The college football season will be kicking off on Saturday with Week 0. While many top programs won’t start until next week, Iowa State and Kansas State will lead the slate as an important game between two top-25 teams. The Los Angeles Rams will be paying particularly close attention this season as they look to potentially select the heir to Matthew Stafford in the 2026 NFL Draft. While I won’t have a mock draft every week of the season, I will be tracking the top quarterback performances. Still, it feels right to start the college football season with a three-round Rams mock draft.
6th Overall – QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson
*Note: Traded picks 11, 23 and 85 to Las Vegas Raiders to move up to the No. 6 pick
Throughout the Les Snead era, the Rams have been a team that has consistently been aggressive at the quarterback position. When it was clear that Sam Bradford wasn’t going to work in St. Louis, Snead traded for Nick Foles. In 2016, the Rams traded up from the 15th overall pick to number one with the Tennessee Titans. When the Rams needed to get over the hump, they didn’t settle for Kirk Cousins, they went out and got Matthew Stafford.
Essentially, every starting quarterback that the Rams have targeted, they’ve acquired via trade. It wouldn’t be surprising to see them do the same in the 2026 NFL Draft. This isn’t a front office that is going to sit back and not get their guy. That’s exactly what they might have to do in the 2026 NFL Draft. There are going to be a lot of quarterback-needy teams. The New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, and Indianapolis Colts are projected to pick inside the top-10.
It’s very possible that the Rams will need to trade inside the top three. However, if a top quarterback falls outside the top three, that leaves open the option to move ahead of a team like the Indianapolis Colts in the 6-10 range. The price to move up will still be significant, but that’s why the Rams acquired a second first-round pick last April.
While there will be a lot of talk about Arch Manning, it’s not guaranteed that he enters the draft. LaNorris Sellers is an exciting player, but doesn’t fit the prototypical Sean McVay quarterback. The Rams will be looking for a player that can operate from the pocket, throws with anticipation, touch, and accuracy, and can create when necessary with his legs. That is Klubnik to a ‘T’.
The Rams likely aren’t going to find another Matthew Stafford, but McVay enjoyed coaching Baker Mayfield and that may be what he’s looking for in his next quarterback. Klubnik fits that archetype who has a good arm, is mobile, and can improvise with his legs and different arm angles. If it’s not Manning, it’s easy to see McVay falling in love with Klubnik’s game and doing what he can to ensure the Rams are turning in the draft card with his name on it.
55th Overall – WR Chris Bell, Louisville
Could the Rams replace one Louisville wide receiver with another? There’s a real chancce that Chris Bell ends up as a second-round player. However, as it stands, he’s ranked 117th on the consensus Big Board. A cornerback like Keith Abney from Arizona State could make sense here as well.
Still, the Rams could have a need at the wide receiver position next offseason. They have an out in Davante Adams’ deal, which they will likely take. The Rams won’t carry Adams at a $28 million cap hit. Tutu Atwell will also be a free agent and will either cost too much to bring back or not do enough to warrant bringing back. That could result in the Rams rolling with Puka Nacua, a rookie, and Jordan Whittington as the top three wide receivers on the team.
Bell has the foundation of a good route-runner and is extremely explosive and uses his size to his advantage. He’d be the perfect replacement for Adams in the offense as the “x” receiver on the outside.
Given how the Rams have developed wide receivers in the past, some may not see the need for a wide receiver. However, if Adams and Atwell leave next summer, the need will certainly be there. Bell may be someone to keep an eye on this college football season.
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