ESPN’s Peter Schrager released his final mock draft of 2026 on Monday, revealing what he thinks will happen in the first round based on his “latest intel.” As a well-sourced insider, what Schrager predicts carries some weight – especially for the Los Angeles Rams, given his friendship with Sean McVay.

He had been of the belief that the Rams would take Makai Lemon at No. 13 for a long time, but he’s shifted away from the USC wide receiver in this mock. Instead, he has the Rams trading back with the Detroit Lions and landing a playmaker at a different offensive position.

At No. 17, he has the Rams drafting Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, one of the most athletic tight ends in NFL combine history.

There's a lot of Sadiq intrigue in the Rams' building. They already have multiple contributing tight ends, but that depth chart could look different in a year -- especially since current TE1 Colby Parkinson is a free agent in 2027. Sadiq is an explosive pass catcher who could help Matthew Stafford in a key go-for-it year in L.A., and you know coach Sean McVay would figure out ways to get the ball in Sadiq's hands. This would be the second year in a row that the Rams took an Oregon tight end after going with Terrance Ferguson in Round 2 last April.

This would be almost a carbon copy of last year’s draft for the Rams: trade down from their first pick and take an Oregon tight end. Last year, it was Terrance Ferguson. This year, it’s Sadiq.

It might seem redundant to add another tight end with Ferguson, Tyler Higbee, Colby Parkinson and Davis Allen all on the roster, but there isn’t much long-term stability at that spot right now. Higbee is year-to-year with retirement and Parkinson and Allen are both in the final year of their contracts.

By adding Sadiq, the Rams would guarantee themselves two quality tight ends for at least three years together, both of them being great athletes with strong receiving skills. At 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds, Sadiq ran a 4.39 in the 40, which was the fastest ever by a tight end at the combine, and posted a 43.5-inch vertical, the second-best ever at the position.

He’d be a great addition to the Rams offense, giving Matthew Stafford another weapon and McVay another chess piece as his scheme evolves year by year.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams trade back, take Kenyon Sadiq in Peter Schrager's mock draft