Rams ready to assess college talent at NFL scouting combine

The Rams have one of the NFL’s most talented rosters, but that does not mean they don’t have areas they need to improve this offseason.

Whether it’s short-term help or long-range planning, they have pressing needs at a handful of positions. As they get into the thick of their offseason planning, they will approach the NFL scouting combine with great curiosity, be it to evaluate the next crop of college prospects or to lay the groundwork for free agency and trade deals.

Here are three of the biggest areas the Rams could focus on next week in Indianapolis:

Cornerback

The Rams need an upgrade at cornerback regardless, but it’s even more pronounced given how many current players at that position are scheduled to become free agents. Cobie Durant, a starter, and backups Ahkello Witherspoon, Roger McCreary and Derion Kendrick could all hit the open market next month.

In addition, Darious Williams has one more year left on his deal but no guaranteed money. His $8.6 million cap hit makes him a release candidate, especially if the Rams reinvest in Durant with a multiyear deal.

The Rams will almost certainly take a look at free agency for some help — they have been connected to Chiefs corner Jaylen Watson and could have interest in the Seahawks’ Tariq Woolen — but ideally, they find some answers in the draft.

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That makes next week in Indianapolis, and the following month of the evaluation process, so important.

As Rams decision-makers take a deeper dive into this cornerback class, including getting face time at the combine and working through pro days and top-30 visits, they will get a better handle on whether immediate and long-range help is available.

Among some options with one of their two first-round picks are LSU’s Mansoor Delane, Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy, Clemson’s Avieon Terrell and South Carolina’s Brandon Cisse.

Day 2 options to keep an eye on are Tennessee’s Colton Hood, San Diego State’s Chris Johnson, Arizona State’s Keith Abney, Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds, Texas’ Malik Muhammad and Miami’s Keionte Scott.

Long-range quarterback

Matthew Stafford is back for one more season, but it’s beyond clear that it’s become a year-to-year deal with the NFL’s reigning MVP. Life without the 38-year-old quarterback is right around the corner, and the Rams are already planning for that inevitable transition and ways to make it as seamless as possible.

That doesn’t mean they have to force the issue this offseason, but holding two first-round picks creates some flexibility to be aggressive at that position.

Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is the prohibitive top prospect in the draft, but he’ll be long gone when the Rams pick at No. 13 in the first round.

However, there are a handful of prospects who project to be eventual NFL quarterbacks, perhaps even above-average starters, especially if they land with a team willing to practice patience and pour development resources into them.

Would the Rams invest one of their first-round picks in that type of prospect? Only if they are truly convinced that the investment will pay off. But don’t rule it out, especially in the case of Alabama’s Ty Simpson, who has NFL starter traits but is in need of more development time.

The Rams will get a chance to meet with Simpson and watch him throw in Indianapolis. And don’t be surprised if they extend one of their top-30 visit invites to him to get a closer look at their Woodland Hills facility.

But he won’t be the only quarterback the Rams take a serious look at next week. Among some others to keep an eye on are Penn State’s Drew Allar, Miami’s Carson Beck, Arkansas’ Taylen Green, Georgia Tech’s Haynes King, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier.

Right tackle

The retirement of Rob Havenstein, the last remaining Rams player with ties to St. Louis, creates a situation to keep an eye on at right tackle.

One silver lining is that Havenstein’s announcement followed his prolonged regular-season absence with an ankle injury. That gave the Rams an extended look at his replacement, Warren McClendon Jr., who had struggled in previous opportunities over his first two NFL seasons but who flourished in place of Havenstein during his 10 starts last season.

According to Pro Football Focus, McClendon surrendered just 17 pressures and one sack in those starts, and finished the season with a 71.4 PFF pass-blocking grade and an 85.6 run-blocking grade, the seventh best at his position group.

The question facing the Rams isn’t just whether McClendon did enough to be the surefire starter in 2026. It’s how much they want to reinvest in him at the end of the 2026 season, when he is slated to be a free agent.

The latter could mean them potentially identifying a younger, cheaper option in the draft, someone they could groom behind McClendon next season.

A name to keep an eye on is Oregon’s Isaiah World, who was projected to be a Day 2 pick before suffering a knee injury during the College Football Playoff. World is not participating in the scouting combine as a result, but he could be the perfect draft-and-stash option as a high-end lottery ticket.

Florida’s Austin Barber, Penn State’s Drew Shelton, Duke’s Brian Parker and Boston College’s Jude Bowry are other players to keep tabs on next week.