Rams land Aztec secondary star in latest post-Super Bowl 3-round mock draft

The day after Super Bowl LX is bittersweet for the Los Angeles Rams. The team witnessed the Seattle Seahawks dismantle the New England Patriots, knowing that it played Seattle much closer. But on the same hand, LA witnessed the Seahawks Achilles Heel.

Physical cornerbacks who can stay close to Jaxon Smith-Njigba can throttle the Seahawks offense back to low gear. And with a sound running defense, they can ensure a victory. ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick noted that the Rams' secondary does not have such star players.

But general manager Les Snead can draft them.

Based on his post-season comments, that is exactly what Snead intends to do. Fortunately, this draft seems to have an abundance of NFL-worthy defensive backs. And LA's roster projects to lose multiple cornerbacks to expiring contracts. So, who can Snead land in this year's rookie class?

Let's check it out.

Rams mock draft: Post-Super Bowl version

Day 1

Offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa - Miami

While the team may be shopping for other positions, Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa falls out of a projected top-five spot to a 13th overall slot. He is too good to be true this far down the draft board. At 6-foot-6 and over 330 pounds, Mauigoa is a man-mountain who is as powerful as they come. Despite his huge mass, he moves like a cheetah both laterally and downfield.

Best of all, he has a long history at right tackle.

Quarterback Ty Simpson - Alabama

While the buzz over rookie quarterback prospects will surely heat up, the interest in any quarterback not named Fernando Mendoza has yet to catch fire. While Ty Simpson may not fall in Round 1 of the draft, if he does, he is a steal for an LA Rams roster that needs a successor for veteran Matthew Stafford.

The beauty of having two first-round picks is exactly what this scenario illustrates. Snead can grab a tumbling quarterback in Round 1 and still address the needs of the team. Simpson loves play action, and will flourish in Los Angeles

Day 2

Cornerback Chris Johnson - San Diego State

While some fans may hope to see Snead address the secondary sooner, San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson will instantly calm their concerns. He is an expert at zone coverage and can diagnose offenses quickly enough to jump routes and pick off passes. If a receiver makes a catch, he is a sure-handed tackler who hits like an angry linebacker.

He even has excellent experience on special teams.

Cornerback Julian Neal - Arkansas

While Johnson flourishes in zone, Arkansas cornerback Julian Neal is more effective in the physical style of man-press coverage. Neal is a super-sized defensive back, listed by some profiles as standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 210 pounds. As such, he is a solid run defender and has the versatility to play anywhere in the defense behind the line of scrimmage.

He is a perfect option if Ahkello Witherspoon won't be back.

The 2026 NFL Draft is bursting with cornerback talent. Historically, teams tend to grab offensive skill players early, increasing the chances that bona fide defensive playmakers in the secondary could still be available later than expected.

This draft reinforces the offensive line, drops a Stafford successor into the building, and then instantly upgrades the secondary. That's about as good as it gets in the first two days of any draft scenario.

As always, thanks for reading.