Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion's stock has risen dramatically over the past year and he's now a projected first-round pick. After two productive seasons at NC State, Concepcion put the football world on notice during an explosive junior year with the Aggies in 2025 which earned him AP First Team All-SEC honors as a wide receiver and punt returner.
Recent mock drafts from NFL.com, FOX Sports and others have the Rams selecting Concepcion with pick No. 13 in the 2026 NFL Draft. Out of the 1,442 mock drafts aggregated by Grinding the Mocks, the Rams have selected a wide receiver in 37.2% of them, making it the most drafted position in those first-round projections. If that were to happen, it would be the first time general manager Les Snead has selected a wide receiver in the first round since he took Tavon Austin No. 8 overall in 2013.
This is not an endorsement of Concepcion by the Rams, nor is it an indication that they are targeting him. This is simply a reflection of external media linking Concepcion to Los Angeles in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Here's a scouting report on Concepcion and what he could bring to the Rams offense:
Scouting Report
Concepcion is a shifty route-runner who can get open at all levels and create yards after the catch. Last season, he caught 61 passes for 919 yards and nine touchdowns. Nearly half of those yards (440) came after the catch, according to Pro Football Focus. He also caught 10 of 15 contested targets.
Drops are his biggest weakness. PFF credited him with 19 over three college seasons, including seven in each of the past two.
"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," wrote Dane Brugler of The Athletic. "He has the receiving talent to become a starting slot or Z while also providing value as a punt returner."
Brugler's draft guide, The Beast, has Concepcion ranked 21st overall and fourth among receivers, only behind Ohio State's Carnell Tate, USC's Makai Lemon and Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson.
Concepcion ran a fairly diverse route tree last season and was deployed at different levels of the gridiron, from behind the line of scrimmage to 50 yards downfield. He can separate with quickness in short bursts and "can run every route well over the first two levels," according to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.
At 6-foot, 196 pounds, he was more effective against press coverage than most others at his size and beat both man and zone coverage consistently. "He's instinctive against zone," Zierlein wrote. "He's also a nightmare for man coverage on choice routes and near the goal line."
"Concepcion's a prolific separator," wrote Gennaro Filice in a recent mock draft for NFL.com. "... Not to mention, his deft route-running gets the full seal of approval from Matt Harmon. When Mr. Reception Perception says a wideout is 'My Guy,' I take note."
He's somewhat of a one-speed route runner which can make his movements predictable and easily tracked. But, if he were to be drafted to Los Angeles, a season playing with Davante Adams would teach him how to vary his tempo and manipulate defenders at a high level.
Fit
The Rams need a true WR3 after various players took on that role last season. It's one of the only spots that the Rams have a clear need on offense, defense or special teams. Plus, with Adams on the last year of his contract at 34 years old, a first-round receiver like Concepcion could address the current and future need at the position.
"Yes, I'm throwing a curveball into the perceived receiver pecking order, with Concepcion as the third pass catcher off the board," Filice wrote. "... When he catches the ball, the man's a bursty YAC monster who'd supply something new to the Rams' Puka Nacua/Davante Adams-led receiving corps."
Some may view Concepcion as a reach at 13th overall, but many analysts believe he could be a perfect fit for the Rams offense. The Rams have never been concerned with outside opinions or the status quo, so if they like a player, they will go get them. He could be a target for the Rams at 13 or if they trade down.
"Let me be clear: Any receiving corps that includes Puka Nacua and Davante Adams is not actually in need," wrote Rob Rang in a recent mock draft for FOX Sports. "Inside linebacker and right tackle qualify better in the traditional sense of "need." But Les Snead has attacked this offseason with a Super Bowl-or-bust mentality. Concepcion scored 28 touchdowns in 38 college games. He drops the ball more than he should, but the ones he holds onto have a way of making it into the end zone, whether as a receiver, runner or returner. I think he could give the Rams a similar jolt to the one Rashid Shaheed provided the Seahawks last year."
