OFFICIAL 2026 NFL Draft Stuff
- Thread starter Memphis Ram
- Start date
-
To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.
Excellent news. He pushes someone out of the top 10 down to us.
IF it's a player that doesn't exactly fit what we're looking for - Downs, the DT, Simpson, or himself - we'd have a great trade chip to trade down to the lower teens / early 20's & get a really nice WR to join Puka & Adams.
I think that Forbes could fit in well as a different role player now, instead of being a starter at CB. He had 3 picks last year and was #29 of 144 CB's in the receptions allowed stat line.
Not being paired up against the opposition's top or next best receiver next season should help improve these stats.
Latest Athletic Mock, out today, has us nailing Lemon at 13.
www.nytimes.com
NFL mock draft 2026: Picks based on intel from coaches, scouts, agents
Feldman's mock draft is based on insight and feedback from people in college football and the NFL.
www.nytimes.com
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,426
UPDATED TOP 50
Rank
18
Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana · WR · Junior (RS)
Cooper is one of my favorite players to study in this year’s draft. He’s strong, reliable and explosive. He uses his lower-body strength to run through press coverage and he’s a loose/fluid route runner. He plays without fear in the middle of the field, making combat catches look easy. He can really pluck the ball and stays grounded through the catch on crossers. Also, he can elevate and play above the rim (SEE: game-winner against Penn State) when necessary. After the catch, he has the power to break tackles and enough speed to pull away. Sources at the school rave about his makeup and competitiveness. Overall, Cooper fits the exact model of wideouts finding immediate success in the NFL.
Rank
18
Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana · WR · Junior (RS)
Cooper is one of my favorite players to study in this year’s draft. He’s strong, reliable and explosive. He uses his lower-body strength to run through press coverage and he’s a loose/fluid route runner. He plays without fear in the middle of the field, making combat catches look easy. He can really pluck the ball and stays grounded through the catch on crossers. Also, he can elevate and play above the rim (SEE: game-winner against Penn State) when necessary. After the catch, he has the power to break tackles and enough speed to pull away. Sources at the school rave about his makeup and competitiveness. Overall, Cooper fits the exact model of wideouts finding immediate success in the NFL.
In addition to the 3 picks, Forbes had 18 passes defensed, which tied for 2nd in the league. We can certainly do a lot worse for a 3rd CB.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,428
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1: No. 13 overall: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
Round 2: No. 61 overall: Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
I’ve had some pushback on my "Fano at 13" suggestion, and I get why, to a certain degree. The Rams don’t need to sacrifice everything to come out with a right tackle, and there has been a lot of receiver buzz there lately. But Fano is a quality athlete and blocker who some teams believe can play all five positions -- and the Rams are thin up front. Branch could be a dynamic option if he’s there, especially with Los Angeles losing Tutu Atwell in free agency and lacking big-play options lower on the depth chart.
WestCoastRam
Legend
They almost have a 100% success rate with those 1st round picks they've traded. I say almost because Cooks could arguably be called a failed trade.
WestCoastRam
Legend
Tano: totally justifiable pick. Athletic, talented and position flexibility makes for great OL selection.
Branch: horrible pick (go sit in the corner)
A video clip is shown of McVay saying that you can't have too many players rushing the quarterback or those making plays with the ball in their hands showing that the team is open to going for either defense or offense with their top draft choice. He also mentions that with the way that the roster is currently constructed, he feels good with the team having a lot of directions it can go depending on how the draft unfolds at the 13th overall selection slot...assuming the Rams stand pat there. He feels confident that they'll add a quality player there one way or the other.
Meanwhile Mike Tannenbaum feels like the Rams should draft Ty Simpson citing the Green Bay Packers as a model for building for sustained success when they drafted Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love during years as contenders. Matt Miller counters by saying that both Rodgers and Love fell to the Packers at the draft while he feels that Simpson would be a "monumental reach" for the Rams at 13th overall. Miller goes on to say that the team also needs to address the aging Davante Adams as receiver while acknowledging the need to eventually address the issue of replacing Stafford. Miller goes on to say that the Rams should capitalize on the rare opportunity to draft an elite player in Makai Lemon. Tannenbaum compares Lemon to Amon St. Brown and Puka Nacua, but he favors the Rams taking Simpson and addressing receiver later in the draft because he feels this year's class offers more opportunities to obtain a quality player at the wide-receiver position despite acknowledging a bit that this year's quarterback class is lacking.
I obviously disagree with Tannenbaum's logic and I don't agree with Miller's choice at #13. However, I do sort of agree with Miller's advocacy for a team like the Steelers to be opportunistic and take a swing at either Garrett Nussmeier or Drew Allard in the second or third round to be the understudy at the QB position as developmental players with high potential. I just don't agree with taking either that high at this moment.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE7fV0Oryfk&t=330s
I was flabbergasted to find out that 63% of active NFL players last season were selected or signed on Day 3 of the draft compared to 24% for Day 2 draftees and 13% for former first-rounders. This segues to the 49ers' recent history of capitalizing in finding hidden gems with late-round picks such as Fred Warner in the third round, George Kittles & Dre Greenlaw in the fifth round, and JaJuan Jennings in the seventh round along with former Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. The Rams have had some success in doing something similar but obviously not to the same extent as the Niners.
Meanwhile Mike Tannenbaum feels like the Rams should draft Ty Simpson citing the Green Bay Packers as a model for building for sustained success when they drafted Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love during years as contenders. Matt Miller counters by saying that both Rodgers and Love fell to the Packers at the draft while he feels that Simpson would be a "monumental reach" for the Rams at 13th overall. Miller goes on to say that the team also needs to address the aging Davante Adams as receiver while acknowledging the need to eventually address the issue of replacing Stafford. Miller goes on to say that the Rams should capitalize on the rare opportunity to draft an elite player in Makai Lemon. Tannenbaum compares Lemon to Amon St. Brown and Puka Nacua, but he favors the Rams taking Simpson and addressing receiver later in the draft because he feels this year's class offers more opportunities to obtain a quality player at the wide-receiver position despite acknowledging a bit that this year's quarterback class is lacking.
I obviously disagree with Tannenbaum's logic and I don't agree with Miller's choice at #13. However, I do sort of agree with Miller's advocacy for a team like the Steelers to be opportunistic and take a swing at either Garrett Nussmeier or Drew Allard in the second or third round to be the understudy at the QB position as developmental players with high potential. I just don't agree with taking either that high at this moment.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hE7fV0Oryfk&t=330s
I was flabbergasted to find out that 63% of active NFL players last season were selected or signed on Day 3 of the draft compared to 24% for Day 2 draftees and 13% for former first-rounders. This segues to the 49ers' recent history of capitalizing in finding hidden gems with late-round picks such as Fred Warner in the third round, George Kittles & Dre Greenlaw in the fifth round, and JaJuan Jennings in the seventh round along with former Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. The Rams have had some success in doing something similar but obviously not to the same extent as the Niners.
That's why I said an argument can be made either way.
His help in winning a SB could push it towards the great trade side. Participating in the SB with his contributions is worth something. But at the end of the day, that's probably the trade I wouldn't make again.
Fano, I could live with. I think he's a guard at the next level, and I don't like taking a guard that high unless he's Quenton Nelson (which Fano isn't and never will be), but I could live with it.
Branch is just another Tutu, only worse since he doesn't have the explosiveness that Tutu had (his YPC and touchdowns related to that YPC is atrocious).
Not a draft I'd be especially fond of.
WestCoastRam
Legend
If I was guessing today what the Rams will do, I think Fano would be top 3. I think he can play OT though. I would not love it, but, it would make a fair amount of sense. Branch is a 0% chance. They had Tutu and didn't use him. Why would they try the failed experiment again? Answer, they won't.
That is what McShay said he was told. He's partner, Mench (who is the OL specialist) is not a fan at all of Proctor up that high (for good reason). That said, the big guys that can play OT at all, will get draft high this year while teams pass on WR's because of how deep that position is.