Rams have enticing Plan B if Makai Lemon dreams fall through in NFL draft

You'd better believe head coach Sean McVay would love for the Los Angeles Rams to take USC wide receiver Makai Lemon with the 13th pick of the 2026 NFL draft, giving him an explosive playmaker with the ability to contribute off the bat. Lemon would immediately slot in as the No. 3 receiver and become veteran wide receiver Davante Adams' heir apparent.  

Of course, other teams have their eye on the emerging USC Trojan, too. He could be gone by the time the Rams hit the clock on Day 1 of the draft. Depending on what receiver-needy teams like the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins do, there is a world where rookie wide receiver prospects Carnell Tate, Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson are all unavailable.

If Tyson is the last receiver left, the Horns would have to look past his concerning injury history to pull the trigger.

That possibility should have McVay and general manager Les Snead preparing Plan B. Specifically, if Lemon is off the table, trading back to draft Indiana's wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. or Washington's Denzel Boston wouldn't be such an awful pivot. No, not a bad Plan B at all.

Contingency plan targeting Boston or Cooper would still give Rams a high-end WR

While neither can boast Lemon's sheer production or upside, both Cooper and Boston had their own excellent seasons as No.1 options. Like Lemon, they could come in and be the Rams' third receiver in year one.

Cooper was Fernando Mendoza's top target for the Hoosiers, amassing 937 yards and 13 touchdowns. While initially a less attractive prospect than his teammate, Elijah Serratt, Cooper seized the mantle of most appealing Indiana receiver by year's end. With his stock steadily rising, NFL Mock Draft Database ranks him 28th among all prospects.

Labeled a prototypical Rams receiver, Cooper is of similar size to Lemon, though a touch larger at 6 feet and 204 pounds, per Pro Football Focus. He is known for his reliable hands and his ability to produce all over the field, whether lined up inside or outside. In Indiana's National Championship victory over Miami, he contributed five catches for 71 yards.

During the season, Cooper also tallied 74 rushing yards on three carries, including a touchdown. Like Lemon, he is an all-around playmaker. 

Boston could have had even better numbers for Washington if not for a November ankle injury that limited him to 11 games. He finished with 62 catches for 881 yards and 11 TDs, ending on a high note in the Huskies' rout of Boise State in the Bucked Up LA Bowl. At 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds, his size makes him a natural boundary target. 

That edge won't disappear in the NFL, where most defensive backs are around 6-foot flat. Some are smaller. Boston certainly sounds like a weapon Matthew Stafford wouldn't mind having in key situations, a guy who can bring down 50-50 balls at better odds than that. 

"Boston thrives in a timing-based passing game, where his nuanced route running and reliable hands translate seamlessly to the NFL, particularly on crucial third-down situations where his physicality becomes a deciding factor." - NFL Mock Draft Database

Boston's sweet spot is in the midrange, 15 to 25 yards downfield. While he won't be a Tutu Atwell go-route replacement, he could succeed Adams as the No. 2 option, a security blanket even early on in his career.

Oh, and Rams fans will love this: Boston's pro comparison via NFL.com's Lance Zierlein is none other than Puka Nacua. 

"But the offense doesn't need two Pukas." Don't even start. How about a receiver room full of them? McVay will make it work.

For his part, Cooper posted a 4.42 40-time at the NFL Combine and was compared to Deebo Samuel, reflecting his do-it-all ceiling as a scrimmage yards maniac. 

Either way, missing out on Lemon would be a bummer, but picking up extra assets in a trade-back plus one of Cooper or Boston would be hard to beat as a backup plan. Rain or shine, the Rams are getting their first-round receiver.