2026 NFL Draft Grade: Los Angeles Rams -- B+

The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2026 NFL Draft with front-office urgency and a clear blueprint. General manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay identified two critical needs -- quarterback and defensive tackle -- and three high-priority spots at offensive tackle, cornerback, and tight end. When you walk into a draft knowing exactly what you need and come out with a potential franchise passer, a plug-and-play tight end, a starting-caliber right tackle, and a seventh-round gem on the interior, you have done something right.

The Rams walked away from the three-day event with five selections. The pre-computed grade reflects a class that hit on its biggest swings while absorbing one clear miss in the middle rounds. The final mark: a B+ (76.2). Let's break down each pick, the value Les Snead extracted, and what this haul means for a roster that still has Matthew Stafford under center but is clearly building for the next chapter.

Pick 13 (Round 1) -- Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Acquired via from Atlanta Grade: A (86.0)

This was the pivot point of the entire Rams offseason. Stafford turns 39 next season, and Stetson Bennett IV has not shown he is the long-term answer. Snead traded up with Atlanta -- the trade path reads simply "From ATL" -- to grab the best pure passer on the board before the Falcons could take him themselves. Simpson entered the year as a polarizing prospect, but his film against SEC competition showed arm talent, mobility within the pocket, and the kind of pre-snap command that translates quickly in a McVay offense.

The Rams did not reach here. Most boards had Simpson as a top-10 to top-15 prospect, and getting him at 13 represents fair value while filling the most important position on the field. Simpson will sit behind Stafford in 2026, learn the nuances of McVay's wide-zone play-action system, and absorb everything from a future Hall of Famer. That developmental runway is the ideal scenario. This is a pick that secures the franchise's quarterback room for the next decade, and it earns every bit of its A grade.

Pick 61 (Round 2) -- Max Klare, TE, Ohio State Grade: B- (68.0)

After Tyler Higbee's departure this offseason, tight end became a glaring hole in an offense that leans heavily on the position. Klare is an athletic, move-oriented tight end who fits the McVay mold -- capable of splitting out wide, running option routes, and creating yards after the catch. The Rams clearly identified him as their guy in the second round.

That said, this pick carries a subtle efficiency concern. Klare's board position lagged slightly behind his selection slot; other tight ends with comparable grades, including Nate Boerkircher and Sam Roush, came off the board later in the round. The Rams prioritized need over optimal value here, and while Klare should contribute immediately as a receiving threat in 12-personnel packages, the B- reflects that the Rams could have traded back a few slots and still landed a similar-caliber player. Still, the fit is undeniable -- Klare's skill set mirrors the Higbee role that made this offense hum for years.

Pick 93 (Round 3) -- Keagen Trost, OT, Missouri Grade: A (86.0)

When Rob Havenstein retired in February, right tackle became an immediate question mark. Warren McClendon Jr. is the presumed starter, but the Rams needed competition and long-term depth on the edge. Trost provides that and more. A three-year starter at Missouri with experience at both tackle spots, he brings the athleticism and lateral quickness that McVay and offensive line coach Nick Caley demand in the wide-zone scheme.

This was excellent value at a premium position. Trost ranked right around this pick slot on most draft boards, making it a clean value selection at a high-priority need. He can compete for the starting right tackle job immediately, and at worst provides swing tackle depth behind Alaric Jackson and McClendon. The Rams secured their offensive line future without reaching, and that discipline deserves recognition.

Pick 197 (Round 6) -- CJ Daniels, WR, Miami Acquired via from Atlanta via Philadelphia Grade: D (43.0)

This is the one that drags down the class average. The Rams need receiver depth behind Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, but using a sixth-round pick on Daniels represents a significant reach relative to where evaluators had him ranked. The predraft community viewed him as a late Day 3 or priority free agent candidate, and taking him nearly 80 slots before that range is a tough sell.

Daniels flashed athletic traits at Miami, but his route tree is underdeveloped and he struggled against press coverage in the ACC. The Rams clearly saw something on tape that they liked, but the value gap is hard to ignore. In a deep receiver class, there were higher-graded options available at comparable positions, including Deion Burks and Kevin Coleman Jr., who both went later. This is the kind of late-round swing that occasionally hits but more often serves as a reminder that even savvy front offices can get caught reaching.

Pick 232 (Round 7) -- Tim Keenan III, DT, Alabama Acquired via from Baltimore Grade: A+ (98.0)

And then there is the steal. Keenan was viewed as a Day 3 prospect with starting upside -- think a powerful, gap-splitting interior presence who can anchor against the run and push the pocket as a sub-package rusher. For him to fall all the way to the seventh round is astonishing. The Rams traded up with Baltimore to get him, and the return on that minimal investment could be enormous.

Keenan fills the Rams' other critical need at defensive tackle alongside Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske. He is not the flashiest name, but his film against Alabama's run of NFL offensive linemen shows a player who understands leverage, uses his hands violently, and can two-gap effectively in Chris Shula's hybrid front. Getting a player of this caliber at pick 232 is the kind of late-round magic that GMs dream about. This pick single-handedly lifts the class grade and gives the Rams a potential rotation piece for the next four years on a minimum salary.

Overall Grade: B+ (76.2)

The Rams had two critical needs (QB, DT) and two high-priority needs (OT, TE). They addressed all four in the first three rounds and then found a legitimate Day 3 steal to double-dip on the interior. The best pick of the class is unquestionably Keenan at 232 -- a seventh-rounder who profiles as a functional NFL defensive tackle with starting upside. The worst pick is Daniels at 197, a reach that cost the Rams a chance to add more meaningful depth at a position where they already have Adams and Nacua but little proven depth behind them.

What separates this class from a straight B is the Ty Simpson pick. The Rams identified their quarterback of the future, traded up to get him, and set themselves up for a seamless post-Stafford transition. The Keenan pick provides a cherry on top -- a player who could outplay his draft slot by a wide margin. The Max Klare pick is a solid fit at a position of need, even if the value was not pristine. The Keagen Trost pick is exactly the kind of disciplined, need-meets-value selection that sustains winning rosters.

Les Snead and the Rams front office entered this draft with a clear plan: secure the quarterback succession, fortify the trenches, and add a tight end who can make plays in the middle of the field. They accomplished all three objectives. The CJ Daniels pick is a blemish, but every draft class has one. When the hit rate on the other four picks includes a franchise quarterback, a starting tackle, a versatile tight end, and a disruptive defensive tackle, the math works out to a solid B+. The Rams added immediate contributors and long-term building blocks, and that is exactly what a team in transition from the Stafford era needed to do.

Pick-by-Pick Summary