For the past five years, Rams fans have found themselves talking more about the players they didn't draft than the ones they actually picked. Remember the 2021 draft? While Los Angeles selected wide receiver Tutu Atwell, the conversation never stopped circling around Creed Humphrey, the standout center who went to the Chiefs instead. Sometimes, it's the ones who got away that steal the spotlight.

Now, with the 2026 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, history seems poised to repeat itself. The Rams made headlines by selecting quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round, but the media and fans are already zeroing in on the talent they passed up. Writing for The Athletic, Ted Nguyen captured the sentiment perfectly: "The Rams have had a great offseason, but they could have used their first-round pick to add wide receiver depth. Davante Adams isn't getting younger, and he missed time with a hamstring injury last season." Nguyen went on to suggest that Los Angeles could have addressed needs at guard with Olaivavega Ioane or defensive end with Rueben Bain—players who might help immediately rather than waiting a year or two.

Here's how the board fell: The next four picks after Simpson were Ioane, Bain, tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and right tackle Blake Miller. Wide receiver Makai Lemon slid to No. 20 overall, meaning the Rams could have potentially traded down, grabbed a player projected to go 13th, and added extra draft capital. Of course, there's a reason Lemon fell—and that doesn't guarantee he'll become a star. But as the NFL world watched the Cowboys and Eagles haggle over the pick that landed Lemon in Philadelphia, Rams fans were left wondering what might have been.

To be clear, none of this means Ty Simpson won't be the best pick of the entire first round. He very well could be. But for the upcoming season, the rookie quarterback is expected to sit and learn behind Matthew Stafford. That means while the Rams' veteran signal-caller leads the charge on Sundays, fans will be tracking the progress of players like Lemon, Bain, Sadiq, Ioane, and safety Dillon Thieneman—all of whom went after Simpson.

It's a familiar feeling in Los Angeles: watching the ones who got away while waiting for the future to arrive.