Rams may revamp draft plans if NFL insider's wild prediction came true

Los Angeles Rams fans would consider USC receiver Makai Lemon a dream pick at 13th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft. If Lemon doesn't fit your fancy, substitute a WR of choice. KC Concepcion is a trendy pick. Trade back if you like - any Denzel Boston takers?

Regardless, the Rams will likely target a wideout in the first round.

That plan would fly out the window if Field Yates' brazen take proves true. In ESPN's latest pre-draft roundtable, the experienced NFL insider floated a doozy.

"We wanted bold, so how about this: Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. will go outside the top 12 picks," Yates declared.

His reasoning: Bain's "outlier" status due to his atypically short arms (30 ⅞"). No first-round pass rusher has measured under 31". Bain will go on Day 1, that much is certain. The question, to take Yates seriously, is where he will fall.

Not a question: if Bain was somehow available for the Rams at No. 13, a solid six spots below his consensus rank, they would have no choice but to scrap their receiver notes and call Bain's name instead.

Rams wouldn't dream of passing on Rueben Bain Jr.

Edge rusher is not a dire need for the Horns. Byron Young and Jared Verse are a dynamic duo at outside linebacker. Meanwhile, securing a No. 3 receiver should be a high priority.

Those considerations granted, taking Bain would be an easy decision.

That's true for many reasons, beginning with Bain himself - Pro Football Focus' third-ranked edge rusher in the nation with an overall score of 92.5. Not only that, his 87.4 run-defense grade ranked ninth. Not bad for a guy supposedly hindered by T. rex arms. Bain wasn’t about to let an unorthodox build keep him from dominating the food chain.

To any skeptics out there (there shouldn't be many), his box-score stats, while impressive, fail to do him justice. A leader on the Hurricanes' title-worthy defense, Bain posted 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles and even registered an interception, rumbling for a 12-yard return at 6-foot-2, 263 pounds.

Those numbers shine brighter in light of his PFF grades and other honors, which include consensus All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

Bain's present and future upside is the best the Rams could hope for. Unsurprisingly, his 6.70 prospect grade projects him as a Year 1 Starter, outdoing Lemon's mark of 6.47 (Plus Starter Within Two Years). Both players have excellent NFL ceilings, but Bain takes the cake.

Maybe that seems like a disingenuous reversal from singing Lemon's praises. The reality is, Bain is a bigger fish than any household name in LA's usual pool of prospects.

Drafting Bain would leave Rams flexibility in overall approach

Bain's unique talent isn't the only factor. While the 2026 draft may lack a traditionally elite receiver, positional depth extends well into Day 2. If the Rams don't take a Round 1 receiver, they could still land Tennessee's Chris Brazzell II, Georgia's Zachariah Branch, or UConn's Skyler Bell at No. 61. They could explore trading up for Boston or Alabama's Germie Bernard.

Or Los Angeles could bounce around in the third, when someone like Bell or Branch might actually still be available. Indiana's Elijah Sarratt or USC's Ja'Kobi Lane might be worth a solid-floor swing later in the round.

Almost certainly, the value of Bain and a fill-in-the-blank receiver would be more than Lemon plus a Day 2 defender of choice.

As much as the Rams truly need a WR3, that they aren't desperate for pass-rush help doesn't mean they couldn't use a boost. As a sophomore, Braden Fiske saw his sacks plunge from 8.5 to 3.5. He didn't provide the same juice.

Imagine Blitzing Young and Verse from outside linebacker while plugging Bain in on the defensive line. Night-night, opposing QBs.

While the trio might be short-lived, that's another point in favor of adding Bain. The Horns can't bank on retaining Young next offseason. With a plethora of other extensions to get done, they could suddenly find themselves unable to meet his demands, leaving a massive hole in the defense. Enter Bain in Year 2 of his rookie deal.

In that context, drafting an edge rusher should hardly be seen as superfluous. Yates' bold prognostication may be unlikely, but it does color Rams fans intrigued.