The Los Angeles Rams may be angling to trade down in the first round of the draft, and they do just that in a new mock draft.
One of the things that has been known about the Los Angeles Rams is the way in which they use their first-round picks. Even after having two for the 2026 season, they used one to bring in All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie.
The second remains as the No. 13 selection, and general manager Les Snead recently said the team would likely consider trading down, which makes sense. In a new mock draft, they do just that and still secure wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
Snead has been a master at not only securing draft picks but finding a way to utilize those picks into either more capital or players that can seemingly be highly impactful. McDuffie has not taken the field with the Rams yet, but his resume speaks for itself.
With a stacked Rams team heading into 2026, the young talent they take in the draft will be to guide and potentially start, or simply coach up to be ready to play later.
This does not mean the Rams do not need playmakers. In fact, they remain weak at the wide receiver position due to no other pass catcher being as solid as Puka Nacua or Davante Adams.
Adams is presumably in the twilight years of his career, meaning Los Angeles will need to find a receiver to pair with Nacua. They can do so with Cooper, who has been mocked to the team by NFL.com's Chad Reuter.
In a proposed trade, the Rams swap with the Detroit Lions for a fifth-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick, sending Los Angeles down to No. 16 overall, where they select Indiana's Cooper.
"Cooper joins Davante Adams and Puka Nacua to give Matthew Stafford one of the best receiver trios in the league. The Indiana product will need to be a star in Year 2 if Adams moves on as a free agent after 2026," Reuter wrote.
Cooper would be a solid selection and a receiver who can learn under Adams in a big way. The Hoosiers prospect finished his collegiate career with 1,798 yards and 22 touchdowns, with a 15.6 yards per reception average.
Cooper also led the Big Ten in 2024 with 21.2 yards per catch.
Cooper has the size and speed to be a solid slot receiver, and could line up for those over-the-middle passes when defenses are more concerned about Nacua's deepfield threat and Adams in a go-route type of situation.
The Rams need a receiver to step up for YAC yards, and Cooper could play that role in a big way. His ability to shed tackles is also a major plus and would add another element to the passing game for Stafford.