When the Rams traded a king’s ransom to the Titans to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, it was apparent that Los Angeles made the move in order to select one of this year’s top two quarterback prospects, Carson Wentz or Jared Goff. After all, as good as Laremy Tunsil and Jalen Ramsey might be, no team, especially a team that needs a franchise signal-caller, will give up what LA gave up in order to select a tackle or a defensive back.
Since the trade, of course, there have been a number of conflicting reports as to which of the two QBs the Rams prefer. Last night, we learned that Los Angeles would meet with both Wentz and Goff–both of whom have already worked out for the club–in an effort to firm up their final, critical decision. But most writers and pundits are skeptical that the team would forfeit so much draft capital without knowing exactly which player it wants, and it appears that the Rams may just be trying to create a smokescreen in order to generate interest in the first overall pick, or, at the very least, to maximize the buzz around the team as it moves to Los Angeles.
So while the Rams may know full well which player they will take–assuming they do not trade down to the No. 2 overall selection–the rest of us do not. But that doesn’t mean we can’t discuss who the Rams should select to guide them into the next era of the franchise.
With Goff, the Rams would be getting a player who set Pac-12 conference records in 2015 with 4,719 passing yards and a whopping 43 TD passes. He also let California to its first Bowl victory since 2008. Scouts love his ability to make every throw on the field and his mechanics, although there is some concern about the fact that he struggles with his accuracy from time to time and that he is a “rhythm passer” who benefited from an uptempo passing game where he could take all of his snaps from the pistol or shotgun.
The biggest knock on Wentz, of course, is that he played for an FCS program, North Dakota State, and even though the Bison have become the Patriots of the FCS, the competition that Wentz faced was not nearly as daunting as what Goff went up against on a weekly basis. On the other hand, Wentz also has good mechanics and good field vision, and unlike Goff, he played in a pro-style offense. Wentz sometimes struggles with his footwork and with anticipatory throws–i.e., throwing receivers open–and although his intelligence and work ethic are undisputed, it will surely take him a little longer to adjust to the speed of the professional game.
What do you think? Is Goff the right man for the job in LA, or is it Wentz? Is Goff, who has already been exposed to some degree of spotlight at California, more ready to lead Hollywood’s new club, or is small-school wonder Wentz ready to emerge from the shadows? And, even though we all know the Rams will take one of the two, do you think they should shock the football world and draft someone else entirely?