One Rams Player Who Just Dodged a Major Draft-Day Bullet

he Rams passed on linebacker in the 2026 NFL Draft, leaving Omar Speights’ role intact. Here’s why he may have avoided serious competition.

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs against Los Angeles Rams linebacker Omar Speights (48) in the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, there was some speculation that the Los Angeles Rams could look to upgrade at the linebacker position. With Texas’ Anthony Hill Jr. on the board and the Rams set to be on the clock with the 61st overall pick, there was a chance to get their linebacker. 

However, the Tennessee Titans traded ahead of the Rams at 60 and took Hill a pick before them. That’s not to say that the Rams would have certainly taken Hill. Throughout the Sean McVay era, the Rams haven’t spent a single top-100 pick on a linebacker. That’s not to say tight end Max Klare wasn’t the target. However, with potential fits such as Jacob Rodriguez, Josiah Trotter, CJ Allen, and Hill off the board, any opportunity to take a linebacker essentially disappeared. 

There wasn’t another linebacker taken between the Rams’ pick at 61 and their next pick at 93. In fact, the next linebacker to go after Hill wasn’t until pick 118 when the Detroit Lions took another potential Rams fit in Jimmy Rolder in the fourth round. TCU’s Kaleb Elarms-Orr went at pick 126 to the Buffalo Bills and Bryce Boettcher went at 135. 

By the time the Rams were on the clock again, a linebacker simply didn’t make sense. The Rams traded up for CJ Daniels before the same thing happened at wide receiver. In the end, the Rams added one linebacker as an undrafted free agent. 

Again, prior to the draft, reports suggested the Rams could look to draft a linebacker early. Instead, the only addition they made was an undrafted free agent in Nikai Hill-Green from Alabama. This essentially locks up Omar Speights as the starter heading into 2026. 

If the Rams were going to upgrade one spot in the draft, it was linebacker. Speights has been a pleasant surprise since entering as an undrafted free agent. He was a major factor in why the Rams were comfortable trading Ernest Jones prior to the 2024 season. At the same time, he’s likely hit his ceiling and has shown some limitations in man coverage. 

Looks like Omar Speights (48) had the defensive call wrong. He's running with the the RB like it's man coverage; everyone else is in zone

Big hole in the middle of the field. That'll do it.

What a huge, huge, huge win for the Panthers. https://t.co/ytpNUhBaGp pic.twitter.com/wEIdJZq6DZ

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) November 30, 2025

As a rookie, Speights was a reliable tackler in the middle of the Rams defense, but his missed tackle rate doubled last season. As a full-time player, Speights had a missed tackle rate of 10.8 percent which was up from 5.1 percent as a rookie. The primary issue with Speights is that he and Nate Landman have many of the same strengths and weaknesses. It would have made sense for the Rams to take someone like Rodriguez, Hill, or Kyle Louis who complemented Landman better in coverage. 

The linebacker position has been consistently undervalued in the McVay era. Defensive coordinator Chris Shula has mitigated this by helping his linebackers in coverage with safeties. Kam Curl was second on the team with 122 tackles last season. When the Rams are in dime, Jaylen McCollough typically serves as the dime linebacker. 

It’s possible that Speights and Shaun Dolac will compete for the starting linebacker role or the Rams could go with a more experienced player in Grant Stuard. At the same time, Speights is a known commodity and a familiar face. That alone provides some value. With the Rams not taking a linebacker in the draft, it appears the linebacker duo in 2026 is once again set up to be Landman and Speights.