Could the Rams draft second round tight ends in back-to-back years and are they going to move him to receiver to fit a need? That was in the rumor mill on Tuesday by Ian Rapoport in regards to Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers and a pre-draft visit with the Rams.
“While (Stowers) is officially a TE, several teams are evaluating him as a WR,” wrote Rapoport. Among the teams he listed as a Stowers visit was the Rams.
The 6’4 Stowers was one of the “winners” of the 2026 combine, running a 4.51 40-yard dash and posting a 45.5” vertical at 239 lbs. Originally a recruit to Texas A&M, Stowers didn’t post any stats during his first two years of college prior to transferring to New Mexico State, then Vanderbilt.
In the past two seasons combined, Stowers caught 111 passes for 1,407 yards in 25 games with Vanderbilt.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein cited run blocking concerns, which is another reason to expect teams to focus on his receiving abilities over his tight end role.
While his route-running and contested-catch ability need work, he excels at moving the chains on screens/short catches. He has the speed to threaten downfield against linebackers. His run-blocking ceiling might be low, but his traits create above-average potential as a pass-catching “F” tight end, fitting the growing trend of utilizing two- and three-tight-end sets more heavily.
It’s been just one year since the Rams used their first pick, 46th overall, on Terrance Ferguson out of Oregon. A slow starter, Ferguson did have 87 yards and two touchdowns in L.A.‘s final two regular season games.
However, he failed to make an impact in the playoffs and then Tyler Higbee signed an extension. Between Higbee, Colby Parkinson, and Ferguson, the Rams are not in dire straights at the tight end position, whereas the team does need to know about its future at receiver, especially with Puka Nacua’s career in a state of limbo.
Should the Rams not draft a receiver with the 13th pick, Stowers could be a consideration for L.A. in the second round, whether that means trading down or trading up. It seems several teams are higher on Stowers as a receiver than a tight end, which makes him more appealing to the Rams if they can get in his draft range.
