A way-too-early 2026 Rams mock draft that lands Rams rookie QB Garrett Nussmeier

The Los Angeles Rams have a lot going for themselves when it comes to the 2026 NFL Draft. While the team will almost certainly need to find a treasure trove of players who are ready to suit up and play as rookies, the team enters the three-day event loaded with a surprisingly bursting box of ammunition.

This Rams draft event is projected to have 10 selections, and four selections in the Top 100 players chosen. Contrast that with a 2022 NFL Draft that did not find the Rams stepping up to the podium until the 104th overall pick. The Rams have only made one Round 1 selection in the NFL draft since hiring Sean McVay as the head coach. The Rams have not made multiple draft picks since the 2014 NFL Draft, the year that the team wisely selected DT Aaron Donald.

There are many things to decide before any 2026 Rams Mock Draft can claim to be a legitimate facsimile of the three-day event. College players must compete in the 2025 season. Then, they will choose to compete in post-season feature bowl games. They will showcase their athleticism during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Pro Days, and finally, declare for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Meanwhile, all 32 NFL teams must play their upcoming seasons, and their final records will determine the order of team selections.

So, draft orders will change. Rookie draft profiles will change. And even the team's needs will change. So we're not putting this out as a soothsaying prediction. Rather, this is representative of what might occur in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Rams know that the team needs help at multiple critical positions in the immediate future. Rams GM Les Snead eyed the 2026 NFL Draft as the opportunity to make some huge moves to upgrade the Rams roster for the foreseeable future.

So, who could be added to the team in next year's draft? You are going to love this

Round 1 - QB Garrett Nussmeier

While the jury is out for the 2025 college football season, NFL Draft analysts are already lining up behind the NFL potential of LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier. He is not just a projected top-tier rookie quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, but a true consensus Top-10 rookie prospect. As you may remember, not every Top 10 rookie prospect hears his name called out where they expect to (as was the case for OLB Jared Verse in the 2024 NFL Draft).

The 2026 NFL Draft has plenty of marquee options, and Nussmeier is among the best of the bunch. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 200 pounds, Nussmeier may need to bulk up a bit with some work in the gym to enhance his physicality and durability, but he is already putting the ball on the money. He exploded for over 4000 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in his first season of starting. He has all of the physical and mental processing skills necessary to be an NFL franchise quarterback. Best of all, he exhibits all of the leadership qualities that the Rams demand from the position.

Round 1 - OT Spencer Fano

The Rams have to address the offensive tackle position once and for all. While I love what starting tackles Rob Havenstein and Alaric Jackson have done for the team through 2025, the truth is that the hallmark of a great offensive lineman - durability - has been absent from either player for several years. For Havenstein, it's been a tale of age and fragility. For Jackson, it's been a smorgasbord of suspensions, injuries, and concerning medical conditions. There is only one solution: Draft an elite offensive tackle.

Utah Utes offensive tackle Spencer Fano has the aura of an offensive tackle who can start in his rookie season. Standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 305 pounds, Fano is a right tackle by trade and fills the more urgent need for this team's growing list of challenges. Utah has been renowned for generating great NFL offensive linemen, so why not target a graduate from OL University? But there are more reasons to select Fano than pedigree.

Fano may be earmarked as a right tackle, but he brings the entire gamut of skills needed to flourish in the NFL. He explodes out of his stance like a wrecking ball, but has the lateral movement and agility of a ballroom dancer. He is fearless, with a smoldering confidence that spreads to his teammates. He can even recover and re-engage if initially beaten. Best of all, the Rams' two Round 1 picks allow the team to land a superb QB and offensive lineman on Day 1.

Round 2 - OT Caleb Lomu

Okay, here's where I use what we've learned about the Los Angeles Rams drafting trends and apply it to the 2026 NFL Draft. You see, if the Rams love the potential of rookie OT prospect Spencer Fano, why not double down and select his left tackle teammate, left tackle Caleb Lomu? When the Rams did so in the 2024 NFL Draft, the team hit the jackpot with two defenders out of Florida State who were both in the running for DROY honors. Can the team hit a similar jackpot by teaming up collegiate offensive tackles in the NFL?

At 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds, Lomu may seem a bit undersized for the demands at the NFL level.

CBS Sports writer Josh Edwards recently penned a 2026 NFL Mock Draft for Round 1, and had Lomu as a Round 1 selection for the San Francisco 49ers. In his write-up, Edwards touted the need for the 49ers to replace veteran LT Trent Williams, and Caleb Lomu struck his fancy as the next rookie prospect up to the challenge.

"(Caleb) Lomu looks the part of a big-time NFL left tackle. The 2026 NFL Draft would be his first year of eligibility, so there is physical maturation that is still taking place. There are glimpses of some advanced technical work, and Lomu could be a part of a strong offensive tackle class."
Josh Edwards

I'm not convinced that a 295-pound left tackle hears his name called out on Day 1. Should he fall to the Rams in Round 2, he creates an excellent path to harness two premier offensive tackles in the same draft. The Rams would love to ensure that the offense can pivot from one of the most expensive units in the NFL to one of the most exciting and young offensive groups.

Round 3 - S Kamari Ramsey

While the Rams spend their first three draft picks on the offensive side of the football, don't despair. This team understands that the defense will need some attending to as well. Who better to add to the Rams' secondary than a promising defensive back who has put on a display in the team's backyard, USC rookie safety prospect Kamari Ramsey.

This may be a modern era, but this 6-foot-0, 204-pound safety loves to go old school when it comes to his performance on the football field. He doesn't duck, arm tackle, or lower his head and blindly ram a ball carrier. He wraps up the receiver like a snake wraps up its prey, and brings the ball carrier to the ground in a not-too-gently fashion. But he is more than a tackler, as he sticks to his target in pass coverage. He sees and calculates where he needs to be instantly. He is incredibly versatile, with the size, speed, and smarts to handle any role behind the defensive line of scrimmage.

He oozes DB Coach Aubrey Pleasant attitude and fit.

Round 5- CB D'Angelo Ponds

The Rams have had mixed success with smallish cornerbacks. While the team may be discouraged from taking a chance on 5-foot-9, 170-pound Indiana rookie cornerback prospect D'Angelo Ponds, his talent and NFL potential are simply too much to resist in Round 5. By rights, Ponds' collegiate production warrants his selection on Day 2, but NFL teams do not rush to add smaller corners.

They have had their own hit-or-miss experiences as well. So why would the Rams swim against the current for Ponds?

Well, Ponds transferred from James Madison (2023) to Indiana (2024), and his on-field production skyrocketed. The Rams love rookie prospects who bet on themselves in bigger football programs, and covet the ones who win that gamble. Because he cannot out-muscle his opponent, Ponds wins by superior speed, smarts, and subterfuge. In essence, D'Angelo Ponds is an expert at playing possum and timing his leap to deflect or come down with the football instead of the receiver.

He is a ball-hawker who takes chances. But he will need to exhibit a more disciplined approach, whether in 2025 or post-season bowl games, to truly earn high marks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Round 5 - WR Nyck Harbor

The Rams have not had much success at finding a role for former TE/WR hybrid Jacob Harris. But South Carolina rookie wide receiver prospect Nyck Harbor could be too much talent and potential to resist. The thing is, there is no consensus as to when Harbor will hear his name. Some draft analysts love his size and speed, projecting him as early as Round 1. Other draft analysts point to the lack of production, just 571 receiving yards and four touchdowns, as an indication that he is far too unreliable to be selected before Day 3.

In my mock draft simulator, Harbor was still on the board in Round 5.

His 2025 season is paramount for draft analysts to find common ground over Harbor. If he plays as well as his 6-foot-5, 235-pound frame and projected 40-yard dash times in the 4.20s, he very likely could hear his name on Day 1. But he has had those advantages all along and has yet to have any material positive impact on the football field. I do not believe that Harbor explodes this season, but the Rams will love the added dimensions he brings to an NFL offense.

Round 6 - CB Jyaire Hill

The Rams will be interested in reinforcing the secondary, and Michigan rookie cornerback prospect Jyaire Hill is ideally suited to compete for a significant role in the Rams' defense in 2026. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 185 pounds, Hill has the size and frame to add a bit more muscle armor in the gym without slowing him down on the football field. He is also blessed with superb speed, giving him a natural ability to cover receivers like a wet blanket.

He was benched for disciplinary reasons in 2024, but the Rams have insights into the team that can shed light on whether the matter deserve caution. Hill is a young, raw defensive back with tremendous upside and immediate impact on coverage units of special teams.

Round 6 - WR J. Michael Sturdivant

Florida Gators rookie wide receiver prospect J. Michael Sturdivant is an intriguing option for the 2026 NFL Draft. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 205 pounds, Sturdivant exudes a go-to receiver who can move the chains, be a dominant red zone weapon, and even stretch the field. The problem is that when the former California wide receiver transferred to compete for two seasons in UCLA's offense, he regressed significantly.

He has transferred to Florida for his fifth college football season, hoping to turn his statistical trend in a positive direction.

He is a remarkable athlete and will likely find his stock rising regardless of his 2025 season statistics, simply from a superb 2026 NFL Scouting Combine performance. He is happy to block, to be a decoy, and to play special teams. He may not be a plug-and-play starter, but he offers enough to be a solid selection here.

Round 7 - DT Chris McClellan

Missouri rookie defensive tackle prospect Chris McClellan is one of those all-over-the-board prospects who will have plenty of eyes on him in 2025. A former Florida Gator, this 6-foot-4, 320-pound defensive lineman is entering his fourth season of college football. While his move to the Missouri Tigers is not exactly a move to a more challenging football program, it paid off handsomely for McClellan, who put up career-high numbers.

How good is McClellan? Some 2026 NFL mock drafts have him coming off the board as early as Day 2. While that seems overly optimistic, he would be a steal in Round 7 of the draft, which is where he was found in my mock draft simulator.

This defense needs a steady and rapid rotation of defensive linemen, and McClellan brings plenty of passion and production to compete for consideration for a significant role on this defense.

Round 7 - Edge Marvin Jones Jr.

The LA Rams struck paydirt in the 2024 NFL Draft by selecting both OLB Jared Verse and DT Braden Fiske. So why not return to the same well for another bucket of fresh defensive talent? Well, the ideal edge rusher could still be on the draft board, and if he is, the Rams would be delighted to select Florida State edge rusher Marvin Jones Jr.

Jones transferred to Florida State from Georgia as a replacement for Verse. While he did not replicate Verse's production, he did show up with a tremendous breakout season. He put up 25 tackles, six tackles for a loss, and 4.0 quarterback sacks. Now, he is returning to showcase even more on-field production.

He is projected as a late draft prospect, but he has been hampered by competing for snaps among some of the best pass rushers in college football. In 2025, he is projected as a full-time starter. If he does well, his draft stock will be buoyed. Until that happens, he is a promising young man whose potential outweighs his production. He stands 6-foot-5 and tips the scales at 247 pounds. That is persistent potential for a powerhouse NFL edge rusher.

And he flashes that potential at times.

Ultimately, he brings a plug-and-play special-teams contributor to the NFL with the upside potential for a whole lot more. Is that enough to hear his name called out by the Rams in Round 7? You bet it is.

As always, thanks for reading.