The Los Angeles Rams arrive at the 2026 NFL Draft with unfinished business and a roster that general manager Les Snead believes is close enough to the top to warrant aggressive maneuvering. The draft, scheduled for April 23 to 25, represents the next step in building toward Super Bowl LXI, set to be played at SoFi Stadium on Valentine’s Day.
Los Angeles finished last season in the NFC Championship game, a result that stung given how far the team had come. Head coach Sean McVay and Snead made notable additions in free agency this offseason, and attention now turns to what the draft can add to a squad that sees itself as a legitimate contender.
The Rams currently hold picks at No. 13, No. 61 and No. 93 overall. They do not have fourth or fifth-round selections, a gap that will likely shape how Snead approaches the first two rounds.
Trading back is the most likely first move
The absence of mid-round picks creates pressure to move. Snead has shown throughout his tenure that he is willing to trade back from premium positions to accumulate selections in the third and fourth rounds, where he has found contributors before. With no fourth or fifth-round picks on hand, the incentive to slide back from No. 13 or No. 61 in exchange for additional capital is significant.
The third and fourth rounds are where roster depth gets built, and Los Angeles is currently thin in that range. A trade back from the first round that nets an extra third or fourth-round pick would address that problem while still allowing the Rams to select a starter-caliber player slightly later in the process.
Linebacker and the first three rounds
Los Angeles has not taken a linebacker in the first three rounds since selecting Ernest Jones out of South Carolina in 2021. The last linebacker chosen in the first or second round before that was Alec Ogletree of Georgia in 2013. That drought could end this year.
The 2026 linebacker class is considered one of the stronger ones in recent memory, and the Rams have a genuine long-term need at the position. Snead has generally prioritized value over positional need, but when value and need converge, the result is usually a pick. If the right linebacker is available within the first three rounds, expect the team to consider it seriously.
Wide receiver or offensive tackle at No. 13
If Los Angeles stays at the 13th pick, the most likely outcomes point toward an offensive tackle or wide receiver. The organization wants to ensure continuity on the perimeter and at right tackle, where Warren McClendon currently holds the starting role but where long-term questions remain.
Players such as Spencer Fano, Francis Mauigoa and Makai Lemon have been connected to the Rams in various projections leading up to the draft. Each represents a different answer to a different version of the question Snead will face on draft night, and which direction he goes will depend heavily on what the board looks like when the team is on the clock.
Since 2022, Snead has built the roster around Matthew Stafford as the franchise quarterback and constructed a team capable of competing for a championship rather than simply developing for the future. The 2026 draft is less about planting seeds and more about filling the specific gaps that stood between the Rams and the Super Bowl last January.
