The Los Angeles Rams will kick off the 2026 NFL draft with two first-round picks. To be sure, anticipating those selections at No. 13 and No. 29 overall is the most exciting part of the team's pre-draft outlook. Don't forget, though, they still own Day 2 picks at No. 61 and No. 93, both of which could turn into immediate contributors next season.
General manager Les Snead loves to pilfer talent late in the draft.
It's impossible not to remember wide receiver Puka Nacua, who was selected by the team as the 177th overall pick in 2023. The Horns don't need to hit on another late-round selection to that degree, but they could use one of those mid-tier picks on a potential No. 3 receiver for next season.
After Nacua and Davante Adams in 2025, options will be painfully limited. Wide receiver Jordan Whittington, a sixth-rounder two years ago, may not measure up as a No. 3 target. WR Xavier Smith will be a free agent.
Even if they target other positions earlier on, like cornerback or offensive line depth, LA could be on the lookout for a receiver not long after.
A sleeper pick they might be hoping doesn't impress too much at the NFL Combine is redshirt Connecticut senior Skyler Bell.
Bell won't be a sleeper for long if he balls out at the combine
From a statistical standpoint, the appeal is obvious. Bell led independent FBS schools last season (UConn, Notre Dame, Washington State and Oregon State) with 101 catches, 1278 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns. In 2024, he led the group with 17.2 yards per catch. Despite representing far from a powerhouse program, Bell was named a Consensus All-American.
That his success came playing outside a Power 4 conference is also a reason he's not ranked higher on most draft boards. Duke, ACC champions despite an 8-5 regular season record, was the best team the Huskies played all year. Although they won that game, thanks in part to 11 catches and two touchdowns from Bell, the rest of their schedule does little to flatter UConn's 9-3 mark in the regular season.
Dominant as he was, it's challenging to evaluate Bell for his performance against defensive backs at Boston College or Florida Atlantic. Earlier in his career, he played for the Wisconsin Badgers. In the Big Ten, he was less impressive. He only rose to prominence after transferring. Is he NFL-ready?
While he doesn't boast great speed, he is regarded as an excellent route-runner due to nimble footwork and his ability to read coverages, traits he used to separate from defenders. Bell might be the definition of "quick" versus "fast".
However, he's the former. Head coach Sean McCavy would love to add a deep threat to replace free agent Tutu Atwell, but Bell could certainly make a living getting open in the middle of the field. The question NFL teams will have to ask themselves is whether that production is due to elite smarts and athleticism or a result of playing soft competition.
For the Rams' sake, it would be better if Bell didn't turn too many heads during Saturday's receiver workouts at the combine. His position in various mock drafts and big boards puts him securely in LA's range with the 93rd overall pick. In fact, a recent mock draft by FanSided's Lou Scataglia, writing for NFL Spin Zone, has him suiting up for the Blue and Yellow.
Consensus opinion has oscillated on the Huskies' top option. He opened the year with a big-board rank of 101, peaked at 70 in December, and then slipped to the low 90s. Pro Football Focus currently ranks Bell 79th on its list of prospects, and graded him 43rd among receivers during the season with a score of 81.8.
There is more than enough upside to intrigue teams like the Rams looking for a receiver outside of Round 1 or 2.
Not playing in UConn's bowl game against Army likely helped keep Bell's profile lower on the national scale, and while LA would love to be impressed by his work at the combine, overdoing it could propel him beyond their reach earlier in the third round.