Rams fans heave sigh of relief as Snead trades up to snag predictable rookie receiver

The Los Angeles Rams once held 10 draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. But the team is content to emerge with only five drafted rookies. That's right.

General manager Les Snead shipped off three 2026 NFL draft picks in a package to land Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie. Then, in Round 6, the team packaged their remaining trio of picks to trade up and select Miami wide receiver CJ Daniels.

LA has retained the 232nd overall pick in Round 7 as the team's final pick.

Was it a wise choice? Clearly, Snead thought so. And after mocking CJ Daniels to Los Angeles, we have to agree. Daniels is fast enough to stretch the field, tall enough to create a huge target, and versatile enough to compete for multiple roles in this offense.

Here is what we had to say about Daniels:

"6-foot-2, 205-pound wide receiver CJ Daniels is the type of versatile player who adds a deep-threat to the offense, plus the speed to cover and return on special teams. He may need help to polish his ability to create separation, but Davante Adams is perfectly suited to mentor one more rookie."

Sounds like a Rams fit already.

Rams rookie draft class followed Les Snead's 2027 checklist

There is a clear pattern forming from Les Snead's draft in 2026. And if you have not yet detected it, we spelled it out to readers in a previous article. LA is backing up aging veterans with fresh rookies at that position.

So far, the pattern has stuck over the first four picks.

• QB Matthew Stafford -> QB Ty Simpson
• TE Tyler Higbee -> TE Max Klare
• OT Rob Havenstein -> OT Keagan Trost
• WR Davante Adams -> WR CJ Daniels
• 232nd -> ???

So, what should fans know about Daniels, the latest rookie to fit the Rams roster and the checklist pattern?

Daniels played four seasons for Liberty, and then one for LSU, and finally one for Miami. He fits the description that Les Snead coined a year ago, as Daniels proved an ability to play Frogger at a faster pace. While he remains a bit raw in footwork, he has an unparalleled mastery of tempo.

That is, he can instinctively slow down and speed up to throw off defensive backs and position himself to be the lone player who can make the catch.

Standing just over 6-foot-2 and weighing 202 pounds, he has the build of Puka Nacua. While timed at 4.58 seconds in his 40, he plays much faster on a football field. And he possesses a bag of tricks to create separation from the snap, a quality he will only improve under the tutelage of veteran Davante Adams.

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