The acquisitions of Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson are official. Once scheduled to select twice in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Rams now hold the 13th overall pick (via the Falcons) after trading the 29th pick (their original first) to the Chiefs as part of the package for McDuffie.
Many of the mock drafts prior those two players' arrivals had Los Angeles doubling down on the secondary. How might L.A. approach the 13th pick now? Here's how experts and analysts think following those moves as well as the initial wave of free agency.
Sadiq's name has been a frequent one at this slot by various analysts, and like others who saw the Rams aggressively address their secondary, Klatt has them going for the other side of the ball to help maximize quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The 6-foot-3, 241-pound Sadiq led the Ducks with 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns while starting in 14 of their 15 games last season.
"Man, the Rams have been aggressive," Klatt writes. "Their pass defense has quickly improved, so that's settled. How about their passing game, though? Davante Adams is getting a bit older, turning 34. Matthew Stafford's not going to play forever, but he still has some juice. I love the thought of the Rams picking up Sadiq, who can help replace Adams as a red-zone threat down the line. You talk with the coaching staff at Oregon, and they also rave about his blocking ability."
Like Klatt, Davis and Ostly point to Adams getting older as a reason for the Rams to go for a receiver and find an eventual future complementary piece to Puka Nacua.
Boston, 6-4, 212, led the Huskies with 62 receptions for 881 receiving yards (14.2 per), and his 11 receiving touchdowns tied for ninth-most in the FBS. He also started in 11 of 12 games played for Washington in 2025.
"Obviously zero need now to reach for a corner here with Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson inbound from Kansas City," Davis and Ostly wrote. "LA had the league's No. 1 passing game in 2025 – in large part due to Puka Nacua's heroics. But Davante Adams, 33, was the only other productive wideout and battled injuries late in the season and is only under contract for one more year. Boston (6-4, 212) is the kind of supersized red-zone target (20 TD catches since 2024) and boundary receiver who could provide an easy transition from Adams while perfectly complementing Nacua."
McGuinness goes away from the skill position-pack in having the Rams select Mauigoa.
Offensive tackle did make an appearance in projections before and after longtime right tackle Rob Havenstein announced his retirement. However, head coach Sean McVay in his end-of-season press conference in early February said that Warren McClendon Jr. had earned the right to succeed Havenstein should Havenstein retire, so offensive tackle would seem like a surprise investment at that slot based on those comments, especially if the Rams are looking to maintain continuity among their starting five.
Nonetheless, McGuinness views this as a great way of maximizing what he calls a "luxury" pick. Mauigoa earned consensus NCAA All-America first-team recognition and was also selected as the annual winner of ACC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy, honoring conference's top blocker. The 6-5 1/2, 329 Mauigoa was also a three-year starter for the Hurricanes.
"The Rams have a case for owning the best roster in football," McGuinness wrote. "With the moves they have already made to shore up their secondary (trading for Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson), this pick is a bit of a luxury. Ideally for them, one of the top three receivers will still be on the board, but Mauigoa, who secured an 85.8 PFF pass-blocking grade on true pass sets, could be a great pick for the future."
While Klatt made the case of selecting Sadiq to succeed Adams as a red zone threat for the Rams, Lee sees the appeal of adding Sadiq as a mismatch option to an already-loaded offense.
"The Rams are already my NFC Super Bowl favorites, and this pick would serve the specific purpose of making their offense totally impossible to stop," Lee wrote. "Sadiq isn't just the best overall receiving talent in this class; he's one of the most athletic combine performers we've ever seen. His 4.39-second 40-yard dash and 43.5-inch vertical are incomprehensible for a 241-pound player, and that athleticism makes him a unique offensive threat for head coach Sean McVay to build plays around. Because of how often the Rams want to play with multiple tight ends on the field, Sadiq would force defensive coordinators to make unenviable choices about how to match up with Los Angeles's personnel."
