Rams rescued from mock draft disaster by Miami's surprise Jaylen Waddle trade

Tuesday morning, the Miami Dolphins reminded everyone that the offseason is far from over by trading receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos for a haul of draft picks.

Okay. How does this involve the Los Angeles Rams? 

Well, Miami now has a Waddle-sized hole in the receiver room. The Dolphins' new need could save the Rams from themselves in the 2026 NFL draft. 

Before the trade, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. had Los Angeles selecting Jordyn Tyson at No. 13 in his latest mock draft, a tantalizing pick except for the fact that Tyson can't stay healthy. That's not a great fit when Rams receivers do dirty work on a daily basis in their blocking schemes.

All-in on another Super Bowl, they can't afford to burn their first-round pick on a player who may or may not be available to contribute. 

After flipping Waddle, however, the Dolphins may need to re-think their own first-round selection at No. 11. Kiper's updated mock draft has them swiping Tyson two spots ahead of the Horns, averting potential catastrophe in LA. 

Dolphins would be doing Rams a favor by taking Tyson off the board

Intriguingly, Kiper initially mocked Tyson to Los Angeles despite the fact that Makai Lemon was still on the board. In his updated version, he has them going with Miami Hurricanes tackle Francis Mauigoa. That's a fine pick, but this Rams fan still isn't convinced they would pass up Lemon in that scenario. 

Meanwhile, the Dolphins desperately need a receiver of some kind. No, they aren't going to win many games, but they still need to field an NFL roster. No wideout currently on the team amassed over 317 receiving yards last season. 

Denver's 2026 first-rounder, No. 30 overall, is the most valuable incoming draft asset for Waddle, so if the Dolphins want a high-end receiver, they will have to take him with their own pick. 

For the Rams, the choice is clear. If they draft a receiver, Lemon makes a world more sense than Tyson, whether the latter is available or not. 

At this point, most Los Angeles fans probably don't need to be convinced of Lemon's appeal. He has sound fundamentals, runs his routes well, and is a versatile playmaker out of the slot. He is ready to produce in the pros.

If Tyson has an edge, it is with his upside. Attributed with "legitimate WR1 potential," he is bigger, stronger, and, when healthy, just as much of a producer. In 2024 at Arizona State, he reeled in 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns, numbers nearly identical to Lemon's 2025 stats at USC. 

But Tyson's injury history should terrify the Rams. In his freshman year at Colorado, he tore the ACL, MCL, and PCL ligaments in his knee. He returned from injury to appear in the final three games for Arizona State in 2023. Despite his success next season, he broke his collarbone late in the year and underwent surgery. In 2025, he missed time due to hamstring issues. 

Is he more or less likely to hold up in the NFL, particularly when the Rams hand out physical blocking assignments like candy on Halloween? Unfortunately, let's go with less.

Unlike many teams in front of them, Los Angeles is not a tanking organization that can afford to gamble on a wait-and-see prospect. In Tyson's case, talent is not the question. The question is whether he'll stay healthy. 

Hopefully, those concerns would be enough to steer the Rams in a more stable direction with their highest pick in a decade. Just in case they find themselves tempted on draft day, though, putting Tyson out of immediate reach could preserve their better judgment. He's all yours, Miami.