The Rams had a Jalen Ramsey once, why not a Kamari Ramsey…
It is widely believed that the Los Angeles Rams will use one of their two 2026 first round picks (thank you Atlanta Falcons) on a quarterback. It is a fair assumption and more likely not than not. However, there is a chance the Rams and Matthew Stafford could kick the can down the road one more time based on the contract the two parties agreed to this offseason. So let’s imagine the Rams do not take a quarterback next year and trade of the first rounders for a 2027 first rounder and extra draft capital. Who might the Rams select with the other 2026 first rounder? Here are five names to keep an eye throughout the 2025 college football season…
Carnell Tate, WR
It was rumored that the Rams had their eye on a trade up for Tetairoa McMillan. If that is accurate, then it would not surprise me if LA wants to add a wide receiver early in 2026. Carnell Tate is a 6’3” x-receiver (with the ability to play as a z); giving the team insurance in case Davante Adams is: 1) past his prime and the Rams move on after 2025 season or 2) injury. Best case scenario is the Rams add to their wide receiver room that could feature a trio of Nacua, Adams, and Tate.
Kamari Ramsey, S
It just seems fitting that Los Angeles should have a player named Ramsey on their defense. So if its not going to be Jalen, than it might as well be Kamari. The option makes sense since the Rams have the following defensive backs set to hit free agency after this offseason: Quentin Lake, Derion Kendrick, Akhello Witherspoon, Cobie Durant, and Kam Curl. Kamari Ramsey’s game play would be intriguing to Los Angeles because of his abilities fitting their “star role” on defense.
KAMARI. RAMSEY. pic.twitter.com/61ztM3YKQ2
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) September 28, 2024
Francis Mauigoa, RT
Mauigoa is one of the top tackle prospects entering the 2026 draft. Rob Havenstein announced that he is not ready for retirement but the 33 year old tackle has missed seven games in the past two years because of injuries. Sean McVay and Les Snead have a lot of their chips backing Matthew Stafford and prioritizing his health is a must. We saw how inefficient the offense was when parts of the offensive line were missing. It may be favorable to consider Havenstein’s heir.
Caleb Downs, CB
As mentioned for Kamari Ramsey, the Rams are losing a lot of cornerbacks. On top of that, Darious Williams is getting older and this could very well be his last year with the team for cap purposes. Targeting a #1 cornerback is not typically where the Rams look during the draft but Caleb Downs could be an exception. Downs has been praised for his swiss-army knife traits and processing ability. NFLDraftBuzz went as far to say that his ceiling is in fact gold jacket territory…
Downs projects as an immediate impact starter who will contend for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors while becoming a cornerstone defender for the next decade. Defensive coordinators will build game plans around his unique skill set, and offensive coordinators will need to account for his presence on every snap. His rare combination of instincts, physicality, coverage ability and leadership make him one of the safest prospects in this draft class. The floor is multi-year starter; the ceiling is gold jacket territory.
Denzel Boston, WR
Boston is a 6’4” 210 lb wide out. As an intermediate receiver, Boston would fit in the Rams passing attack because of the timing nuances and his route running ability. He is another strong x-receiver that is crucial to McVay offenses.