DRAFT 2026 NFl Draft: Round 1

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CGI_Ram

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The 2026 NFL Draft

Dates: April 23–25, 2026 (3 days)

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
 (Main venues: Acrisure Stadium / North Shore area and Point State Park)

Full Schedule (all times Eastern Time):

Round 1: Thursday, April 23, 2026 – 8:00 PM ET

Rounds 2–3: Friday, April 24, 2026 – 7:00 PM ET
Rounds 4–7: Saturday, April 25, 2026 – 12:00 PM ET (Noon)

TV/Streaming: ESPN, ABC, NFL Network (plus ESPN Deportes and streaming on NFL+, Disney+, and the ESPN app).

Round One Draft Order
1. Las Vegas Raiders
2. New York Jets
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Tennessee Titans
5. New York Giants
6. Cleveland Browns
7. Washington Commodes
8. New Orleans Saints
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. New York Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals)
11. Miami Dolphins
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons)
14. Baltimore Ravens
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts)
17. Detroit Lions
18. Minnesota Vikings
19. Carolina Panthers
20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers)
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Los Angeles Chargers
23. Philadelphia Eagles
24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars)
25. Chicago Bears
26. Buffalo Bills
27. San Francisco 49ers
28. Houston Texans
29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams)
30. Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos)
31. New England Patriots
32. Seattle Seahawks

Los Angeles Rams (7 picks total)
• Round 1: Pick 13 (acquired from Atlanta Falcons)
• Round 2: Pick 61
• Round 3: Pick 93
• Round 6: Pick 207 (acquired via Houston Texans)
• Round 7: Pick 232 (acquired from Baltimore Ravens)
• Round 7: Pick 251 (compensatory)
• Round 7: Pick 252 (compensatory)

Arizona Cardinals (7 picks total)
• Round 1: Pick 3
• Round 2: Pick 34
• Round 3: Pick 65
• Round 4: Pick 104
• Round 5: Pick 143
• Round 6: Pick 183
• Round 7: Pick 217

San Francisco 49ers (6 picks total)
• Round 1: Pick 27
• Round 2: Pick 58
• Round 4: Pick 127
• Round 4: Pick 133 (compensatory)
• Round 4: Pick 138 (compensatory)
• Round 4: Pick 139 (compensatory)

Seattle Seahawks (4 picks total)
• Round 1: Pick 32
• Round 2: Pick 64
• Round 3: Pick 96
• Round 6: Pick 188 (acquired from Cleveland Browns)
 
My prediction is we'll try and trade up for Love if he's there in 7-10 range but he won't be and then we'll trade down a few spots and pick the offensive playmaker McSnead like best that's left (Sadiq, Lemon, etc) and then they'll trade back into the bottom of the 1st round and draft Ponds.

Edit: would also not be surprised if the opposite happens... trade down and get Ponds and then trade back in to first and draft whatever offensive playmaker excites them the most.
 
I expect a trade down into the early to mid 20's. Maybe pick up next years first or an additional 2nd this year.

TBH I don't think there's a lot of players to trade up for, especially with how much teams will ask in return.

Players I'd be happy with

Cooper Jr @ 20's
Tate @ 13
Freeling @ 13
Fano @ 13
Tyson @ late teens or early 20's
 
At the beginning of the draft process I was happy we'd have a shot at a WR but none of the top 3 truly blow me away.

By mid draft process I felt Rams were in a no mans land at 13 and it was a weak draft and we'd walk away with a very useful but not blue chip WR like Lemon.

Today I feel like Rams are in a great spot at 13, at about the middle of a run on offensive tackles and they will have their choice between a trade down or a very good tackle/guard prospect (Mauigua) or a lottery ticket tackle prospect (Freeling).

The wild card for me is Rams trading up for Tyson or Tate.
 
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The potential sliders, to my eye, that have been consistently cited up in that top ten, are Downs and Reese. Downs because he's a safety and they simply are not a prioritized position, they seem to go lower than where they're cited. And Reese because he's a 100% projection as a pass rusher, the dude is an ILB with strong rush instincts but if teams are slotting him as an Edge he may slide.

Bain I have no idea wtf anyone thinks with his off field shit, so he's a bit of a darkhorse as well. But his impact on the field, his film, is so good that it's hard to imagine him making it to us.

As to the Rams pick...

Chain movers: where Lemon makes sense is if they're worried about Puka. But so does Stowers and he adds size and flexible usage as he's big and athletic enough to flex out to X in the redzone. Also I think Stowers is too good to last until our round 2 pick so they'd have to position for him.

X role: Lot of options here and they don't have to take it at 13. I like a lot of the rangy kids in this class, some are gonna need some work but that's fine by me and I think we have the room and coaches to make good on many of them. If they want to get it over with at the top I would just take Boston.

ILB: if Reese or Styles slides to 8 or so then I think that's in range of the Rams moving up but it would cost our 3rd round pick which would hurt. I just have a feeling Shula values his ILBs more than his predecessors as he's a LB source coach and by God we could use an infusion of top talent there. Reese in particular would need to tell me he's fine with playing offball, though, in order to take him. Otherwise I'd have him down the board, as I'd take many other Edges before I would take him. If they go after Rodriguez, btw, which would be great, he isn't gonna come anywhere close to our round 2 pick.

Safety: I think it is possible the Rams end up at 13 looking at both Safeties (Downs and Theineman). I don't know what their plan this year is for Lake. But Downs to my eye is most impactful around the box, so he's a bit too much like Lake. Whereas Theineman is more of a deep ranging type who can instinctively charge into the box. Also I think our safeties are solid to good, but both Downs or Theineman would start day one for us.

TE: Sadiq is not the fit. Keep saying it. The dude who is different is Stowers. He's a pure slot weapon in this offense and can move around. I think it is entirely possible they position for Stowers.

QB: I don't care too much who they take, but my preferences are Klubnik round 5, or Pavia round 7. Just don't blow a high pick on the position.

C: Oh and lastly I expect they're high on Slaughter. But I don't think he makes it to our round 3 pick.
 
I know most people will hate this but I wouldn't be surprised at a trade up for Tyson
Yeah I was originally thinking this was a target and a possibility and thought about saying they'd trade up for him instead of Love. And I don't disagree with you especially since it seems like rumors about Rams and Tyson has been very light compared to almost every other offensive talent expected to go in first round so might be their ultimate smoke screen. I think Tyson is gone too soon for the cost though.
 
My prediction is a thought that was discussed yesterday.

- We trade down from 13 to somewhere in the 20's. Pick Simpson with that pick. I think McVay is likely in on Simpson just based on what I've seen from Simpson and his thought process.

-Use the added ammo to move up and draft the WR we covet in that area, be it Concepcion (if he falls a bit), Boston, Bernard, etc. In this process, retain 2.61 and take a LB/OL. Both Concepcion and Boston have recently be talked about potentially falling due to amount of talent at WR in 2nd/3rd round. May have to dip into some '27 assets to do this, but, I think we are one of the teams that might be wiling to, especially if we are getting our future QB here.

Honestly, I would not hate it at all. Addressing our backup/future QB, adding a 3rd WR weapon, and hopefully addressing LB/OL.
 
BTW the one dude who is probably the tightest with McVay in the media (Schraegs) mocked Lemon to us at 13. So I'm assuming Lemon will be the pick, but you never know of course.