Rams trade back, land freakishly athletic TE in Peter Schrager's final mock draft

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.