2026 NFL Mock Draft has Rams using first-round picks on stud RT, defensive stars

The 10-3 Los Angeles Rams have the chance to make a perennial title contender even stronger in the 2026 NFL Draft, as they could use a possible Top 10 pick earned from a trade in the previous draft to bring in a blue-chip talent.

Marcus Mosher and Ryan Fowler of FanSided believe the Rams will eschew picking a quarterback who could follow in Matthew Stafford's footsteps in their 2026 NFL Mock Draft, choosing instead to beef up their offensive line while using their later first-round selection to improve the defense.

Mosher believes the Rams will use the pick that originally belonged to the Atlanta Falcons to select Miami right tackle Francis Mauigoa. With their own pick, a speedy edge rusher in Oklahoma's edge rusher, R Mason Thomas, will be coming to town to bolster the defensive line.

Fowler has the Rams again selecting a tackle, only he went with Utah's Spencer Fano. With the second first-round pick, Los Angeles will keep adding to a secondary that could use some work by taking Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney after a terrific 2025 season.

Rams land franchise OT, defensive star in 2026 NFL Mock Draft

There is some debate between Mauigoa and Fano with regard to who is the top tackle in this class, though Fano seems to be in front of Mauigoa on most big boards. Both of them are tremendous run-blockers, and they should give LA a plan to succeed the veteran Rob Havenstein.

Thomas is never going to be a particularly good run defender due to his lack of great size, but he has the quick first step that Les Snead insists on from his pass rushers. Alongside Jared Verse and Byron Young, an already fearsome front can bring in yet another speedy deputy.

Abney can be a bit handsy, which leads to some penalty problems, but he has experience in both man and zone coverage, as well as a history of playing both boundary and nickel snaps. Even with the development of role players like Emmanuel Forbes, the combination of a lack of depth and the impending free agency of Kam Curl makes the need for a defensive back that much more important.

The Rams have drafted well under Snead when they haven't been armed with a treasure trove of pics, and now they have the chance to bring in a few more contributors that can reinforce their status as an elite team.