Rams land standout WR in Peter Schrager's 'what I'm hearing' mock draft

The 2026 NFL Draft is just over two weeks away and for the first time this offseason, ESPN’s Peter Schrager has released a mock draft. His mock drafts are always using sourced information about what he’s hearing rather than what he’d do for each team, so it provides plenty of value.

Last year, he correctly predicted the Rams would trade out of the first round and this year, he expects them to take a wide receiver. In his initial mock draft on Tuesday, he sent USC wide receiver Makai Lemon to the Rams at No. 13 overall, making him the third wideout off the board.

Fascinatingly, Jordyn Tyson was WR1 in this mock, going to the Chiefs at No. 9, followed by Carnell Tate to the Dolphins at No. 11.

Lemon fits with a lot of what the Rams do on offense. And taking the 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner would be a sign that the Rams are truly all-in to win in 2026, potentially Matthew Stafford's final season. But this pick would also have the long term in mind, with Davante Adams entering the final year of his deal and turning 34 in December.

Lemon has become a popular prospect for the Rams, not only because of the close proximity at USC, but mostly due to the team’s need for receiver help. Lemon is primarily a slot receiver, which is fine for the Rams because they could use a slot guy to complement Davante Adams and Puka Nacua on the outside.

At the same time, it would also be good for the Rams to find a legitimate outside receiver for life after Adams retires or leaves in free agency, considering his contract expires after this season.

There’s no denying Lemon’s talent and he’s electric after the catch, but it remains to be seen if the Rams will pull the trigger if he’s there at No. 13. Schrager clearly thinks they might.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL mock draft: Peter Schrager projects Rams to take Makai Lemon at 13