Sonny Styles
Getty
The Rams could use some help in the LB room
The Los Angeles Rams had the 10th-best scoring defense in the league for the 2025 season, allowing 20.4 points per game in defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s second season calling plays.
Shula was receiving some head coaching interviews but ultimately returned to LA and entered his third season as DC under head coach Sean McVay. Now back in the City of Angels, the Rams could bolster the defensive side of the ball with the upcoming draft.
Rams Draft Linebacker
Sonny Styles, NFL Combine
GettyRams are predicted to go with a defender in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
The Los Angeles Rams extended linebacker Nate Landman to a three-year, $22.5 million contract after originally signing him to a one-year, veteran minimum deal.
Landman is the only guaranteed linebacker to start in Chris Shula’s third season and could use a promising player next to him.
Fox Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt dropped his mock draft and predicts that the Rams will select Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the 13th overall pick of the draft.
“Styles has rocketed up draft boards after arguably having the best combine performance ever,” Klatt wrote. “He’s a great leader with tremendous intangibles. He’s also got some versatility, making the move from safety to off-ball linebacker during his time at Ohio State. He can defend the pass and he’s a great run stuffer. He fits what the Rams need as they look to make a Super Bowl push.”
Styles, who won the 2024 National Championship, has had a monstrous final two seasons with the Buckeyes since switching from safety, logging 182 total tackles (17 for loss), 7 sacks and 8 interceptions.
The defender recorded the highest production (91), athleticism (92), and total score (94) at the Scouting Combine, which bumped his stock.
“He can make an impact from multiple spots on the field and is a plus man-cover talent. Styles is an emerging player with the traits and versatility to garner longer looks by NFL evaluators,” analyst Lance Zierlein wrote about Styles. “He could see his stock soar leading up to draft day.
The last time the Rams used their first-round selection, the team selected future Defensive Rookie of the Year and two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jared Verse from Florida State with the 19th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft — Verse is classified as an outside linebacker/defensive end.
Sonny Styles can join a loaded Rams defense and help the team win a second Super Bowl in the 2020s.
Rams Could Trade First Round Pick
Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
GettyLos Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay
Since being hired as head coach of the Rams, there has been only one first-round draft selection for the organization: Jared Verse.
LA entered the offseason with two first-round selections after trading out of the first round of last year’s draft with the Atlanta Falcons and acquired their 13th overall selection for the 2026 draft.
The Rams traded their original selection of this year’s draft (the 29th) to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie.
As shown, LA does not really value first-round picks as much as other teams in the league. The 13th pick can be used to acquire a quality player and other resources for the future.
If they do move the selection, Sonny Styles will begin his career elsewhere.