Day 2

NFL Draft 2026 best available players for Los Angeles Rams: Denzel Boston, Jacob Rodriguez

Nate Atkins
By Nate Atkins
April 24, 2026 5:00 am PDT

The Los Angeles Rams kicked off their 2026 NFL Draft with a quarterback to sit behind Matthew Stafford, when they took Alabama’s Ty Simpson at No. 13.

It means they head into Day 2 with all of their main needs still out there, from wide receiver to linebacker to offensive line depth and special teams. The Simpson pick does take the backup quarterback need off the list, but they have plenty of work to do to round out a roster that didn’t see a Year-1 impact boost in the first round.

Here’s who should be on their radar Friday.

Day 2
(The Rams have one second-round pick, at No. 61, and one third-round pick, at No. 93)

Denzel Boston, WR, Washington: Boston slipped out of the first round and could be a player to target in a trade up, though the Rams are limited without picks in the fourth or fifth rounds to offer. Boston is a consistent producer with at least 800 yards and nine touchdowns in each of the past two seasons. He’s a true ball-getter in tough matchups, which could make him an ideal future replacement for Davante Adams. He brings some punt return abilities after taking one back for a touchdown last season. The Rams also have strong connections to him through their coaching staff. He could be a future No. 2 on this team.

Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech: The Rams could use a boost at weak-side linebacker for one of the final remaining improvements to their defense. Rodriguez stands out after doing a bit of everything for an elite Texas Tech defense that reached the College Football Playoff as the Big 12 champion. He cleaned up by winning the Chuck Bednarik, Lombardi, Bronko Nagurski and Butkus awards by piling up 128 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and four interceptions last season. He’s on the smaller side at 6-feet-2, 231 pounds, but he could excel in what’s a more limited snap role.

Chris Bell, WR, Louisville: Here’s an upside shot with some injury risk. Bell showed steady improvement at Louisville, improving his production each year until he hit 917 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season. At 6-2 and 222 pounds, he offers a strong catch radius and a bully-ball style, but he’s also recovering from an ACL he tore in November and had surgery on in December.

Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&M: The Rams already made one draft-and-stash pick in Simpson, and this could be another with some upside. Bisontis became an All-SEC performer at left guard after a move from right tackle. At 6-5, 315 pounds, he’s at his best mauling on the move as a pulling guard or swiping back-side rushers, but he does struggle with some longer pass rushers. He could be a replacement for Steve Avila at left guard if the Rams decide to move on after his contract year in 2026.

Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon: The Rams like their guards big and beefy to anchor double-teams and help make life easier on their tackles, and so it’s easy to see Pregnon as a target if they are in the draft-and-stash mindset. At 6-4, 314 pounds, he’s at his best driving defenders in the run game and anchoring with power in pass protection, though he’ll likely need help against athletic three-techniques.

Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama: If the Rams miss out on the higher-upside receivers, they might be plenty happy to land Bernard on Day 2. He doesn’t jump off the screen as an athlete, but he has improved in three straight seasons and finished last year with 64 catches for 862 yards and seven touchdowns. At 6-1, 206 pounds, he fits best as an outside receiver and could be a solid lower-ceiling replacement for Adams in a year.

Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas: This linebacker class is strong, and Hill is an example of why. It’s hard to find three-down ability like his coming from the college level, but he showed it in 2 1/2 seasons as a starter for one of the best defenses in the country. It showed up most in Texas’ CFP semifinal run in 2024, when he racked up 113 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He also picked off three passes over the last two seasons.

Gennings Dunker, G, Iowa: Dunker spent the past three seasons starting at right tackle, including last season on an Iowa line that won the Joe Moore Award as the best offensive line in college football. At 6-5, 319 pounds, he profiles best at guard. That tackle experience could let him eventually start at guard and bounce out to tackle in case of an injury. For a team in need of a swing tackle, that mix of traits can be valuable. Iowa has consistently been a strong source of offensive line prospects, and the Rams have seen it with Alaric Jackson.

Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame: Similar to Bernard, Fields could be a strong fallback option as a plug-and-play receiver. He turned in back-to-back 800-yard seasons for Virginia before transferring to Notre Dame, where he saw less volume with a freshman quarterback but watched his efficiency grow to 17.5 yards per catch. At 6-4, 218 pounds, he’s a ball-getter who won’t win down the field as much, though he never scored more than five touchdowns in a college season. The Rams could make him work opposite Puka Nacua if they can find more of a downfield receiver threat next year, after Adams’ contract expires.

Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee: If the Rams want to chase pure upside in a giant catch radius for their future Adams replacement, Brazzell is worth a look. He’s 6-4, 198 pounds and is coming off a breakout season in which he caught 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns, which tied the SEC lead. His style is a bit boom-or-bust on the field, and Tennessee receivers have had a harder time translating to the NFL from Josh Heupel’s up-tempo spread offense, but he could be an enticing project.

Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh: As the Rams look toward athletic linebackers with the upside for a potential upgrade, Louis stands out. He stuffed the stat sheet at Pittsburgh with 182 tackles, 50 pressures, 24 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 12 passes defended, six interceptions and two forced fumbles over the past two seasons. He can’t maintain the same “star” position in this scheme with Quentin Lake’s and Trent McDuffie’s presences, but he can add splash plays and good coverage next to Nate Landman and could be an active player on special teams, too.

Travis Burke, OT, Memphis: The Rams need a swing tackle, and they might need a starting right tackle in a year if they don’t re-sign Warren McClendon Jr. Burke has four years of starting experience, including last year at Memphis, where his draft stock soared with a strong performance in both run and pass blocking. He’s a bit limited in range, but the Rams help their tackles out with monstrous guards, play action and three-tight end sets. He could be a swing tackle next season with the potential to grow into a starter.

Day 3
(The Rams have no fourth- or fifth-round picks. They have one sixth-rounder at No. 207 and three seventh-rounders at Nos. 232, 251 and 252)

Red Murdock, LB, Buffalo: The Rams signed Grant Stuard to be a hair-on-fire special-teamer with backup abilities, and Murdock plays much the same way, if they want to look to the future. He led all defenders over the past two seasons with 298 total tackles, and he also set the FBS record with 17 forced fumbles. That came at the Mid-American Conference level, so he projects more as a backup and special-teamer in the NFL, but those are areas where the Rams need help.

Logan Taylor, G, Boston College: The Rams have future needs all across their offensive line with four starters set to hit free agency in a year. They also have depth concerns. It would make sense for them to use some late picks on players with the potential to become future starters. Taylor fits that mold. He logged at least 100 snaps at four offensive line spots, showcasing the kind of versatility that teams love in a backup. His best long-term fit appears to be at guard, where his rugged style could create a future beyond Kevin Dotson if the Rams decide they can’t pay both Dotson and Steve Avila.

Kaden Wetjen, WR, Iowa: The Rams will likely hunt for a wide receiver early, but they could round out the group with the right special teams player on Day 3. Wetjen fits the bill after setting a program record with six return touchdowns at Iowa, which has a long history of elite special teams. He was an All-American last year and led the nation with a 26.8-yard average and three scores on punt returns. He’s more of a short-range gadget receiver on offense, but McVay could find uses for that if Wetjen can lock down a punt-return role.

Billy Schrauth, G, Notre Dame: If the Rams want to take a flier on a potential future starting guard, Schrauth is an option. He started for the past two and a half years on one of the nation’s top run offense while showing versatility at left and right guard. He has had surgeries on his left foot and right ankle and also missed five games with an MCL sprain, so his durability is a question. But Schrauth’s tape shows a player who can bring a nasty demeanor and real athleticism, with a chance to play a role similar to Avila’s.

Kaleb Proctor, DL, Southeastern Louisiana: The Rams don’t have many needs on the defensive line, but they love to look at upside picks late in the draft. Proctor flashed that potential in three years at Southeastern Louisiana, where he turned down opportunities to transfer to bigger schools and became the Southland Conference Player of the Year. He posted an on-field time of 20.95 mph at the combine, which was the fastest among defensive tackles. As a prospect, he’s similar to Kobie Turner, who was a big hit for the Rams in the third round in 2023.

Latrell McCutchin Sr., CB, Houston: The Rams are mostly set in the secondary after trading for Trent McDuffie, signing Jaylen Watson and re-signing Kam Curl, which is why you’re just now seeing this position on the list. But they do have room for one more outside cornerback after losing three this offseason. McCutchin fits what they should be looking for, thanks to his special teams prowess, which includes blocking a field goal and an extra point and logging lots of work on punt coverage. At 6-foot-2, 191 pounds, he’s built similarly to Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and could absorb that top outside backup role in time if he adds weight to his frame.

Fernando Carmona, G, Arkansas: Carmona brings some of the same versatility as Taylor, at least on the left side, after logging 49 starts over the past four seasons between tackle and guard. He was an All-SEC performer at left guard last season, suggesting that’s his true future home. With 32 1/8-inch arms, he isn’t the rangy athlete of some other options with starting potential, but he could be a very strong backup at a spot where the Rams need some help.

Pat Coogan, C, Indiana: The Rams need a backup center and also a potential future starter if they opt against re-signing Coleman Shelton in a year. Coogan has a strong track record between his time at Notre Dame and Indiana, with appearances in the national championship game in each of the past two seasons. His play is inconsistent enough to wonder if he can ever be a starter at the next level, but the way he ascended in the College Football Playoff by not allowing a sack last season, he’s worth a watch. He could be a versatile backup who could fill in at center or guard.

Nate Atkins is a Senior Writer for The Athletic covering the Los Angeles Rams