Ranking Rams' rookies by training camp pressure they face defines their chances

The Los Angeles Rams welcomed in five rookies via the 2026 NFL Draft, most prominently quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round. While Simpson invites the most scrutiny as Matthew Stafford's heir apparent, everyone will face some level of pressure this summer as the Rams round out a Super Bowl-hopeful roster.

Ohio State tight end Max Klare, the 61st overall pick, will have to prove that drafting another tight end was not a redundant mistake. The Rams need a swing tackle. Can third-rounder Keagen Trost fit the bill?

WR3 is still a total unknown, a roster hole Los Angeles opted not to address earlier in the draft before taking CJ Daniels late on Day 3. Will defensive tackle Keenan Allen III be anything more than a pick-and-forget seventh-rounder? Here's how these five Rams rookies stack up on the pressure scale with OTAs looming later this month.

Pressure rankings for 2026 Rams draft picks as OTAs approach

QB Ty Simpson, first round, No. 13 overall. Don't overthink it. While Simpson is unlikely to see much of the field this season, all eyes will be peeled every time he touches the ball in training camp. The Rams staked out their claim of confidence by investing in Simpson earlier, a lot earlier, than most draft pundits put him on their big boards.

No one is asking him to look NFL-ready on the first day of camp, but here and there, he'll help his cause and the team's by flashing the promise of a future franchise quarterback. Otherwise, the Horns will hear about how they wasted that first-round pick all summer.

Pressure Level: 1 - General rookie pressure to impress coaches

WR CJ Daniels, sixth round, No. 197 overall. This is high for a Day 3 pick, but the state of the roster demands it. Daniels will be in direct competition to land a real role on the receiver depth chart, possibly as the No. 3 option behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. The receiver room is one injury away from being very thin.

Yes, Daniels is a sixth-rounder, but he is under pressure to prove the Rams right for waiting that long to draft a receiver. In terms of potential rookie contributions, he has the biggest opportunity of the bunch.

Pressure Level 3 - Be ready to step into rotational role

OT Keagen Trost, third round, No. 93 overall. This, again, is about opportunity. The Rams don't have a real backup tackle aside from veteran David Quessenberry, who saw 18 snaps last year. Pro Football Focus' s top-graded tackle in college football, Trost is already favored to win the swing-tackle role that Warren McClendon had vacated.

McClendon is the presumptive starting right tackle on the offensive line, but he'll be a free agent after this season. Trost will be competing not only for a rotational role in 2026, but for a potential starting job in Year 2.

Pressure level 6 - Training camp competition could earn him playing time

TE Max Klare, fourth round, No. 61 overall. In reality, Klare can probably fade into the background this season if the Rams' tight end room stays healthy. His real test will come next season, when Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen will be free agents.

In the short term, though, he can still help his case by proving worthy of LA's second pick of the 2026 draft. He might even have a shot at pushing Terrance Ferguson as future TE1. The good thing for Klare is that the Rams are so well stocked at the position that training camp should effectively be a free roll.

Pressure level 6 - Training camp competition could earn him playing time.

DT Tim Keenan III, seventh round, No. 232 overall. Keenan is unlikely to win a major rookie role with Kobie Turner, Poona Ford, and Tyler Davis bringing the bulk in the middle of the defensive front. He is, after all, a seventh-round pick, with commensurate expectations. Still, he'll have a shot to earn priority over Ty Hamilton, a 2025 fifth-rounder.

Especially as a seventh-round pick, Keenan is hardly guaranteed a spot on the 53-man roster. While he is ranked fifth on this list, the stakes between making the cut and ending up on the practice squad or out of the organization are arguably the most stark facing any 2026 Horns draftee.

Pressure level 9 - He could be released to playing significant role in rotational role

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