There is a lot of time between now and when the Los Angeles Rams are on the clock in the 2026 NFL draft, but that hasn’t stopped a whole swathe of pundits from making predictions.
L.A. can go in a few different directions with its two first-round picks at No. 13 and No. 29. The team doesn’t have any glaring needs but could certainly add depth in the secondary, along the offensive line and even at the receiver position. Matthew Stafford is returning for 2026, but quarterback isn’t out of the question, either, with uncertainty of the team’s long-term plan there.
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Former NFL defensive back and current CBS Sports analyst Bryant McFadden made two mock draft predictions for the Rams: He took Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy at No. 13 and then Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 29.
“When you’re in a division where you have JSN [Seattle Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba], who’s not moving anytime soon, and you look at how they throw the football in San Francisco — go get you a cornerback,” McFadden said. “The best cornerback in the draft, even though he’s coming off an injury: Jermod McCoy. He’s a guy that plays with fire. He’s an alpha. He loves to insert himself and instantly their defense becomes better because you look at the guys that hunt the quarterbacks. It helps the guys in the back end. … In terms of how he plays the game and how he tackles, I love everything about McCoy.
“Now I come back with the 29th and take Omar Cooper, talented wide receiver,” McFadden said. “The reason why I do this is because you got Puka [Nacua], you got Davante [Adams]. Clearly, Davante is closer to the end of his career than the beginning, right? Not knowing what’s going to happen with Tutu Atwell. You got the tight end production who I love. I think they had three of the top three tight ends on their team in terms of how to utilize those guys. And now bringing in a guy like Omar Cooper, who’s a versatile player, and he’s a hard-nosed football player that happens to play the wide receiver position. You can do so many different things with him. And just imagine Sean McVay getting his hands on a guy like a Puka Nacua in terms of his mentality and the toughness, but he also has the versatility and the speed and the sure hands. Great playmaker to add to that offense that’s already explosive.”
For what it’s worth, fellow CBS Sports analyst Pete Prisco gave McCoy pick an “A” but the Cooper pick got a “C-” because of the Rams’ other needs on defense. However, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah called Cooper the “Ramsiest WR in the draft.”
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Much has been written about McCoy’s fit in L.A. He missed the entire 2025 season but should return in 2026 healthy enough to potentially start at cornerback for any team. Cooper, meanwhile, is rising rapidly up draft boards after he caught 69 passes for 937 yards and scored 13 touchdowns for the Hoosiers this past season.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 2026 mock draft: Ex-NFL player picks CB and WR for Rams in 1st round