Los Angeles Rams Final 2026 NFL Draft Grades: Rams punt on the present to build for a future that may never happen
The Los Angeles Rams had their most controversial draft class in years in the 2026 NFL Draft, as the team did not add to a Super Bowl window.
The Los Angeles Rams have had the first draft class in recent memory that has actually angered the vast majority of their fan base. A year after getting the fewest contributions from a rookie class they have had in years, the Rams opted to not take a single player who projects to have a major role in 2026.
It’s a fascinating decision-making process in a Super Bowl window. They made just five picks in this year’s draft.
Rams final draft grades for 2026 NFL Draft class
Round 1, No. 13: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
No ifs and or buts about it, this one stunk from the start. From Sean McVay’s definitely not weird, nothing to see here press conference to the bad fit itself, everything about the process behind the pick was bad and somehow continues to get worse.
The Rams have revealed they want to sign Matthew Stafford to a multi-year extension, meaning their No. 13 pick won’t play for at least two years in a Super Bowl window. Their rational to defend the pick is illogical, and Simpson himself wasn’t worth it.
Grade: F
Round 2, No. 61: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
Max Klare can do a bit of everything as a tight end. He’s a high-effort run blocker, he can threaten up the seams, and he’s outstanding settling down and finding holes in zone coverage. There’s some hidden athleticism there. Klare can do some damage after the catch with his speed. He’s not much of a tackle breaker, but he’s a pullaway threat with his speed.
Perhaps the best trait about Klare is his reliability as a receiver. Klare dropped just two balls on 55 targets, and he attacks the ball well in the air. I love his ability to adjust and contort his body in the air to snag passes away from his frame.
However, Idon’t think he has the mass or size to be a really effective blocker, which makes the pick a little hesitant for me as the running mate for Ferguson. I don’t believe either have the body type to really be an in-line option, so if the Rams ever plan on getting some run blocking here, they’ll need to add another option in the future.
Grade: B+
Round 3, No. 93: Keagan Trost, OT, Missouri
Keagan Trost was immediately cited by Sean McVay as their swing tackle, which is fine. He can play tackle or guard, but would be better off inside. He’s not enough of an upgrade over Warren McClendon at right tackle as they both have the same problems in pass protection, and he’s a better guard option as a backup. None of his game would be worth passing on extending Steve Avila or Kevin Dotson for.
If you think that’s worth a top-100 selection, sure. I don’t. It’s depth, at least.
Grade: D
Round 6, No. 197: CJ Daniels, WR, Miami (FL)
The Rams traded three picks to move up 10 spots at the end of the sixth round. That’s already a rough start.
CJ Daniels is not really what they need at wide receiver. He won’t beat press coverage as he’s just an average athlete. Daniels doesn’t really threaten anyone after the catch. He’s already 24 years old and maxed out, without any special teams experience on his resume. Daniels has never had a 100-yard game after transferring up from Liberty, and he’s struggled to stay healthy.
With all of the wide receiver talent that was still available, this was a bad one to begin with. The trade makes it even worse.
Grade: F
Round 7, No. 232: Tim Keenan III, DT, Alabama
A depth nose tackle, he brings some solid power and ability to hold up at the point of attack. Much like Poona Ford, he is short and stout as a defensive tackle. What you see is what you get. He’ll hold the point of attack well and plays with good leverage. Additionally, he was a team captain for the Tide. The Rams wanted to improve their run defense and depth at nose tackle, and Keenan is that.
Keenan is a very limited athlete who has struggled to maintain his weight and didn’t have much production in his final season. He won’t offer much, if anything, in the passing game, but he is a solid run defender.
Grade: B
Full Rams Draft Class
- Round 1, Pick 13: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
- Round 2, Pick 61: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
- Round 3, Pick 93: Keagan Trost, OT, Missouri
- Round 6, Pick 197: CJ Daniels, WR, Miami (FL)
- Round 7, Pick 232: Tim Keenan III, DT, Alabama
Final Draft Class Grade
It’s hard to really be enthused with this haul for the Los Angeles Rams. They are in a Super Bowl, win-now window, and added QB3, TE4/5, OT3, WR6, and DT7 with five picks. They didn’t draft a single cornerback. After meeting with a talented linebacker class, the Rams once again passed on it.
What does this draft class solve? They added depth. Who are the difference-makers? The most likely productive player in Klare might catch 15-20 passes as a rookie. Keenan is the third nose tackle on the depth chart. Daniels can’t stay healthy. Trost has already been relegated to a swing backup role as soon as he was drafted, per Sean McVay.
To top it all off, the Ty Simpson selection already looks like a disaster. The Rams’ PR steamroll of the pick has caused more questions than answers. The team has already admitted they will be extending Matthew Stafford to a multi-year deal, meaning Simpson won’t play for at least two more seasons without injury.
The Rams are so confident that their roster is Super Bowl-caliber that they punted on upgrading anywhere. They are banking on everything holding up like last year, with no regression or injuries anywhere. That approach is riddled with hubris for a roster that struggled down the stretch of the season and came within seconds of losing in each round of the playoffs.
This approach is the same thing they did at cornerback heading into last season. It’s what they’ve done at linebacker. It’s what they’ve done on special teams. Every year, they don’t address key areas on the roster, and then get surprised when that area kills them in season. They then spend additional draft capital to fix it, when they could have done it much earlier.
There’s no ifs and or buts about it, I think this is quite comfortably one of the least encouraging rookie hauls I’ve ever seen the Rams produce. Bad process all the way around. I hope I’m wrong.
Grade: D-
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