Warren McClendon should take Rams mock draft pattern as personal insult

Los Angeles Rams right tackle Warren Clendon Jr. established himself as a solid offensive tackle for LA last season. Stepping in for the injured veteran and starting right tackle, Rob Havenstein, McClendon made 10 starts and doubled his snap count from the year before. The former fifth-round pick was nothing short of a lifesaver.

According to Pro Football Focus, he wasn't just solid, either. McClendon ranked seventh among 89 graded tackles. He scored well above average in pass protection, one spot out of the top third, and fifth in run blocking.

He also posted the fourth-lowest pressure rate allowed, 3.1%, at the position. Per PFF, he allowed one sack and committed one penalty. Still not a starter? 

Nonetheless, mock drafts keep handing the Rams high-rated tackles at No. 13 overall, players projected to be year-one starters. Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest roundup for ESPN gives Los Angeles the University of Miami's offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. PFF recently suggested they select Utah's OT Spencer Fano. 

McClendon should look at that and see a whole lot of fuel to dominate as the Rams' starting right tackle in 2026.

McClendon has given Rams little reason to seek a replacement

The Rams already have a sure thing in left tackle Alaric Jackson. He is under contract through 2027, though his contract is structured to minimize the cap hit if LA decides to cut him for some reason after next season. Things change fast in the cold business world of the NFL, but that seems highly unlikely. 

McClendon, on the other hand, is entering the final year of his rookie deal and could command a sizable salary next offseason if he plays well again in 2026. He might not be back, an outcome the Rams must keep in mind, though he could also be a strong extension candidate.  

It's also possible that his performance last year was a 667-snap flash in the pan (seems like a stretch). Ideally, could the Rams use some depth and insurance behind him? Sure. That's what veteran free agents and Day 2-3 picks are for. 

Drafting a tackle at No. 13 would be a whole different ball game. That player is supposed to start as a rookie. Of the eight offensive linemen drafted in the first round last year, every one was a starter. That includes four players taken later than 13th overall. That's just how it works. 

By drafting Mauigoa or Fano, the Rams would effectively be declaring a new starter or using a pick unjustifiably high for McClendon's backup. The organization's highest pick since 2016 would be an awfully expensive price for so-called training camp competition. 

Yes, Mauigoa and Fano are appealing players in a vacuum. Yes, injuries happen, and McClendon may depart in free agency next winter. Yes, Havenstein retired (he only played seven games last year, anyway). Those are reasonable considerations, but with how well McClendon played last year, he has a right to be disgruntled over the notion that the Horns should draft a replacement. 

That assumes, of course, that NFL players spend their days poring over mock drafts and related content. Wink, wink. 

In all seriousness, though, using the 13th pick on the o-line feels like bad business. Not just McClendon but fans as well might come away scratching their heads, and more than a little irked. That strategy could make sense next year, sure, if McClendon is headed out the door or Jackson suddenly declines. 

But the Rams don't have the Atlanta Falcons' pick in the 2027 NFL draft. They have it this year, and with capable starters in place at tackle, they should spend their selection in a way that benefits them now. That could mean filling the hole at No. 3 receiver, it could mean trading up or trading back. 

Unless a McClendon or Jackson trade is silently in the works, drafting a third starting-caliber tackle in 2026 doesn't make much sense given the Rams' win-now, year-to-year outlook.