Which wide receivers might the Rams target if they don’t select one in Round 1?

With the 13th overall pick in hand and two more selections inside the top 100, the Los Angeles Rams are under no pressure to force a wide receiver selection in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Head coach Sean McVay’s offense already features Puka Nacua as a movable chess piece, so the front office is expected to focus on adding an outside X or Z receiver who can win one-on-one match downsfield and expand the vertical element of the attack. If the board does not break their way on Thursday night, three Day-2 prospects have emerged as ideal fits.

The first name gaining traction inside the building is Vanderbilt’s 6-2 X receiver Jordan Sarratt. Projected for the second round, Sarratt lacks elite long speed but compensates with impeccable timing on back-shoulder throws, elite body control in the red zone, and the strongest pair of hands in the class—evidenced by his FBS-best 44 career touchdown receptions. NFL Draft Buzz notes that while he will not rip off 70-yard slants, he is a reliable chain-mover who understands how to sit in zone windows and finish drives, a trait the Rams covet inside the 20.

USC’s Ja’Kobi Lane has seen his stock climb since a strong Senior Bowl week and a faster-than-expected 40-yard dash at the Combine. At 6-3, Lane plays above the rim, routinely winning contested catches and using his length to create separation on isolation routes. His vertical and broad-jump numbers confirmed the explosive lower-body power visible on film, and teams that value play-action shots and red-zone jump balls have taken notice. The Rams are comfortable developing raw elements of his route tree so long as the physical upside is real, and Lane’s ceiling as a traditional boundary X receiver matches McVay’s desire to attack outside the numbers.

Georgia State transfer Ted Hurst offers a different flavor as a developmental Z receiver. After two dominant seasons at Division-II Valdosta State, Hurst made the jump to the Sun Belt and improved his receiving grade while trimming his average depth of target from 17.2 to 12.6 yards, illustrating a growing feel for finding space underneath. At 6-4, 206 pounds, with a 99th-percentile broad jump, he has the frame and fluid hips to handle McVay’s motion-heavy scheme, and Los Angeles believes he can add 10-15 pounds without sacrificing acceleration. Press coverage remains a question, but the Rams feel they can manufacture free releases through formation variety early in his career.

Armed with picks 61 and 93, the Rams can afford to be patient. The 2026 receiver class is historically deep, with starting-caliber talent expected to spill into Day 2. Whether they wait for Sarratt’s contested-catch mastery, Lane’s high-point athleticism, or Hurst’s upside as a movable Z, Los Angeles is poised to walk away with a rookie who can contribute immediately to Matthew Stafford’s arsenal.