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znModeratorMe: with this tweet I intervene editorially and underline teams with winning records in 2025.
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NFL Researcher@NFL_Researcher
1st round picks to appear in a game in 2025…Most
1. Chargers – 14
1. Ravens – 14
3. Cowboys – 13
4. Eagles – 12
4. Vikings – 12
4. Dolphins – 12
4. Falcons – 12Fewest
27. Titans – 7
27. Panthers – 7
27. Broncos – 7
27. Seahawks – 7
31. Patriots – 5
32. Rams – 4znModeratorfrom Brock Vierra: https://theramswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/rams/2026/04/13/rams-offseason-draft-puka-nacua-mailbag/89572821007/
Q: How do you feel this whole Puka Nacua situation will play out?
A: Quietly. Nacua knows that he’s at the threshold and has taken actions to better himself. Rehab, surrounding himself with veterans like Higbee and Cooper Kupp, getting back to the simple joys of life. I’ve covered this guy for a year. He loves his family, especially his son. There’s a reason everyone speaks so highly of him within the organization. He deserves the chance to fix his issues, and he’s clearly taking it seriously.
As far as the other side of the question, the legal side has to play out before the NFL can begin to address the issue.
April 14, 2026 at 5:37 pm in reply to: the draft heating up (thread on the NFL not Rams exclusive) #163285znModeratorLance Zierlein@LanceZierlein
From Texans Assistant GM Chris Blanco regarding the role of NIL and how it plays into evaluations come draft time.znModeratorQ: What best explains Sean McVay letting defensive backs coach AubreyPleasant go the same offseason they upgraded the secondary? That suggests they want to change both the coaching/scheme and the players. Which in turn implies they don’t like how the secondary was put together and coached.
A: I believe this has less to do with Pleasant himself and more to do with Jimmy Lake and Kliff Kingsbury.
McVay wanted to add a coach with Kingsbury’s experience to the staff. He needed a role for him that was better than passing game coordinator, and that was the job left after promoting Nate Scheelhaase to offensive coordinator as a way of keeping him for at least one more season. The other option was assistant head coach, which was one of the two roles Pleasant held.
The other was defensive backs coach, and the Rams have been big believers in Jimmy Lake since they added him as a senior defensive assistant following his firing as defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons a year ago. Jimmy Lake was once Chris Petersen’s hand-picked successor at the University of Washington after creating one of the best defensive back pipelines to the NFL in recent seasons.
At 49 years old, he’s viewed as a rising star in this sport, and the Rams couldn’t keep him in a role like senior defensive assistant for much longer.
And so Pleasant’s departure was mostly circumstantial. The Rams have to pull out all the stops to chase a Super Bowl this season, and they don’t feel like they can wait to see whether the coaches they had could adjust schematically and personally to the influx of talent they were bringing in with McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.
Pleasant has to wear some of the blame for last year’s second-half regression that culminated in Sam Darnold’s breakout playoff performance to end the season. The Rams tried to capitalize on the midseason playmaking breakouts of Cobie Durant and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. and paid for the increased complexity with Quentin Lake off the field because of elbow surgery.
By the later stages of the playoffs, they had to dial back into shells and zone coverages that were too predictable against great offensive schemes. But that also came after Young hurt his knee, and the pass rush couldn’t carry the defense the way general manager Les Snead built it to.
Pleasant was ultimately a fall guy for the Rams’ lack of investment in this group. The talent at cornerback was never good enough, as illustrated by what has happened with Darious Williams retiring and Durant, Ahkello Witherspoon and Roger McCreary all signing one-year deals to compete for jobs elsewhere.
I’m sure he’d love to coach talents like McDuffie and Watson, but his Rams tenure featured much more cost-effective options.
But in a year that’s all about trying to win the Super Bowl with a 38-year-old Matthew Stafford, the Rams couldn’t mess around with this group anymore. That meant leveling up the talent and also finding the best coaching fit for those players, and they believe they have it now since Jimmy Lake recruited and coached McDuffie at Washington. Time will tell if they’re right.
April 14, 2026 at 2:50 pm in reply to: new Rams draft thread…April (except WR stuff which has its own thread) #163283znModeratorQ: Is trading up for wide receiver Carnell Tate a real possibility, or am I getting my hopes up?
Q: Do you think the Rams have enough draft ammo to trade up for linebacker Sonny Styles? — Tim F.A: I’ll tackle both of these in one answer because deciding the level to which the Rams will or should trade up is also interesting.
I don’t think the Rams will part with their 2027 first-round pick, just because of the opportunity to cash that in on a quarterback in next year’s loaded class. They would have to be so blown away by those players compared to alternatives and/or confident they can land a quarterback of the future after that pick — but that could take a second trade up.
Based on the Jimmy Johnson trade value chart, the Rams can get as high as the No. 8 pick by offering this year’s second-rounder, based on value. They can maybe add a little more to get to No. 6 from the Cleveland Browns, who seem like a strong trade-back option. That feels like the range where Tate and Styles are most likely to go. And that’s where the positions matter a ton.
To move up for Styles, the Rams would have to find another route to filling their No. 3 wide receiver role. Doing that with a third-round pick would likely mean the rookie receiver is either stashed or a higher-floor player with lower future upside. Los Angeles is trying to address both areas with this role, given that Puka Nacua and Davante Adams both missed three games last season, and Adams is in the final year of his contract at age 33.
Some view Tate as the only durable receiver in this class with No. 1 upside, and if the Rams want to hedge against the possibility of not paying Nacua, that would be a reason to move. But if they view this pick primarily as a No. 3 receiver who will become the No. 2 after Adams departs, the need to get the top wideout in the draft isn’t as high when USC’s Makai Lemon and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson are also intriguing.
A more realistic trade-up option for me is a small move up for their favorite between Lemon and Tyson once Tate is off the board.
Q: I feel like the Rams are more likely to move down and either target Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. or an offensive lineman. What prospects would they consider staying at 13 and taking, if someone were to fall like Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love or Ohio State safety Caleb Downs?
A: It’s always hard to analyze whether a team should or will trade down because it depends on whether another team is coming up for someone. General managers hold draft picks tightly and only move them with intent. I don’t think we’ll see as many trades this year, with teams protecting picks for a 2027 draft expected to be much stronger than this year’s.
But it is a good thought exercise to identify the line in the sand where a trade offer isn’t worth taking because of who is available.
I’d put Tate, Lemon and Styles above that line. Those three are among the very best players at two of the only positions where the Rams could use a major talent upgrade. Of course, the answer can change if another team is willing to overpay — and especially if it is willing to part with a 2027 first-rounder. But I don’t think it’s worth trading down for fair 2026 value if any of those three are available.
I don’t put Downs in that camp because the Rams have already paid Quentin Lake and Kam Curl, have high hopes for Kam Kinchens and Jaylen McCollough, and also now have Trent McDuffie to give some inside snaps to. They just don’t have the room to make use of a versatile safety like Downs. If he’s available, it makes a trade down all the more likely.
Love is the interesting one. The Rams need his position about as little as they need any this year, but you could also argue that he is one of the three best players in the entire draft — to the degree where he could be a legitimate upgrade over Kyren Williams.
It gets tricky because what the Rams value most from the running back position is pass protection, and it’s hard to get better than Williams in that regard. They also believe there’s another surge coming from Blake Corum, and one of Corum or Williams would have to depart in a trade if Love is the pick.
But I think he’s of the talent level that they’d need to take him at No. 13 if trade offers aren’t coming and Tate, Lemon and Styles are all off the board.
In reality, if Love or Downs are available at No. 13, the Rams should be in a great spot to move back. That could be a slight move back, knowing the pick is for those players, so it doesn’t distort the rest of the board. Or, ideally, it’s a more sizable drop back to land either a Day 2 pick this year or a first-rounder next year.
Q: Is a tackle a realistic option? Everyone seems to be mocking a tackle to the Rams at No. 13.
A: It’s realistic, but I wouldn’t call it the most likely scenario.
If the Rams are taking a tackle at No. 13, it’s because they see him as a clear talent upgrade over Warren McClendon Jr. That can be worth upgrading a premium position and locking in a controlled salary for five years, which matters as McClendon enters a contract year.
With Georgia’s Monroe Freeling expected to go in the top 10, the group of options could include Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor and Utah’s two tackles, Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu. Each is talented but has some questions, and where the Rams land on the answers will dictate if they are real options: Do they see Mauigoa, Proctor and Fano as tackles rather than guards? Do they believe Lomu and Proctor can transition from left to right tackle?
The Rams need a swing tackle, so drafting a starter here could move McClendon back into that role. But McClendon found a much better fit by locking in at right tackle last season, so they’d also have to believe he’s ready to do both at a higher level than he has previously shown.
I expect the Rams to make multiple offensive line selections in this draft. Left tackle Alaric Jackson is the only starter under contract after next season, and it feels like a stretch for this team to extend McClendon and guards Steve Avila and Kevin Dotson if they also want to keep Nacua, Byron Young and Kobie Turner. They need depth at nearly every spot, too.
If the best player available is a tackle and it’s the No. 13 pick, I could see the upgrade happening. I would view it as less likely than a wide receiver, which is where the Rams have both present and future needs to solve, and know for certain that their current options are not good enough to fill.
znModeratorMakai Lemon has been linked to the Rams more than any other player in mock drafts but he’s not the only wideout Los Angeles could take in Round 1. According to Todd McShay, teams around the league also believe the Rams are eyeing Denzel Boston out of Washington.
Boston isn’t a consensus first-round pick, which makes it fascinating that teams think the Rams could draft him. There’s no chance he’ll be available for them at No. 61 in the second round, but might he be a trade-back option for Los Angeles?
…McShay said “…some teams think the Rams are Lemon. Some teams think the Rams are Denzel Boston.”
Most experts have Carnell Tate, Lemon and Jordyn Tyson as the top three receivers, but after that, it’s fairly open. Boston could be WR4, as could KC Concepcion or Omar Cooper Jr. Even Chris Bell is someone who could go earlier than expected.
Whether in the first, second or third round, the Rams seem likely to take a wide receiver fairly early. It could just come down to which flavor they like
April 13, 2026 at 9:32 pm in reply to: new Rams draft thread…April (except WR stuff which has its own thread) #163278znModeratorHeading into the 2026 NFL Draft, everything seems to be pointing toward the Los Angeles Rams taking a wide receiver with their first pick. That’s logical considering the lack of depth behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, but it’s certainly not a must-draft position in Round 1.
Former Rams quarterback Jim Everett has another spot in mind for the Rams at No. 13 overall: offensive line.
In an interview with Action Network, Everett pointed out that four of the Rams’ five offensive linemen are only under contract through the 2026 season. Coleman Shelton, Steve Avila, Kevin Dotson and Warren McClendon Jr. are all set to be free agents in 2027 if they don’t re-sign with the Rams beforehand, which is a slight problem for Los Angeles.
For that reason, he could “easily see” the Rams using their top pick on an offensive lineman, specifically a tackle who can provide some insurance behind Alaric Jackson and McClendon.
“Four of the five Rams’ offensive linemen are in the final year of their contract,” Everett said. “You can’t negotiate with every single one of them, and you have no leverage if you don’t have anybody that could possibly take their spot. A general manager is a general manager, not just this year, but hopefully for years. And so job security would mean I need to find somebody that I could put leverage on my right tackle, because I don’t want to pay my right tackle $25 million next year.
“A rookie allows you to pay him a lot less for the first four, possibly five years, depending on options. So I think offensive lineman make fiscal sense. It makes sense as far as being in development. And then maybe if you get a guy like the Utah kid (Spencer) Fano, maybe he plays guard for a minute, right? He learns the system before he moves out. So I can easily see an offensive lineman there.”
The Rams should feel good about their starting offensive line right now, but it’s hardly solidified for the future. Though the Rams are unlikely to let all four players leave in 2027 once their contracts expire, it’ll also be difficult to re-sign each one of them.
April 13, 2026 at 7:18 pm in reply to: new Rams draft thread…April (except WR stuff which has its own thread) #163277znModeratorI am starting to think about DL/edge as a position to target this draft. But someone to play at the 3/4 DE spot, not an OLB/edge like Young.
Enhance a team strength.
And they could get either a receiver or DL/edge or both in round 2. More incentive to trade down.
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Ranking 11 position groups in 2026 NFL Draft from strongest to weakest: Edge rusher, linebacker loaded
Lance Zierlein
Quarterback and running back are two of the most high-profile positions in college football, but this year, we could see a record-low number of QBs and RBs selected inside the top 100 of the draft. Meanwhile, it is becoming a recurring theme, but edge defenders sit atop the prospect food chain once again. Notably, the linebacker position offers a far greater number of starters (and potential starters) than we usually see.
In total, I rank the 2026 NFL Draft very slightly ahead of last year’s talent pool, but by a small margin.
Before we dive into my ranking of the 11 major position groups in this year’s draft, it’s important to explain the criteria I used. In assessing each position, I identified star-caliber players, future starters and overall depth. Generally speaking, I concentrated on prospects who are most likely to be drafted in Rounds 1 through 5. I weighed star players and future starters twice as heavily as overall depth, and my ranking scale ranged from 10 to 30 points. A score of 20 points or higher for a position group is considered strong. Anything below 17 is poor for the position as a whole.
(1) Edge defender (24.5 points)
There were five edge defenders drafted in last April’s first round and 11 selected on Day 2. This year, we have another loaded group of QB hunters. Arvell Reese is a developmental prospect with huge upside, while David Bailey is rush-ready as a true pocket pillager. Rueben Bain Jr. brings unique power, while fellow Miami product Akheem Mesidor is the most skilled rusher in this class. Zion Young majors in block destruction as a run defender, and Malachi Lawrence is getting some buzz behind the scenes. This class figures to provide a strong number of future starters, with as many as 17 players poised to come off the board in the first three rounds, but the quality of depth will trail off on Day 3. The edge defenders will rule the first round.
(2) Linebacker (22.5 points)
Off-ball linebacker became a consistently sparse offering in the draft over the last several years, but this is one of the strongest groups we’ve seen in a while. Sonny Styles could be a top-10 draft pick, which would mark the first time that’s happened for the position since 2020, when the Arizona Cardinals took Isaiah Simmons eighth overall. Anthony Hill Jr. is a talented three-down option who could go on Day 1, while Jake Golday, CJ Allen and Jacob Rodriguez look like Round 2 selections as potential early starters. The linebacker group stays strong in Rounds 3 and 4, with decent depth stretching into the fifth round.
(3) Interior offensive line (22 points)
There hasn’t been a draft with four full rounds worth of quality interior offensive linemen in quite some time. This year’s prospect pool offers just that. There is a clear Big Three at guard with Vega Ioane, Chase Bisontis and Emmanuel Pregnon leading the way, but Keylan Rutledge will be a strong Day 2 option. Furthermore, this draft is filled with potential tackle-to-guard converts who bolster the position group even more. Meanwhile, Connor Lew, Sam Hecht, Logan Jones and Brian Parker II could all become future starting centers, while Trey Zuhn III might not be far behind. The number of starters and the depth into Round 5 is what helps this group stand out.
(4) Wide receiver (19.5 points)
The 2025 receiver class stepped up last season — with Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, Emeka Egbuka and Luther Burden III leading the way — and this year’s group compares favorably with last year’s crop. Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson all have early-starter talent and polish as probable first-round picks. KC Concepcion is a premium separator for teams seeking a slippery slot, while Omar Cooper Jr. is ascending due to his enticing combination of size, speed and strength. In terms of starting talent, this offering is a little softer than those from some recent years, but there will be plenty of quality depth for WR3/4 roles inside of the first five rounds.
(5) Cornerback (18.5 points)
In each of the past two drafts, we’ve seen three cornerbacks go in the first round. That could be the number this year, as well. While I believe Mansoor Delane has star-caliber talent on tape, some in the league see him slightly below that. Viewpoints also vary on the two Tennessee products, Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood. The depth at wide corner is lacking, but there are some very talented nickelbacks who will step into starting roles fairly quickly, including Avieon Terrell, Treydan Stukes, D’Angelo Ponds and Keionte Scott. It’s worth noting that this might be the fastest cornerback group, from top to bottom, that we’ve ever seen.
(T-6) Safety (18 points)
Last year’s safety class outplayed where I ranked it in this exercise, with Day 2 picks Nick Emmanwori, Xavier Watts and Jonas Sanker leading the way. This year, Caleb Downs, Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren should all go in Round 1. Ballhawking safeties like Bud Clark and A.J. Haulcy offer future starting value in the second round, as does Jalen Kilgore, who is a big, explosive down safety. I’m also a fan of VJ Payne from Kansas State, but in general, this group becomes average, depth-level talent fairly quickly on Day 3.
(T-6) Tight end (18 points)
Kenyon Sadiq offers star potential but won’t carry the same caliber of grade as Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland did last year. Sadiq is a mismatch piece who could warrant an earlier pick than expected, though he’s the only first-round option. We might not see many second-round TE picks, but this group is fairly deep in Rounds 3 through 5, featuring some solid pass catchers and a very strong run blocker in Sam Roush out of Stanford. The 2026 draft could produce a sneaky-high number of tight ends who earn second NFL contracts.
(T-8) Interior defensive line (17 points)
With Caleb Banks apparently nursing a broken foot, we now have three defensive tackles who could be borderline first-rounders in the Florida product, Kayden McDonald and Peter Woods. Beyond that talented trio, the position offers a series of future starters/rotational contributors on Day 2. Zxavian Harris isn’t for everyone, but the 6-foot-8, 330-pounder has impressive flashes on tape. Your team might need to draft a DT inside the first 120 picks in order to ensure quality.
(T-8) Offensive tackle (17 points)
Unfortunately for tackle-needy teams, this year’s class features more questions than answers over the first two rounds. Top prospects like Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano come with shorter-than-desired arms, while the gargantuan Kadyn Proctor is coming off a highly uneven season in pass protection. Caleb Lomu, Monroe Freeling and Max Iheanachor all have talent but are less polished than teams might like. There is an adequate number of starting-caliber bookends available early, but it becomes highly speculative for teams hunting quality depth by the middle of the third round.
(10) Running back (15 points)
Last year, running back was one of the deepest positions in the draft. This year’s group is easily one of the weakest in the class. There is star quality at the top with Jeremiyah Love — and his Notre Dame teammate, Jadarian Price, looks like a very good future NFL starter. But this RB crop gets very light, very quickly. With his size (6-1, 223) and speed (4.33 40-yard dash), Mike Washington Jr. appears to be the clear third back in the draft. There has never been an NFL draft since 1960 that had fewer than four running backs selected inside the first three rounds, but this could be the year.
(11) Quarterback (13.5 points)
While Fernando Mendoza carries a higher grade and more star potential heading into the draft than Cam Ward did a year ago, the 2025 QB crop actually felt like it had better backup depth, which is a small separator from this year’s group. Ty Simpson has a chance to become an NFL starter, but this is a below-average quarterback class with a low number of future starters and quality backups to choose from. It wouldn’t shock me to see QB-hungry teams kick the can down the road and wait until next year.
znModeratorToo bad Jared Verse doesn’t come with an “off” switch.
znModeratorJared Verse shares why he’s looking forward to the 49ers – Rams matchup in Australia:
“I respect San Francisco. I respect the team that they have. I respect the Olinemen. I respect the scheme that they run and the people that they have on their roster, but I hate San Francisco… pic.twitter.com/VOt4jaQFnW
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) April 13, 2026
znModeratorfrom an old post:
The Rams don’t draft CBs that well, but are very good with CBs they acquired as veterans through free agency and trades or as cut “ronin” types. And it’s not always the case that they were stars before.
2 lists. The draft picks, and then the “acquired by other means” types.
Draft picks (not one is higher than round 3): Long, Rochell, Durant, Kendrick, Tomlinson
Trades, FAs, reclamation projects: Troy Hill; Nickell Robey-Coleman; Darious Williams; Marcus Peters; Aqib Talib; Ramsey; Ahkello Witherspoon; Tre’Davious White,; Emmanuel Forbes; Roger McCreary).
In contrast, they are very good at drafting and developing young safeties.
With CB, though, they just do better with veterans they didn’t draft. That’s an old thing that goes back to 2017 and has remained consistent since then.
Now add McDuffie and Watson. Who join McCreary and Forbes. We’ll see if they draft one too.
On one of her podcasts with Greg Rosenthal, Jourdan Rodrigue said that the Rams “can’t draft corners.” Maybe that’s one reason Pleasant is gone. Maybe they can now.
znModeratorChris Long on the Rams leaving St. Louis “In reality, there was nothing the players could have done. It was just not a well-run program. There were games where we showed up and we just knew we weren’t gonna win” 😔 pic.twitter.com/b0RaPG8jCK
— Rams Tapes 🇵🇷 (@RamsTapes) April 13, 2026
znModeratorJames Tate@JamesTate121
Too on point not to share, “Aussie reply to Trump rant about NATO not being there for us.Mate. You run a country with 600,000 homeless people sleeping on the street tonight. A country where 40% of adults can’t cover a $400 emergency without borrowing money. A country where insulin costs more than a car payment and people are rationing it to survive. A country where medical debt is the number 1 cause of bankruptcy. A country where women are dying in hospital car parks because doctors are too scared of abortion laws to treat a miscarriage.
You lock up more of your own citizens than any nation on earth. More than China. More than Russia. More than North Korea. The land of the free has 2 million people in cages, and a quarter of them haven’t even been convicted of anything. They’re just too poor to make bail.
Your life expectancy is going backwards. You’re the only developed nation where that’s happening. Your infant mortality rate is worse than Cuba’s. Your kids do active shooter drills between maths and English while you sell the gunmaker’s stock to your mates.
Your minimum wage hasn’t moved in 15 years. You’ve got teachers working 2 jobs and veterans sleeping under bridges and you just spent a trillion dollars flattening a country that didn’t attack you.
And you’ve got a convicted felon, adjudicating raping, paedophile protecting, porn star shagging insurrectionist running the biggest dumpster fire war campaign since the Taliban thanked you very much for losing again.
And you’re calling Greenland poorly run?
Greenland has universal healthcare. Free education. One of the lowest incarceration rates in the world. Nobody goes bankrupt there because they got sick. Nobody dies in a waiting room because their insurance said no.
“NATO wasn’t there when we needed them.” When exactly was that, champ? September 11? Because NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time in history FOR YOU. Soldiers from dozens of countries deployed, fought, bled, and died in Afghanistan FOR YOU. Australia wasn’t even in NATO and we still showed up. For 20 years.
And you pulled out at 2am without telling anyone and left them to deal with the mess.
So maybe before you start calling other countries poorly run, have a look at your own backyard, you spray-tanned aluminium siding salesman. The only thing poorly run in this picture is your fucking mouth.znModeratorThe NFL doesn't have to go to war with its officials and this situation should have never gotten this far. People far smarter than me have a possible solution. https://t.co/CW0kT99jXr
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) April 10, 2026
April 12, 2026 at 10:07 am in reply to: Just a thread for different kindsa interesting things #163265znModeratorBallet needs to be in the Olympics.
I’m serious. That was athletic as hell. pic.twitter.com/uCHT3n0MCl
— Wholesome Side of 𝕏 (@itsme_urstruly) March 9, 2026
znModeratorNFL Stats@NFL_Stats
Most career games with 400+ passing yardsDrew Brees – 16
Tom Brady – 14
Peyton Manning – 14
Dan Marino – 14
Ben Roethlisberger – 12
Matthew Stafford – 11
Phillip Rivers – 11
Patrick Mahomes – 10
Dak Prescott – 10
Eli Manning – 9
Aaron Rodgers – 9
Kirk Cousins – 9znModeratorNFL Researcher@NFL_Researcher
Most single-season pass TD vs teams to make the playoffs in the Super Bowl era:1. Joe Burrow (2024) – 25*
2. Justin Herbert (2021) – 23*
3. Dan Marino (1986) – 22*
3. Lamar Jackson (2024) – 22
3. Matthew Stafford (2025) – 22
6. Peyton Manning (2013) – 21
6. Patrick Mahomes (2018) – 21znModeratorNFL Researcher@NFL_Researcher
RB with highest percentage of plays for 10+ yards in 2025 (minimum 100 touches).1. De’Von Achane – 18.6%
2. Kenneth Walker III – 17.5%
3. Blake Corum – 16.4%
4. Rhamondre Stevenson – 16.2%
5. Bijan Robinson – 16.2%
6. Kenneth Gainwell – 15.6%
7. Jahmyr Gibbs – 14.8%
8. D’Andre Swift – 14.8%
9. James Cook – 14.0%
10. Omarion Hampton – 13.8%znModerator
NFL Researcher@NFL_Researcher
Point differential at home in 2025…Top 5
1. Jaguars (+98)
2. Patriots (+90)
3. Rams (+86)
4. Seahawks (+83)
5. Lions (+76)Point differential on the road in 2025…
Top 5
1. Seahawks (+108)
2. Rams (+86)
3. Patriots (+80)
4. Ravens (+58)
4. 49ers (+58)znModeratorNFL Researcher@NFL_Researcher
Rate of touches for 1st down or TD among RB in 2025 (minimum 200 touches)…Top 5
1. Kyren Williams – 27.8%
2. Christian McCaffrey – 27.0%
3. D’Andre Swift – 26.9%
4. Zach Charbonnet – 26.4%
5. Jonathan Taylor – 26.2%znModeratorNFL Researcher@NFL_Researcher
Highest percentage of receptions for 1st down or TD in 2025…1. Davante Adams – 85.0%
2. Tetairoa McMillan – 78.6%
3. George Pickens – 78.5%
4. Jameson Williams – 75.4%
5. Jaylen Waddle – 75.0%
6. Romeo Doubs – 74.5%
7. Courtland Sutton – 70.3%
8. Hunter Henry – 70.0%
9. Tee Higgins – 69.5%
10. Drake London – 67.6%>Minimum 50 receptions
znModeratorNFL Researcher@NFL_Researcher
Most total TD in the 4th quarter of one-possession games in 2025…1. Josh Allen – 8
1. Matthew Stafford – 8
3. Caleb Williams – 7
4. Jordan Love – 6
4. Josh Jacobs – 6
6. Tyler Shough – 5
7. 10 Tied – 4April 12, 2026 at 8:14 am in reply to: new Rams draft thread…April (except WR stuff which has its own thread) #163248znModeratorfrom Selecting the Best NFL Draft Pick Ever for Every Team: https://www.si.com/nfl/selecting-best-nfl-draft-pick-ever-for-every-team
Los Angeles Rams: Deacon Jones, DE
Selection: 1961, 14th round (No. 186)Jones played in an era before sacks were official in 1982; otherwise, he’d likely be regarded as perhaps the finest defensive end to ever live. Jones was a 14th-round pick out of Mississippi Valley State and became part of the famed Fearsome Foursome in Los Angeles. Jones totaled an unofficial 173.5 sacks in his 14-year career, including at least 21 sacks on three occasions during the 14-game schedule era. A five-time first-team All-Pro, Jones was the benchmark of his era for pass rushing.
April 11, 2026 at 5:04 pm in reply to: new Rams draft thread…April (except WR stuff which has its own thread) #163239znModeratorRams got 6 starters (in red) and 2 decent back-ups (in blue) from the 2023 draft.
Quite a haul. ]
And it has to be the best 5th round in their entire history as a franchise.
2 Steve Avila
3 Byron Young
3 Kobie Turner
4 Stetson Bennett
5 Nick Hampton
5 Warren McClendon
5 Davis Allen
5 Puka Nacua
6 Tre’Vius Tomlinson
6 Ochaun Mathis
6 Zach Evans
7 Ethan Evans
7 Jason Taylor
7 Desjuan JohnsonznModeratorWhy do we not have a drunken brawl thread ?
w
vWell we did, it just had a less than directly explicit title. It was called the “Did Shaw hire Martz against Vermeil’s wishes” thread.
znModeratorMe: one of the reporters in this alleged story was Russini.
***
znModeratorShes a well-known sports-reporter-celebrity. Married. Spotted at resort with Mike Vrabel.
Its a bigger story than Iran, obviously.
Wow. A journalist socializing with the people she’s supposed to cover objectively?
Just imagine what would happen to our news coverage if political reporters did that. My gawd.
This has a chance to be one of the grossest double standards of all time if her career gets railroaded over this while nothing happens to Vrabel.
And no, a divorce would not relate to his career. That's personal. https://t.co/BWb9WNqwtu
— Scott Kacsmar (@ScottKacsmar) April 10, 2026
znModerator13. Cowboys: Dak Prescott
15. Lions: Jared Goff
18. Chargers: Justin HerbertHe’s putting some guys lower than they should be because they played on banged up teams last year.
znModeratorJohn Frascella (Football)@NFLFrascella
Frascella’s QB1 Rankings for all 32 NFL teams:1. Rams: Matthew Stafford
2. Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes
3. Bills: Josh Allen
4. Ravens: Lamar Jackson
5. Bengals: Joe Burrow
6. Seahawks: Sam Darnold
7. Packers: Jordan Love
8. Bears: Caleb Williams
9. Broncos: Bo Nix
10. 49ers: Brock Purdy
11. Patriots: Drake Maye
12. Eagles: Jalen Hurts
13. Cowboys: Dak Prescott
14. Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence
15. Lions: Jared Goff
16. Bucs: Baker Mayfield
17. Commanders: Jayden Daniels
18. Chargers: Justin Herbert
19. Panthers: Bryce Young
20. Colts: Daniel Jones
21. Saints: Tyler Shough
22. Vikings: Kyler Murray
23. Dolphins: Malik Willis
24. Giants: Jaxson Dart
25. Titans: Cam Ward
26. Raiders: Kirk Cousins
27. Cardinals: Jacoby Brissett
28. Texans: CJ Stroud
29. Browns: Shedeur Sanders
30. Jets: Geno Smith
31. Falcons: Tua Tagovailoa
32. Steelers: Mason RudolphznModeratorHow the top 7 wide receivers could fit the Rams
Nate Atkins
It’s not hard to pinpoint the Los Angeles Rams’ biggest need at this point in the offseason. And now we have a resource at The Athletic to analyze it.
The Rams have a potent roster they’re largely rolling back from last season’s 12-5 campaign that finished just a few yards short of a Super Bowl appearance. They’ve spent all of free agency retooling the secondary, which is the biggest area that let them down in the NFC Championship Game. They’ll continue to work the edges for special teams help, too.
But the one starting spot they haven’t addressed is the No. 3 wide receiver. That role arguably faded as the Rams leaned into three-tight-end sets last season. But at his core, coach Sean McVay wants to live in three-receiver sets often. And that demands an upgrade.
The Athletic just released “The Beast,” the annual project Dane Brugler puts together that features scouting reports on more than 2,000 draft-eligible players and rankings by position. It’s a helpful way to process the draft board the Rams could be operating with at a position like wide receiver.
Let’s break down Brugler’s top seven wideouts.
No. 1: Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Brugler’s takeaway: “Tate is a long, technically proficient receiver who can win at all three levels using high-level tracking/adjustment skills and catching radius. He projects as an immediate NFL starting Z with Pro Bowl upside.”
Rams fit: It’s difficult to find any ranking of receiver prospects that doesn’t have Tate at the top of the list. He broke out last season with 51 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns despite sharing the Ohio State receiving game with Jeremiah Smith, who should be a top-five pick next year. Tate isn’t at the Smith level of a prospect, mostly because he’s slimmer at 6-foot-2, 192 pounds.
Tate has the most likely chance in this class of becoming a future No. 1 option. He would slot in as the third option behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and to land the draft’s No. 1 receiver in that spot would launch an already elite receiving corps to the best in the league.
It’s almost certainly going to take a trade-up. That becomes difficult for a franchise that wants to save next year’s first-round pick to go after a quarterback in what could be one of the better QB classes in years. The Rams could offer one or both of their Day 3 picks, but that would mean the jump would have to be small.
Given that the Rams don’t need Tate to lead the passing attack, and other good options can anchor the role they do need, consider him less likely. But it would provide strong insurance if Los Angeles decides not to pay Nacua by next year.
No. 2: Makai Lemon, USC
Brugler’s takeaway: “Lemon doesn’t wow with his size or athletic profile, but he is a smooth, manipulative route runner and catches everything thrown his way. Similar in ways to fellow former Trojans receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, he already plays like a pro and projects as an NFL starter (Z or slot).”
Rams fit: You’ve likely seen Lemon mocked to the Rams in several places, including from yours truly. He seems to be a sweet spot for them as a receiver who is realistically attainable with the No. 13 pick, a smooth fit into what they need and a local product to boot.
Lemon isn’t as exciting in singular traits as Tate. But he does produce, as showcased by last season’s 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns to win the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football. He also blocks arguably as well as any top receiver in this class, and that is the biggest reason Tutu Atwell couldn’t see the field last season despite playing on a $10 million salary.
If Tate goes in the top 10 as expected, Lemon will be one player the Rams are hoping can fall. If they really like this fit, they could part with a Day 2 pick to secure him in a small trade-up.
No. 3: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Brugler’s takeaway: “Tyson’s injury history is concerning, but on the field, he is a sleek, twitched-up athlete who can create his own separation and win outside his frame at the catch point. He projects as an NFL starter (inside or outside), with a skill set that reminds me of Stefon Diggs.”
Rams fit: It’s hard not to watch Tyson and think that any talented play designer would love to get him in an offense, and McVay is likely no different. But he is one of the more difficult conversations for a high pick because of his injury history, which includes issues with his hamstring, ankle, collarbone and knee that cost him 34 percent of his team’s games over the past four seasons.
Sometimes, injuries can speak more about a small sample than a career projection. But it’s also not something that tends to get easier to overcome with more games and the physicality of the NFL.
That injury history could discount a player with top-10 talent in a way that favors the Rams, too. In a future sense, Tyson could complement Nacua rather well as more of an explosive and acrobatic receiver, making him an ideal heir to Adams on the opposite side of the formation.
He doesn’t bring much special teams ability to contribute early, so the Rams would have to take more of a long-term, high-upside view in a player with talent and considerable risk.
No. 4: KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
Brugler’s takeaway: “Concepcion must cut down on the drops and fine-tune areas of his game, but he is a versatile playmaker with an innate feel for getting open before the catch and creating after it. He has the receiving talent to become a starting slot or Z while also providing value as a punt returner.”
Rams fit: The draft seems to have a locked-in top three right now, followed by a tier break to other strong options who might be a stretch at No. 13. However, the right player can be worth the investment, and the Rams can also explore trading back if they want to make the value work better.
Concepcion isn’t as consistent as the top three options here, but he can produce in a number of ways. He topped 800 receiving yards and nine touchdowns at two different programs at NC State and Texas A&M. He ran the ball 70 times for 431 yards and three touchdowns in his college career as a gadget player, which would be enticing to McVay.
He also returned 30 punts in college and scored two touchdowns, which could give him an immediate and important role that the Rams need to find an answer for somewhere in this draft. He won the Paul Hornung Award as college football’s most versatile player, and it could make him a unique counter to all that Nacua does for this team as defenses continue to throw more and more his way.
No. 5: Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
Brugler’s takeaway: “Cooper will be an attractive draft target for the NFL teams that put high value on ball skills and run-after-catch ability. He projects as an inside-outside receiver who can be weaponized when featured.”
Rams fit: An inside-outside receiver with ball skills and run-after-catch ability? That sounds like a player McVay could use, especially in the space created by the coverages Nacua and Adams will demand on the other side. His ability to move inside and out could create a future duo with Nacua where the two are constantly moving to find better matchups and to keep coverages off-balance.
Cooper showed explosiveness with 21.2 yards per catch in 2024 and high production, with 69 catches for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. The fact that he did it in the best conference in college football and on stages like the Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff makes the profile even stronger.
Cooper might not have the outside skills and separation ability to ever be a No. 1 receiver. If the Rams are committed to Nacua, he won’t need to be. This is a strong trade-back option for the Rams, provided they can fill their return need elsewhere.
No. 6: Denzel Boston, Washington
Brugler’s takeaway: “Boston builds his speed with smooth, long strides and naturally adjusts with the hand strength of a ball winner, which should quickly earn him the trust of an NFL quarterback. With his ability to win inside or outside, his game has shades of 2025 Houston Texans draft pick Jayden Higgins.”
Rams fit: If the Rams are looking for a future replacement for what Adams does in the red zone, they could look Boston’s way. Of his 20 career touchdowns, 14 of them came inside the red zone. It’s an illustration of his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame and his bulldog mentality when going after the ball in tight coverage. That alone makes him a trade-back candidate to consider in the first round.
Where Boston seems to lack is in his ability to blow by cornerbacks for explosive gains or against man coverage. That’s something Adams can still do enough that made him attractive to the Rams, whereas Nacua is the cheat code against zone coverages.
So, if the Rams go this route, they’ll need to focus on adding a third receiver post-Adams who can do a good amount of that. Boston did show a little as a punt returner last year with eight returns for an average of 13.0 yards, so there’s a way to ease him in and also make this red zone offense even harder to stop.
No. 7: Germie Bernard, Alabama
Brugler’s takeaway: “Bernard has a well-rounded, pro-ready skill set, with the frame, ball skills and smooth athleticism to be a dependable target. He projects as a starting Z receiver and as an NFL team’s second or third option.”
Rams fit: This is the point in the draft class when No. 1 or even a high No. 2 option has dried up. That could create a sweet spot for the Rams to pounce when Day 2 arrives, depending on how they plan to attack the position in the future. Bernard could slide in and be a really strong No. 3 option this season, with the hopes of ascending to a No. 2 after Adams’ contract is up in 2027.
Bernard doesn’t appear to have the star capabilities of some others in this class, but his floor is high given his size (6-foot-1, 206 pounds), durability and consistent production between his time at Washington and Alabama. He has dabbled in the return games just enough to be a potential option there, too, though likely not a game-breaking one.
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