Everyone thought the Los Angeles Rams would take an instant-impact player at No. 13 overall in the draft. They're the Super Bowl favorites and with a 38-year-old quarterback, it would've made sense for them to draft a player who can help them win now.
They did just the opposite in the first round, selecting Ty Simpson with the 13th pick.
Fans and analysts were puzzled by the decision, but the Rams are more focused on sustaining success long-term than going all-in to win a ring this season. As a result, their top pick is someone they hope doesn't see the field at all in 2026.
We ranked the Rams' five drafted rookies by potential impact this season, starting with the team's sixth-round pick.
Daniels was the Rams' second-to-last pick but he has the best chance to have an impact as a rookie. Why? Because he plays the position that was externally perceived as the team's biggest need. He'll get a chance right away to compete for the WR3 spot with Jordan Whittington and Konata Mumpfield, which is a battle he can certainly win.
Mumpfield struggled to be strong at the catch point last season, but that's an area Daniels excels at. He's terrific in contested catch situations, which will give Matthew Stafford the confidence to know his rookie will bring it down more often than not.
Daniels must first earn a spot on the roster but as the season goes on, there's a chance he could become a starter in 11 personnel packages. That's what Mumpfield was last season and he was a seventh-round rookie.
Unlike Daniels, Klare is buried on the depth chart at a position of strength. Still, he'll have a better chance to contribute as a rookie than most of the Rams' other picks. Given Sean McVay's commitment to 13 personnel, he could be on the field a bunch in 2026.
Tyler Higbee is slowing down, Davis Allen has his limitations and Colby Parkinson still isn't a dynamic receiver despite putting up career numbers last season.
When the Rams want to throw the ball out of 13 personnel, Klare should be one of the tight ends on the field by the end of the year. He and Terrance Ferguson give them a strong pairing of young tight ends to build around.
Trost will either be a major contributor or a season-long backup in 2026. There isn't much in between for him.
If he gets a chance to compete with Warren McClendon Jr. at right tackle, there's a chance he could win that job. But if he doesn't beat out McClendon, he'll be relegated to a backup role at both guard and tackle. That's perfectly fine, especially with Steve Avila, Kevin Dotson and McClendon all in contract years, but it could lead to minimal impact as a rookie.
Some will see Trost as a better fit at guard than tackle but his play in practice could determine his role in Los Angeles. Even as a swing tackle and backup guard, Trost will have an opportunity to play because injuries do occur.
The defensive line is a strength of the Rams', boasting an outstanding front that features Kobie Turner, Poona Ford and Braden Fiske. Keenan joins that loaded group, which also has an underrated player in Tyler Davis, but he has something few others possess: sheer size.
He's 327 pounds, which is 13 pounds heavier than Ford; Bill Norton is the only defensive player who's heavier than Keenan. That mass could get him on the field as a rotational early-down nose tackle for the Rams, giving Ford a breather when he's gassed.
As long as he makes the team, he could see snaps in the regular season, particularly if Ty Hamilton doesn't take a step forward.
In an ideal world, Simpson won't throw a single pass in 2026. Jimmy Garoppolo didn't and the Rams made it to the NFC title game, with the league's MVP in Matthew Stafford. Unless it's in garbage time during a blowout win, the Rams hope Simpson never sees the field as a rookie.
If he does, it will have meant Stafford got injured and missed time. Nobody wants that.
The Rams drafted Simpson with the idea that he'll sit for at least a year or two while Stafford continues to do his thing, playing at a high level. They still want Simpson to play well enough in camp and the preseason to earn the QB2 job, but they want Stafford throwing 100% of the passes, if possible.
It's not often a team wants its first-round pick to ride the bench all year, but that's where the Rams are with Simpson right now.