Feb. 25, 2026, 12:22 p.m. PT

The Rams have addressed the outside linebacker position in each of the last three years, selecting Byron Young, Jared Verse and Josaiah Stewart in consecutive drafts. They’re set up well in 2026 and long-term, but in today’s NFL, you can never have enough pass rushers.

Even with those three studs locked in as the top edge rushers for Los Angeles, the Rams would be wise to keep investing in the position – especially if it can’t sign Young to a long-term extension.

Edge rushers will hit the field at the 2026 NFL combine on Thursday, and the Rams should keep an eye on these four players.

Keyron Crawford, Auburn

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Crawford to Samson Ebukam in his draft profile, fitting the mold of what the Rams might be looking for in an edge rusher. He had five sacks and 9.5 tackles for a loss last season, recording 36 total tackles and one forced fumble. Crawford should test well at the combine, which could drive his stock up and potentially into a range that’s earlier than the Rams would want to take an edge rusher.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.Nadame Tucker, Western Michigan

Tucker had 14.5 sacks last season, tied for the most in the FBS. He also had 21 tackles for a loss and four forced fumbles, dominating for Western Michigan after three seasons at Houston. He only has one year of production in college and is undersized, which will both hurt his draft stock, but if he wows at the combine, Tucker will see his chances of being drafted on Day 2 improve.

Patrick Payton, LSU

Payton played four years at Florida State before transferring to LSU in 2025, where his production took a hit. The 6-foot-5 edge rusher had just one sack and five tackles for a loss in 13 games after setting a career-high with seven sacks and 14.5 tackles for a loss in 2023 on the same defense as Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. The potential is there, but he needs refining as a pass rusher.

Jaishawn Barham, Michigan

Barham had five sacks in the last two years at Michigan after transferring from Maryland. He was a rotational defender who only rushed the passer 162 times (per PFF) and had 21 total pressures, including nine quarterback hits. The Rams had success picking Josaiah Stewart from Michigan last year and adding his former teammate Barham could yield similar results.