Every NFL draft season brings excitement, optimism, and one tradition that football fans cannot resist — rookie comparisons. From Hall of Fame projections to stylistic similarities, analysts and fans spend months searching for the perfect NFL counterpart for incoming prospects. The Los Angeles Rams grabbed five prospects in the 2026 draft and fans are dying to see them in action at some point in time to know if Les Snead and Sean McVay made the right call. In the mean time, here is how I viewed each
prospect based on their collegiate film.
Ty Simpson (Comp: Kirk Cousins)
A more athletic Kirk Cousins. Maybe people are using this as a way to bring the ties of Sean McVay and Kirk Cousins together or maybe its fair. Kirk Cousins and Ty Simpson share similar arm strength (nothing spectacular). But both quarterbacks seem very similar in their diagnostic ability. Sean McVay hand a significant hand in turning Kirk Cousins, a fourth rounder, into a successful 14+ year NFL quarterback. Just like Cousins, it appears that Simpson’s strength moving forward is going to be his decisiveness and ability to attack the intermediate levels of defenses. What will be fascinating to watch is Simpson’s ability to create if throwing lanes are not there. Les Snead always wanted to have a quarterback that could use his legs and further stretch a defense.
Max Klare (Comp: Mark Andrews)
Max Klare is an interesting prospect. When he started his college career at Purdue he was a more athletic playmaker. When he transferred to Ohio State, he was asked to do a little more in the trenches. Andrews put together more production in his time at Oklahoma than Klare at Purdue/Ohio State.
But both players share a similar knack for route adjustments as they both have an extensive route tree in their tool bag. Klare and Andrews offer yards after the catch when playing in the right system.
Out of Oklahoma, Andrews was also underwhelming as a blocker until joining the Baltimore Ravens.
Keagen Trost (Comp: Miles Frazier)
Frazier spent five years in college compared to Trost’s seven seasons. Similar to Trost, Frazier can play all across the offensive line. Frazier had 11 starts at LT, 10 at LG, 27 at RG, and 2 at RT. Trost played more at right tackle in college but has a strong possibility of sliding inside because of his shorter arms. Frazier measured at 32 3/4” while Trost was 32 3/8”. Trost and Frazier share strong frames; possessing proper mass with athleticism.
CJ Daniels (Comp: Elic Ayomanor)
Ayomanor was drafted in the 4th round of the 2025 NFL Draft with the 136th overall pick. Ayomanor is probably a hair more athletic but they are very close in height, weight, arms, and hand size. Both were praised coming out of college for their route running (fakes, tempo). And finally, both have a flair for their acrobatic catches.
Tim Keenan III (Comp: Daylon Mack)
Tim Keenan III and Daylon Mack are two undersized but stout interior defenders. As nose tackles, both possess a thick, heavy base to take on double teams. Mack has slightly longer arms and significantly bigger hands but both are identical in height and weight (6’1” / 330 lbs). For Keenan to succeed, he will also have to rely on a quick reaction off the snap with hands to split those double teams.
