Rams quietly anticipating breakouts from these 3 young players

The Los Angeles Rams and general manager Les Snead seem to have a knack for knowing where to swing big to infuse new talent and where to allow young players to grow and develop.

That claim might seem at odds with the 2026 offseason. Snead once again prioritized the present with a pair of blockbuster trades. He did so, however, by cannibalizing the Rams' future in surrendering multiple high-value draft picks. You can't develop young players you don't have.

But the Rams are leaning into the growth and development of several key prospects already on the roster. Specifically, they would love to see breakouts from receiver Konata Mumpfield, edge rusher Josaiah Stewart, and return specialist Xavier Smith.

All have shown flashes. How they build on that promise in training camp and beyond could offer a glimpse of L.A.'s future. Watching them mature might just take some patience.

Most-improved Rams could fill vital depth roles even this season

Mumpfield is a most-improved candidate on the Rams offense. Considering only his rookie box-score stats might suggest he is unlikely to see much playing time this season. But if you watched him play, you would see something else entirely.

Mumpfield was not given simple possession routes to guarantee the catch. Instead, he was tasked with running difficult routes, making circus catches, and threatening defenses to create space for teammates to move the chains. Mumpfield simply lacked the opportunity in training camp last year to synchronize with sidelined quarterback Matthew Stafford. He won't miss that in 2026.

Stewart is Mumpfield's most-improved candidate counterpart on defense. Even with Myles Garrett in the fold, trading away edge rusher Jared Verse could create a more significant role for Stewart. He combines Byron Young's speed with the hairpin corner turns of former Rams edge rusher Von Miller.

As a rookie, he manufactured 3.0 quarterback sacks and 22 tackles in 374 snaps. Those numbers will go up dramatically in 2026.

Stewart did not rot on the bench during the playoffs. Instead, he remained an engaged participant. He grew with every rep. With a year under his belt, he could be poised to erupt.

For his part, Smith was a tale of two halves in 2025. He emerged as a weapon in the wide receiver ranks, a young player whose speed and catch rate made the 10-million-dollar man, Tutu Atwell, expendable. Unfortunately, his muffed punt in the NFC Championship Game is what stands out in fans' memories. It was the cherry on top of a Rams special teams season that was anything but special.

If lessons spring from setbacks, then Smith has earned a doctorate in the pro football version. And he has had an entire offseason to gear up for his best season yet.

Smith has been a special teams one-stop shop for the Rams. Despite his gaffe, the team made no effort to insert competition at punt returner. Smith has been gifted a chance to step up, and he has every opportunity to do just that.

To be clear, these three players do not represent a last resort for the Rams. Rather, they are the most promising of the roster's young prospects to realize tremendous upside in 2026. Substantial growth from either Mumpfield (a seventh-round pick) or Stewart (a third-rounder) would instantly make last year's underwhelming draft class appear much stronger.

As always, thanks for reading.

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