2026 NFL mock draft: Rams go CB and OT in first round

The Los Angeles Rams know where one of their two first-round selections will be in the 2026 NFL draft. The Rams own the No. 13 by way of the Atlanta Falcons following the two teams' draft day trade in 2025.

The second pick — the Rams' own selection — won't be confirmed until the end of the season. But for now, it'll be in the mid-to-late-20s.

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The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner went through the entire first round following Week 18 and ahead of the playoffs and made picks based on team needs. For the Rams, he took Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy with the No. 13 pick before selecting Indiana offensive tackle Carter Smith with the No. 29 pick.

McCoy and Smith would fill two obvious holes for the Rams in the event they figure out their quarterback situation before the draft.

The 6-foot, 193-pound McCoy missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered this past January, but he was one of the top cornerbacks heading into the draft even before this year. McCoy registered six interceptions in two seasons (one at Oregon State and one at Tennessee) with 16 total defended passes. The Rams have no clear star at cornerback in 2026, and McCoy could compete with whoever is left for one of the starting roles.

Smith, meanwhile, is one of the highest graded offensive tackles in college football, per Pro Football Focus. He didn't allow a sack in 766 offensive snaps this season and helped Indiana go undefeated in 2025 and helped quarterback Fernando Mendoza win the Heisman Trophy. While he's a left tackle by trade, the Rams could try to move him to right tackle or keep him behind their starting tackles in 2026.

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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: 2026 NFL mock draft: Rams go CB and OT in first round