2026 NFL Draft: Alabama’s Tim Keenan drafted in the 7th Round by the Los Angeles Rams

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<a class= — Alabama 's Tim Keenan III (96) celebrates a play in the second half of the College Football Playoff game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday Dec. 19, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brent Taylor

Sun, Apr 26, 2026 ·

1 min read

Tim Keenan has been a stalwart leader for the Crimson Tide for a few years now, and I expected he would be drafted higher than the 7th round for his leadership, energy, and surprising disruptiveness for a nose tackle his size. Unfortunately, a lack of love for pure nose tackles, combined with a poor 40-yard showing this offseason, saw Keenan drop into the 7th.

The L.A. Rams benefited, though, pairing up Keenan with his Alabama teammate, Ty Simpson . The Rams use a 3-4 scheme with a true nose tackle, unlike many NFL teams, so Keenan is a good fit for them, and he’ll be backing up veteran Poona Ford , who’s under contract for two more years, but will be 32 by 2027. So Keenan has a good path to learn from a wily vet who’s been very successful in the NFL despite frame and athletic limitations, then take over in a couple of years.

Roll Tide, and best of luck, Tim!