The Los Angeles Rams have two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft (right now), and will need to start thinking about the future of the franchise when the college season kicks off in a few weeks.
While a lot can happen to the draft order between now and April of next year, L.A. is in an advantageous situation after the Rams traded back with the Atlanta Falcons in the 2025 draft to pick up the additional pick. Now, the team could use one or both of those picks on a veteran before next year’s draft or even package the picks to move up in the 2026 draft, but, for now, analysts are assuming L.A. keeps both picks.
ESPN’s Field Yates went through his first 2026 mock draft and went with two positions everyone knows the Rams will look at next year: Quarterback and cornerback. Matthew Stafford will be 28 next year and is already dealing with a back injury. His time in L.A. and the NFL is coming to a close sooner rather than later. The Rams also haven’t invested in cornerback since the Jalen Ramsey trade, so that’s another area they should look to address in 2026.
Here’s who Yates picked:
No. 9 (via Falcons): Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State
The Rams can capitalize on a bonus first-round pick after Atlanta traded up for James Pearce Jr. in the 2025 draft. It’s not clear whether Matthew Stafford will be playing in 2026, but the Rams can add his heir apparent at the draft either way. Leavitt is an innovator, showing exceptional poise, moxie and creativity under duress. The redshirt sophomore is a talented thrower and very strong runner. He had at least three passing touchdowns and zero interceptions in five of his final seven matchups last season, and he finished with 443 rushing yards on the year. L.A. can start thinking about the future under center with this top-10 pick via Atlanta.
No. 27: Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia
I went into the 2025 draft thinking cornerback was a key area of need for the Rams, but they didn’t take anyone at the position across six picks. I still think some reinforcements there would be helpful; both expected starters on the outside (Darious Williams and Ahkello Witherspoon) are in their 30s. Everette’s excellent length and instincts around the football would boost the unit. He enters his third season as a starter for Georgia with four career picks. And although Everette does not have elite short-area quickness, his 6-foot-1 size and great defensive IQ make him a high-end coverage player.
Leavitt would be one of the best quarterbacks on the board at No. 9 with Arch Manning, LaNorris Sellers and Cade Klubnik already off the board with the first three picks. Drew Allar and Garrett Nussmeier are also options with the pick, but Leavitt is looking at building off a strong 2024 campaign where he threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. As Yates mentioned, Leavitt can also run after he carried the ball 110 times for 443 yards and five scores.
Everette is going to be a four-year player for Georgia by the time he enters the draft and looks like a shutdown cornerback after he finished 2024 with three interceptions, three defended passes and two forced fumbles. Everette also had 58 combined tackles this past season.
Both Leavitt and Everette would be long-term plays for L.A. with short-term value, too. Depending on the quarterback situation, Leavitt could sit behind a veteran like Stafford or Jimmy Garoppolo (or even Stetson Bennett if the Rams want to give him a shot at the starting job first) or immediately take over as QB1. The Rams don’t have a clear path at cornerback with Akhello Witherspoon and Darious Williams on the final years of their deal and both over the age of 30, so Everette would be battling Emmanuel Forbes for the starting role if the team doesn’t also keep Cobie Durant.
This will be one of the most intriguing drafts for Sean McVay and Les Snead. And the Rams have a lot of different paths they could take.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: ESPN’s Field Yates thinks Rams draft QB and CB in 2026
Reporting by Tyler Greenawalt, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
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