Should the Rams draft Wentz or Goff at No. 1? Here’s who we think
Will the Carson project finally get a chance in Los Angeles? Sorry, couldn’t resist.
Yes, Rams fans, your new Death Star of a stadium is still being built in Inglewood. But with the Rams’ bold, stunning trade for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, all signs point to the Rams drafting North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz over Cal’s Jared Goff at 1.
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Amazing. A player with 23 starts on the FCS level likely will be the first pick in the draft if the information we’ve received is solid. This has shades of the Houston Oilers taking Steve McNair with the No. 3 pick in the 1995 draft. The coach of that team of course: Jeff Fisher.
Fisher is in a far different situation now than he was then, a second-year coach with security and a quarterback whom he could nurture and grow with at a reasonable pace. How confident was he back then? Not only did he and general manager Floyd Reese call the bluff of the Jacksonville Jaguars, picking at No. 2 overall and threatening to trade it to the Minnesota Vikings, but Fisher also put his faith in McNair when there were plenty who doubted if the Alcorn State quarterback could be a good NFL player.
That’s confidence. Now Fisher is a Rams coach who is seen to be able to walk between the raindrops and keep a job despite a slew of seasons missing the playoffs. But for how long?
Rams owner Stan Kroenke has bet his entire legacy — not to mention billions — on this franchise move, selling the home state of Missouri down the proverbial river and becoming persona non grata there. He can’t be too patient with Wentz taking two or three years to develop under Fisher’s watch.
But Wentz matches a lot of the qualities that McNair had: size, improvisational skills, guts, toughness, arm talent, poise and a desire to be great and to outwork the competition. If those gifts come to fruition early in L.A., it could be the lifeline that Fisher needs.
The Rams should want to avoid the kind of situation the Titans had with Marcus Mariota, having him learn one system with one head coach as a rookie and then scrapping it midseason and going with Mike Mularkey. But drafting Mariota allowed the Titans to make this deal with the Rams, who sent a dizzying allotment of picks for a player who turns 24 in December and must adjust quickly.
Wentz’s first college start was at Iowa State. His first NFL start could be at the Seattle Seahawks for all we know. Good luck, kid.
Could it be Goff and not Wentz? That’s possible. The Rams are said to be meeting with him and Wentz between now and April 28, when the Rams will kick off the draft. Maybe they have a change of heart. But it’s about 90-10 right now for Wentz. And believe it or not, the offense that North Dakota State ran was far more NFL-compatible than the one Goff ran at Cal.
The Rams showcase Todd Gurley heading up the run game, a couple of decent weapons in receivers Tavon Austin and Kenny Britt, and a young offensive line that has talent and could grow into shape together. But more is needed at QB, and it’s hard to bank on much coming from a draft in which your next pick after No. 1 doesn’t come until an hour into Day 3 of the draft.
Wentz ran an offense that did a little of everything, and ball distribution and the run game were big parts of the foundation. That’s likely the way it will be again if he’s the pick.
Goff, the kid from up the coast in the Bay Area, will likely have to wait to hear his name called. It could be as soon, though, as No. 2 to the Cleveland Browns or to a team they trade with. And if Wentz is the guy, the Rams would be far more intriguing then they were yesterday.
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm
