Rams could be the perfect fit for a first-round weapon who isn’t a wide receiver

The 2026 NFL Draft is around the corner, and Los Angeles Rams fans are trying to figure out what the team will do with their first-round pick. The Rams currently hold the 13th-overall pick, and after trading a first-round pick for All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie, Los Angeles could go in several different directions with its first selection.

One position that the Rams have been linked to is wide receiver. It has been clear that Los Angeles wants to add to its already talented receiver group, so everyone has been exploring which prospect would be the best fit. While any of the top receiver prospects would be exciting additions, one analyst recently named the Rams as the best fit for a weapon who isn’t a receiver.

That prospect is tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and in a recent ESPN piece, analyst Matt Bowen argued that the tight end can bring Los Angeles some of the same solutions a wide receiver would.

Rams named a great fit for top-ranked tight end prospect Kenyon Sadiq

With Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, and Terrance Ferguson all still on the roster, Bowen makes it clear that tight end is not a need for Los Angeles. However, because of Sadiq’s size and unique ability, the analyst thinks the tight end could be a special weapon for the Rams.

"The Rams don't have a major need at tight end, but Sadiq should be viewed as a matchup player for Sean McVay's offense. With his frame and 4.39 speed, Sadiq could be a seam stretcher for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Plus, McVay could use Sadiq as a backside X receiver/power slot to draw favorable man matchups. And he would fit as a catch-and-run target on boot action concepts; Stafford led the NFL with 75 attempts on designed rollouts in 2025."

Matt Bowen (ESPN)

Sadiq is 6-foot-3, 241 pounds, and runs a sub 4.4 40-yard dash, which makes him a unique tight end. That’s why Bowen envisions Sean McVay using the prospect more so like a wide receiver than a pure tight end. While it would take some creativity, which isn’t a problem for McVay and company, the Rams could accomplish the same thing they would if they selected a receiver, by drafting Sadiq.

If Los Angeles sees it how Matt Bowen does, this could be an intriguing draft night plan for the franchise.