The Los Angeles Rams added five players in the 2026 NFL Draft, focusing mostly on an offense that ranked first in the league last season.
As is the case with each incoming draft class, players currently on the roster are in danger of being impacted. If a prospect is drafted at the same position, veterans could have their roster spots taken. On the flip side, if the team ignores that position in the draft, it could be seen as a vote of confidence.
Here are the Rams’ biggest winners and losers from the 2026 draft.
Winner: Ty Simpson
Simpson couldn’t have landed in a better spot. He gets a chance to sit behind Matthew Stafford for a year, learn from the reigning MVP and take in all of Sean McVay’s guidance in Los Angeles. He won’t have the opportunity to start as a rookie, barring an injury to Stafford, but he’s not someone who should be thrust into action.
With only one year of starting experience, he needs time to sit and learn before taking the reins of an NFL offense.
Loser: Stetson Bennett
McVay said before the draft that Bennett was viewed as a backup, making no commitment to him as a possible successor. Then, the Rams drafted Simpson with their first pick.
McVay did say Simpson will compete with Bennett to back up Stafford, but this is obviously a bad sign for the former Georgia fourth-round pick. He’s likely on his way out of Los Angeles, so long as Simpson plays well enough in camp and the preseason to win the QB2 job outright.
Winners: Rams WRs
While everyone thought the Rams would take a wide receiver early in the draft, they passed in the first round. And the second. And the third.
They did trade up for CJ Daniels in the sixth round, but it’s not as if they used a top-100 pick on a wide receiver. That’s good news for players such as Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield and Xavier Smith, who probably would’ve been bumped down the depth chart immediately if the Rams took a wideout in the first or second rounds.
Losers: Backup linemen
With the selection of Keagen Trost, the Rams added a lineman who can play guard or tackle. While he’s a candidate to be the swing tackle behind Alaric Jackson and Warren McClendon Jr., he could be a better fit at guard. That puts Justin Dedich and Beaux Limmer on roster watch because Trost could theoretically replace both of them.
David Quessenberry’s roster spot is hardly secure now, either. Trost is a right tackle by trade and could be an immediate upgrade.
Winner: Jarquez Hunter
For the first time since 2017, the Rams didn’t draft a single running back. That snaps a nine-year streak of taking at least one in the draft. If there was ever a year for the Rams to pass on the position, it was 2026. They already have Kyren Williams and Blake Corum, as well as Hunter.
Even with Ronnie Rivers back, Hunter is likely to be the Rams’ RB3 this season after getting no real opportunities as a rookie in 2025.
Losers: Davis Allen and Colby Parkinson
Something’s gotta give. The Rams already have five tight ends on the team with the addition of Max Klare, which will be hard to carry on the 53-man roster. Furthermore, both Allen and Parkinson are in the final year of their contracts, so this could be their final season in L.A.
The Rams may not be able to (or want to) re-sign both of them to extensions, especially now that Klare is in the picture. Klare is a terrific athlete and a great pass-catching tight end, so he could viably replace one of Allen or Parkinson.
Winner: Omar Speights
The Rams continued their trend of not prioritizing the linebacker position once again this year. After there were rumors that they could take one in the second round, they passed on the position altogether. Speights isn’t guaranteed a big role next to Nate Landman, but his chances of securing that spot are much better now than they were before the draft when it looked like the Rams might take a linebacker.
He struggled at times last season, particularly in coverage, but perhaps the Rams are higher on him than we think.
Loser: Ty Hamilton
Hamilton was a major disappointment as a rookie last year, contributing minimally after the Rams traded up for him. In the draft this year, Los Angeles took Tim Keenan III in the seventh round. They don’t play the exact same position, but Hamilton was a weak link on the defensive line last year and the Rams could choose to keep a hulking nose tackle to back up Poona Ford this season instead of someone like Hamilton.
There are only so many D-linemen they can keep, and Hamilton’s job security may have just taken a hit.
Winner: Emmanuel Forbes Jr.
Pre-draft reports suggested that the Rams did a lot of work on this year’s class of cornerbacks, but they didn’t take a single one. That’s a vote of confidence for Forbes, who appears to be the Rams’ No. 3 cornerback as of now behind Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.
Los Angeles has to make a decision on his fifth-year option by May 1, which the team is unlikely to exercise, but his spot on the team in 2026 should be close to secure for now.
Winner: Josaiah Stewart
Before the draft, McVay said the Rams could never have too many guys who can rush the quarterback. And yet, they chose not to draft a pass rusher. Stewart was outstanding as the No. 3 edge rusher last year and he should continue to get better as he keeps developing in the Rams’ system.
He has a great chance to maintain his spot as the primary backup behind Jared Verse and Byron Young, seeing minimal competition at that position.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams winners and losers from the 2026 NFL draft
Reporting by Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire / Rams Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
