and towards the line of scrimmage. If utilized correctly, he is a pretty easy potential difference maker for a secondary, and could mix and match well with the likes of Kamren Kinchens and Kam Curl. 

With the second first round selection for the Rams, Crabbs had them landing Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik with the No. 31 overall selection. The career for star signal caller Matthew Stafford is nearing the end, so the Rams giving some thoughts to the next step could be advantageous for the future of the organization.

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