Les Snead may have mined another unheralded diamond of this draft in Round 3

Where does general manager Les Snead need to focus? Well, depending on who you talk to, you are bound to get a wide range of different answers. The team was oh-so-close when competing in the NFC Championship Game last season. And thanks to some savvy maneuvering from Snead, the team has already significantly upgraded its secondary.

But what about the offensive line?

There is no question over who will start for the Los Angeles Rams in 2026. The starting lineup consists of:

• Left tackle - Alaric Jackson
• Left guard - Steve Avila
• Center - Coleman Shelton
• Right guard - Kevin Dotson
• Right tackle - Warren McClendon Jr.

There is a problem, though. The only player under contract after this season is left tackle Alaric Jackson. That means the front office must either extend four starting offensive linemen simultaneously, or plan now to replace them in a year. Or both.

Fans can 'Trost' Snead with this surprisingly early steal of the draft

There is no consensus over Keagen Trost on most draft boards. Some view his smallish arms and advanced age, and penalize him with a low projection. Others saw his production as a high-quality blocker in the SEC and projected him as high as Round 2. But ignore where draft analysts thought he might land, let's discuss what he brings to LA today.

With the promotion of swing-tackle Warren McClendon Jr. to starter, the team has an immediate need to backfill that swing tackle role. And the post-draft comments by head coach Sean McVay confirm Trost will project to fill that swing-tackle role.

Why might he be a draft steal? He was one of the best offensive linemen in one of the most competitive college football conferences. An injury hurt his draft stock, or he may have gone as early as Day 1. Instead, he is an ideal solution to an LA Rams challenge.

While fans overall reactions to the Rams draft may be deliberating, general manager Les Snead continues to prove his mastery at finding the right fits to LA's unique needs. Los Angeles may not start any 2026 rookies, but they fill vital roles on the depth chart.

As always, thanks for reading.

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