Should the Rams spend their draft capital on offense?

Armed with two picks in Round 1, the Los Angeles Rams enter the draft season with a strong position. At this writing, L.A. is 11-4 with two winnable games left on the schedule, they possess a Top 5 offense that is dynamic both passing and running. Adding to their play on the field, all 11 of the Rams current starters are under contract for 2026. They also have four primary backups returning.

While not yet official, the Rams should 10 0r 11 picks depending on who you use to source. For this exercise, we’ll go with 10 (via overthecap.com), Rounds 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7. Going position-by-position, I have offered possibilities to strengthen the unit, Early (Rd 1&2), Mid (Rd 3&5), and Late (Rd 6&7). Starters and 400+ snap rotation players are in bold as well as free agents (The Rams might do well to re-up a couple). Others under contract for 2026 are in standard type.

Quarterback

Matthew Stafford, Stetson Bennett

F/A: Jimmy Garappolo

The Rams have some real questions to ask in the QB room. Stafford appears as if he can play at a high level for couple more seasons, but what about those behind him. Someone will snag Jimmy G if L.A. doesn’t re-sign him, but is he really the “bridge” and where does it lead. Most fans don’t think it leads to Bennett. Should Stetson take the next jump to QB#2 and the Rams draft a prospect with top-tier arm talent and athleticism?

Early:Dante Moore, out of Oregon has been mocked to the Rams. He’s got the size, arm, and operates a multiple offense. Although he can move fluidly, he wins as a pocket passer. There are sure to be growing pains, his highlight reels are much more flattering than game film, but sitting behind Staff for a couple of years while getting the “Bennett treatment” could pay huge dividends and keep the Super Bowl window open post-Stafford.

Mid: There’s a handful of bigger names that will go in this area, but I like Haynes King of Georgia Tech. Has the gunslinger tools, big arm, toughness, deep-ball accuracy, and comfortable packing the team on his shoulders. Has the football IQ of a coach’s son and an excellent runner. There a development edge to his game, hasn’t had a lot of work under center, mostly spread/RPO concepts.

Late: Another gunslinger prospect, Sawyer Robertson of Baylor. Came into 2025 highly-touted, but likely a casualty of his teams struggles. Can really gas it on the long outs and good accuracy as well. Has NFL size and mentality to push the ball downfield. A pocket passer, but navigates the pocket and is a sneaky good runner.

Running back

Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, Jarquez Hunter

F/A: Ronnie Rivers

I don’t see any real point to putting much draft capital to work in this unit. The Rams have two backs, Williams and Corum, that work very well in a complimentary fashion. Hunter may get a little more action next season, it’s hard to say with certainty that the top two backs will make it through another full season unscathed. As far as filling out camp and preseason needs, Ronnie Rivers could be re-signed for very little and a couple of interesting UDFAs added

Late/UDFA: Built like a bowling ball 5’ 9” 225 lb. Kavorian Barnes of TCU. Between the tackles power back with stellar patience, vision, and burst. Excellent receiver with long speed. Champion sprinter and power lifter in high school.

Late/UDFA: There were reports of Jaydn Ott being the top back in last year’s draft class. Opted to stay in school and struggled to get on the field at Oklahoma. Now completely off the radar. Good size and contact balance with top-tier acceleration and long speed. Good hands. Nice open-field running as kick returner.

Wide receiver

Davante Adams, Puka Nacua, Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield

F/A: Tutu Atwell, Xavier Smith (ERFA)

Here’s an area that where L.A. could maximize their bang for draft buck. Adams deservedly gets a lot of run for his route and red zone work, but was nagged by injuries and a catch rate of just over 50 percent. At 34, fans should appreciate him, but look forward. Although Whittington and Mumpfield appear solid in their roles, neither have flashed playmaker abilities.

Early: L.A. has an opening for the “small” receiver role and Makai Lemon of USC is a perfect fit without being tiny (5’ 11” 190 lb.). A wonderful combination football savvy, technical precision, and twitchy short area move skills. Lemon has a tool box full of moves and experience in a multiple pass offense. He’s not a burner, but a crafty open-field runner with kick returner traits, fast processor, stellar vision, fluid hips, and stacks cuts at speed. Excellent mix of high floor and high ceiling.

Mid: I have Chris Bell falling just a bit, because he suffered an ACL tear in his final Louisville game. A natural outside receiver with size and speed (6’2 220 lb. 4.4 forty). His physical play style is a nice fit with the Rams. Hands are very good, not elite and he uses his big body and natural toughness to win in traffic and on contested catches. In the open-field, Bell can turn short passes into long gains using plus acceleration, contact balance, tackle-breaking strength and long speed.

Late:I’ve been watching De’Zhaun Stribling from his days at Washington State, through Oklahoma State and now to Ole Miss. Definitely an under the radar prospect, he’s produced at every bump up. A natural outside receiver, he’s long and lanky at 6’ 2” 205 lbs. Posseses a solid all-round game. Long wingspan and strong hands for contested catches, good route runner, good football IQ, and an outstanding run blocker.

Tight end

Colby Parkinson, Terrance Ferguson, Davis Allen

F/A: Tyler Higbee, Nick Vannett

Another position I wouldn’t put a big stake into. Ferguson is getting plenty of work down the stretch and growing into the #1 role, while Parkinson and Allen are utilitarian. With as much as the Rams use TE’s, a couple of late/UDFA prospects would likely suffice, if not, the waiver wire is full of retreads.

Mid: If he’s still around late in Round 3, I really like Eli Raridon of Notre Dame. His game is very well-rounded and at 6’ 7” 255 lb., he’s got that long lean frame the Rams seem to covet at tight end. He may be a bit under the radar even though he plays for, arguably, the most renowned college program. Started his career slowly with a knee injury and built up to starter as a senior. His stats are modest, but his game flashes on film.

Late: Big and athletic, John Michael Gyllenborg of Wyoming appears to fit the Rams mold. Versatile receiver-first prospect has played on the wing, in the slot, and inline. Also used in motion. Good hands. Fairly limited route tree, but has the speed and athleticism to be a tough matchup for slower linebackers and smaller safeties. Has improved his blocking, but will need more work in that area.

Offensive line

RG Kevin Dotson, LT Alaric Jackson, C Coleman Shelton, LG Steve Avila, RT Warren McClendon, C/G Beaux Limmer

F/A: T Rob Havenstein, T DJ Humphries, T David Quessenberry, G Justin Dedich (ERFA)

It is just good policy to upgrade the offensive line on a yearly basis. Too many things can go wrong and suddenly you from good to bad to worse. With all five starters returning, it may seem like things are under control, but depth is very shallow. This might be a good draft to look at shoring up the foundation. Meaning, the Rams should put some capital into the unit, even if they don’t see the field as rookies. I’m looking at prospects with some positional versatility

Early: A highly ranked guard as a junior, Missouri’s Cayden Green moved to left tackle and stood out. Dense frame built for power. Stellar drive and down blocker, not gifted athletically, but gets to the second level off combo’s or pulls. Has nifty enough feet for reach blocks. Although Missouri used more outside zone, they also employed duo and inside/mid zone schemes. Green was often left on an island in pass protection and when he clamps his hands on a rusher, they’re done. While NFL outside speed rushers may give him some trouble, he sets a strong anchor against power.

Mid: Projected to be an NFL guard by most experts, Brian Parker has been two-year starter at tackle for the pass happy Duke Blue Devils and was named to the mid-season All-American team by the Associated Press. He’s an edgy, aggressive player that combines football IQ, technical prowess, and plus athleticism. Physical at the point of attack, both pass and run blocking. It will be interesting to see how the scouts use him in post-season all-star games.

Late: Alex Harkey of Oregon has put in work at the college level at tight end. guard, and tackle. A developmental prospect that has fluid move skills for 6’ 6” 325 lb. Bumped up from Texas State to Oregon’s starting right tackle. Uses his length very well in pass protection, has a good punch, and mirrors well. Smooth mover and gets upfield on screen and pulls, Strikes well in space.

How much more horsepower does the offense need?

While the offense looks to be in pretty good shape, an eye to the future is warranted. I would certainly make a move on a swing offensive lineman. Cayden Green could be gone by the latter stage of Round 2, he’s projected as an NFL starter at guard and does have a solid year of film at left tackle. Brian Parker is talented as well, his arm length could be the deciding factor how high he goes, but he’s got three position versatility at starter-grade. Those cats at Duke are smart cookies and Coleman Shelton will be 31 next season.

At wide receiver, if you’re going to go big, it will cost. Makai Lemon is a perfect fit into the Rams offense and would likely flourish, but I think the secondary needs that injection of top talent, it’s a better overall team investment. The Rams have been pretty good about identifying and mining mid-round receivers.

While the Rams do need to make those decisions at QB, there seems to be a lot of backup-grade prospects and those can be had from Round 3 on. For what it’s worth, even after most of the juniors have decided to return to school, I still have 15 QB’s with draftable grades.

Tight end and running back can take draft off, unless something crazy happens and a top player fall into the Rams grasp. In each unit, a few camp bodies with some kind of upside to reach the 90-man preseason roster.

After the hubub of tonight’s game passes, we can do the same exercise with the defense. Do you think the Rams should spend their draft capital on the offense?