Rams 90-Man Roster Player Preview: WR CJ Daniels Has Clear Path to Early Role

In the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams selected Miami wide receiver CJ Daniels. While some expected the Rams to take a wide receiver earlier, Daniels was taken on Day 3 and fit the Rams’ archetype.

Heading into his rookie season, Daniels appears to be someone the Rams are excited about in 2026. After the draft, assistant general manager John McKay spoke highly of Daniels, “He fits a lot of the things we're looking for in the offense," McKay said. "He runs routes at a high level. He's got a great feel for the game. He's got a big catch radius, strong hands. So for us, it was a great fit, and we felt like he was one of the last ones still available that could really impact our team this year and moving forward.”

Continuing our player preview series for 2026 is Daniels.

2025 Season in Review

Daniels transferred to Miami from Liberty last season and was one of the Hurricanes’ top receivers on offense. He ranked third on the team in catches and receiving yards while his seven touchdowns ranked seventh. His best game came against Florida State, where he had where he had five receptions for 78 yards and scored two touchdowns. Daniels helped lead the Canes to the National Championship. Against Indiana, Daniels had four receptions for 62 yards which was second behind Malachi Toney.

Roster Battle

The hope for Daniels as a rookie will be for him to compete with Jordan Whittington, Konata Mumpfield, and Xavier Smith as the third wide receiver in the offense. Daniels was drafted because of the size he provides. He had a success rate of 75.8 percent in contested catch situations over the last three seasons and had some of the more reliable hands in the class with a drop rate of 2.1 percent. Daniels’ primary roster battle will be with Mumpfield who was drafted in the seventh round last season.

Three Plays on Tape

Play 1: Good in Contested Catch Situations

CJ Daniels with an excellent adjustment against tight coverage.

Full lay-out, fingertip catch and embraces the fall not to land on the ball. #CanesFootball #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/5CprJn64Fx
— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) November 11, 2025

One of Daniels’ biggest strengths is his body control and ability to make adjustments on the ball along the sideline. While he doesn’t have the speed to out-run defenders, he’s great at finding the ball and adjusting to it to make the difficult catch. This is one area where Mumpfield struggled last season and the Rams hope for an upgrade with Daniels.

Play 2: Good Ball Tracking Ability

CJ Daniels (6’2 202) Miami

+ Body control
+ Ball tracking
+ 28 career receiving touchdowns
+ 4.3% drop rate for his career
+ 62.3% career contested catch rate
+ Willing and capable blocker
+ Ton of experience
+ Ran a 4.44 40-yard dash
+ Quick feet off the line

- Older… pic.twitter.com/yjy5laPuab
— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) March 26, 2026

Again, Daniels doesn’t have the speed to win vertically, but his his subtle movements in his route allow him to create some separation. He’s not a deep threat by any means, but similar to Demarcus Robinson, he’s really good at tracking the ball.

Play 3: Body Control and Concentration

CJ Daniels drafted by the Rams pic.twitter.com/nX7HFLax8U
— Grant Reacts (@GrantReacts1) April 25, 2026

Last season, Daniels made one of the catches of the season against Notre Dame. His ability to win on the outside, win 1-on-1 against cornerbacks, and make the tough catch is a big reason why the Rams drafted him. He gives the Rams what they had in a depth player in Demarcus Robinson, which they missed last season. Daniels doesn’t have elite athletic traits, but The Rams have consistently taken advantage of undervalued wide receivers.

Biggest Question: How Big of an Impact Can CJ Daniels Have as a Rookie?

It’s important to have realistic expectations for Daniels. At the end of the day, he’s likely not the next Puka Nacua or someone who will take over for Davante Adams. However, he could earn snaps over Whittington and Mumpfield as the WR3 in the offense. Daniels needs to have a good training camp, but earning a rotational role in the offense is realistic.

2026 Outlook/Role

Ideally, Daniels competes with Mumpfield and takes some of his snaps in the offense. Mumpfield overperformed in 2025, and Daniels provides a better skill set on the outside. He’s likely just a depth player as a rookie, but if he can work into the WR3 rotation, that would be considered a success.

Chances of Making the Roster

It’s certainly possible that Daniels could get cut if he doesn’t have a strong training camp. The Rams proved last season that being drafted doesn’t guarantee a spot on the roster. Still, that seems unlikely for Daniels. He’ll likely be one of five or six wide receivers to make the final 53-man roster.

Chances: 8/10

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