Rams come away with dream haul in ESPN's 2-round mock draft

With two first-round picks, there are a number of different directions the Los Angeles Rams can go in the 2026 NFL Draft. A wide receiver first and a cornerback second? Sure. Two cornerbacks in Round 1? Would certainly make sense. Trading up for a top prospect? Don’t rule it out.

In ESPN’s latest two-round mock draft from Jordan Reid, the Rams stand pat at No. 13, 29 and 61, adding three instant-impact players in what would be considered a dream haul for Los Angeles.

At the top of the draft, the Rams land tight end Kenyon Sadiq. He tested as the most athletic tight endever at the combine last week, running a 4.39 in the 40 and jumping 43.5 inches in the vertical. He’s a physical freak and a dynamic receiver who would open up the Rams offense even further.

It might seem redundant to take another Oregon tight end after just drafting Terrance Ferguson last year, but having two outstanding pass catchers at the position would give Sea McVay options.

After finishing four points short of making the Super Bowl and with quarterback Matthew Stafford playing year-to-year at this point of his career, the Rams need to maximize their short-term window. Coach Sean McVay incorporated a lot of 12 and 13 personnel into his offense last season and showed a lot of creativity in deploying multiple tight ends. Sadiq serves as an extra receiver and would give the Rams a versatile gamebreaker they don't have at the position. And while he is known for his receiving (51 receptions for eight touchdowns last season), Sadiq is also a physical run blocker.

With their second pick in the first round, the Rams steal Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy. This is shockingly late for him to go, with some analysts even mocking him to the Rams at No. 13 overall. But concerns about his knee injury could push him down the board, making him an excellent value for the Rams if they were to get him as late as No. 29.

If we're going strictly by talent, McCoy is a top-10 prospect in this class. But he hasn't played a game since 2024, missing all of last season after suffering an ACL tear in January 2025. We're still not sure where he's at in his recovery, as he did not participate in testing or drills at the combine. This gives the Rams -- who haven't drafted a corner in the first round since 2006 or before Day 3 since 2019 -- the potential to get a steal here. McCoy is an easy mover who has squeaky-clean technique. All eyes will be on Tennessee's pro day on March 31, when McCoy is expected to participate in a full workout.

“But wait, there’s more!” said the pitchman.

At No. 61 overall, the Rams land Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. He’s undersized at 5-foot-9, but he’s sticky in coverage and plays bigger than his frame, helped by his 43.5-inch vertical – one of the best ever at the combine.

After drafting Jermod McCoy in Round 1, I could see the Rams doubling up at corner. Ponds is undersized (5-foot-9, 182 pounds) but plays well above his weight class. He could take over for pending free agent Cobie Durant on the outside or play as the nickel.

Doubling up on cornerback would quickly solve the Rams’ secondary issues, especially if McCoy and Ponds play as well as anticipated.

This entire haul would be a home run for Los Angeles, helping the offense with a playmaker like Sadiq and addressing the major concerns at cornerback with a guy who would be a top-15 lock if healthy and another who would be the same if he were 3 inches taller.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL mock draft: Rams come away with dream haul in ESPN's 2-round mock