The Los Angeles Rams could make an unprecedented move in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
The Los Angeles Rams are one of the early favorites to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in 2026.
Los Angeles has kept most of its playoff-caliber roster, and the team is well-positioned to get even better in the draft. There’s a strong reason to believe that will be the case in the coming months.
The Rams hold the No. 13 pick in April's draft, and they could go a multitude of ways. There's no real weakness for the Rams (outside of special teams), so they could have some real fun with their first-round pick.
From wide receiver to bolstering the secondary, the Rams could make a pick to improve any one of those positions. However, NFL draft insider Eric Edholm believes the team will take a unique approach with their first-round pick.
In Edholm's latest mock draft, he has the Rams selecting Utah tackle, Sepncer Fano.
"The Rams haven't drafted a tackle earlier than Round 5 in any of the past three years, but now it's time to plan for the future at the position. Fano would be a solid value here. Yes, his arm length (32 1/8 inches) is on the shorter end, but the Rams don't appear to be turned off by less-lengthy left tackles -- Alaric Jackson isn't exactly a pterodactyl."
The Rams have not selected a tackle in the draft earlier than the fifth round in the past eight years.
The last time they did so was in 2018 when they selected Joseph Noteboom. Los Angeles selected Noteboom in the third round with the No. 89 overall pick.
He was a solid contributor for the Rams during his tenure, appearing in 71 games over seven seasons. Noteboom logged a total of 2,378 offensive snaps, with his most active season coming in 2020 when he played 633 snaps — accounting for 91 percent of the team’s offensive plays.
The Rams could easily make a move for a tackle like Fona in late April.
Fano would bolster the Rams' offensive line and keep Matthew Stafford upright. He possesses great abilities, some of which include flying off his stance with explosiveness and consistently beating defenders to the spot on reach blocks and pull assignments, where quickness determines success.
According to NFL Draft Buzz, Fona is projected to be a top 10 pick in this year's draft. On top of that, he ranked the No. 10 overall prospect and No. 2 in the position rank.