The Los Angeles Rams went into the 2026 NFL Draft without any glaring needs, which is a good thing. And they drafted like it. For a team in win-now mode, they prioritized the future and used their early picks on players who may not contribute at all in 2026.
Knowing they were just about set for the upcoming season, the Rams made sure to add players who will be around for the long haul and help replace some potential veteran departures in 2027 and beyond.
The result? A class that yielded mixed feelings from experts. We compiled 10 expert grades for the Rams’ class and the majority of them were low on what L.A. did. Of the 10 grades, only three were a B- or better. There were also three of D+ or worse.
Even though some experts have come around on the idea of drafting Ty Simpson, they also question how he’ll perform in the NFL after having just one season of starting experience in college.
And for a team that was so successful on offense last season, using four of its first five picks on that side of the ball was slightly puzzling. Below is a list of expert grades, and you can find our individual pick grades here.
USA TODAY: C+ (26th)
Their most notable accomplishments? Acquiring McDuffie for three 2026 picks, including No. 29 overall and a pair on Day 3. Also? Coach Sean McVay really, really, really appreciates QB Matthew Stafford, the league’s 2025 MVP, and would never want him to think otherwise. Maybe first-round QB Ty Simpson, chosen 13th overall as Stafford’s heir apparent – which may mean 2029? – and his four fellow draftees will all become key members of this operation. None are likely to do so in 2026, a year when the Rams are very much expected to be Super Bowl contenders … even if they didn’t get a rookie who might have put them over the top.
Draft Wire: D+
ESPN: C+
And while Simpson is accurate, smart and mobile, there’s really no guarantee this pick makes the team better tomorrow, either. He had just 15 career starts in college — all in one season — and he endured some rough patches. I saw him as a late-Round 1 target for a team with a much bigger QB need. Hopefully he can learn behind Stafford and become a legit starter for the Rams in a year or two, but this was probably the most confusing move of Day 1.
Max Klare was a slight reach on Day 2, but it was another spot where I thought Los Angeles could get that missing WR3 (and maybe future WR2 if Davante Adams isn’t on the team in 2027 when his deal expires). Zachariah Branch would have been a jolt of lightning out of the slot. And because I have Keagen Trost kicking inside in the pros, the Rams went into Saturday without a single one of their top three needs accounted for. CJ Daniels caught seven touchdowns last season, but he isn’t the WR3 I was hoping to see.
NFL.com: B+
The Rams chose a potential successor to Matthew Stafford with the 13th overall pick, which they received from Atlanta in a 2025 draft-day deal. Simpson was a one-year starter at Alabama and showed his lack of experience at times, but the team clearly thought his physical gifts and mental acuity made him worth acquiring instead of trying to fill needs at receiver and offensive tackle. Klare possesses the hands, toughness and short-area quickness to be a good NFL tight end, but we’ll see if he proves himself worthy of a Round 2 selection. Trost’s sturdiness as a pass protector could earn him a starting job in the near future.
The Ringer: C-
The team’s acquisition of star cornerback Trent McDuffie can be included in the Rams’ haul here (he was acquired for the team’s first-rounder plus fifth- and sixth-rounders), but L.A.’s actual picks were puzzling. GM Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay shocked the world when they took Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick, an interesting selection, considering the team is right in the prime of its championship window under reigning MVP Matthew Stafford. Going with a developmental passer like Simpson (who has just 15 college starts on his résumé) over an immediate impact playmaker on either side of the ball could be a decision the Rams regret late in the 2026 season. On top of that, the second-round selection of Ohio State Max Klare was also a bit strange, especially since L.A. already has Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson, and Davis Allen under contract and spent the 46th overall pick on Terrance Ferguson last year. In the third round, the team grabbed tackle Keagen Trost, a 25-year-old seventh-year senior who could provide depth on the offensive line. Overall, it feels like the Rams missed an opportunity to add pieces that could help them load up for a Super Bowl run in 2026—and the Simpson pick could drive a wedge between Stafford and the team’s brass.
Pro Football Focus: C
Simpson: In a spot where many assumed the Rams would look to bolster their short-term Super Bowl window with Matthew Stafford at quarterback with an early first-round pick, they instead opted to take a swing on the future at the position in a post-Stafford world. There was growing momentum that Simpson would be selected toward the end of the first round — he ranked 38th on the Consensus Big Board — but few expected him to come off the board this early. Simpson has just one year of starting experience, and Los Angeles is betting that the time spent behind Stafford and with Sean McVay will help clean up some of the timing and ball placement inconsistencies in his game.
CBS Sports: A-
The Rams only had three picks in the first five rounds and used them all on offensive players. And they kept the trend alive on Day 3 when they finally got the receiver many thought they would prioritize in the first round.
On one hand, finding the heir to Matthew Stafford makes a lot of sense. On the other, drafting Ty Simpson on Day 1 is a bit of a head-scratcher. The No. 13 pick feels early for a prospect who was no sure thing to go in the first round. This will likely be one of the most scrutinized selections of the entire draft.
Sporting News: D (32nd)
Analysis: Sean McVay’s face after the first-round sleection of Simpson has had too many explanations after GM Les Snead went against the grain for a QB prospect he knew well. It was a major wasted pick for a contender early. Klare just adds to a croweded position. There was no real impact here for 2026 with big questions as well for 2027 and beyond.
Yahoo Sports: D+
Here’s why: I’ve grown to understand the Ty Simpson selection the more I’ve sat with it. Slightly. Stafford insurance, both for this season and beyond, is something the Rams have desperately wanted. And adding Simpson to the quarterback room means the Rams have a succession plan for a post-Stafford world, while also not being at the mercy of Stafford’s back and one-year extensions. While I was more comfortable with Simpson on Day 2, which is where I had him graded, quarterbacks get inflated all the time when teams decide to select their guy. It’s still a little rich to me for a player who I think lacks high-end upside that you usually want with your first-round quarterbacks. It’s why I would have preferred the Rams, who were the Super Bowl favorites heading into draft week, to have boosted their team with another weapon (and Davante Adams age/injury insurance). Either way, whether Sean McVay and Les Snead are correct will be determined later, potentially much later.
Sports Illustrated: B-
Analysis: It’s fine that the Rams took Simpson as high as they did because teams don’t wait to draft quarterbacks. The problem, though, is that Simpson started only one season in college and now will have to wait a year or two for playing experience while serving as Matthew Stafford’s backup. Still, the Rams have a loaded roster, one good enough to win it all, especially at tight end. Klare offers athleticism in the passing game and offers a similar skill set to last year’s second-round pick, Terrance Ferguson.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 2026 NFL Draft grades: Most experts not high on Rams’ class
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
