Why the Los Angeles Rams Shouldn't Draft a Round 1 Quarterback

The Los Angeles Rams must find an heir to Matthew Stafford's throne. Must his replacement be taken with Los Angeles' first-round pick?

Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) runs for a first down past Liberty Flames linebacker Tyren / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

The Los Angeles Rams are currently slated to pick 19th in the upcoming NFL Draft. If they stay put, it’ll be their first Day 1 selection since 2016, when they took quarterback Jared Goff.

Nearly a decade later, Los Angeles may be in a position to draft a quarterback again. With several quarterbacks in the late-first-round conversation and an aging star under center, the discussion about the future of the position is one to be had.

Should the Rams draft a quarterback in Round 1?

Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) runs for a first down past Liberty Flames linebacker Tyren / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

Los Angeles is in a unique spot in that Matthew Stafford doesn’t need to be replaced, but between age and injury, someone is going to ask the tough questions about his future. Thus, the Rams will have to balance winning with Stafford and spending legitimate capital on someone who wouldn’t play without catastrophe. 

While no quarterback selection is without risk, it’s a “get what you pay for” position. Taking a quarterback at the top of the draft will give you the best bet at a franchise quarterback, and hoping to develop a starter out of a Day 3 pick is generally fruitless. Yet, the back end of the first round has a shaky history, especially when paired with the types of prospects that are projected to be available this year.

The most likely selections, should Los Angeles chase for a quarterback, are Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. Both were Heisman finalists this past season and are coming out of school at the height of their powers.

However, neither matches the profile of recent successful passers to be taken in the back half of Day 1. The only two definitive hits in this rage since Joe Flacco carved out a successful career with the Baltimore Ravens are Lamar Jackson and Jordan Love. While they fell for different reasons, both were immensely talented.

Neither Nix or Penix boast the kind of physical gifts that created those two success stories. 

Unless one of the top four quarterbacks falls, the Rams may be better suited by taking a developmental passer with a later pick, like South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler. But wasting premium draft capital on a passer without the kind of upside and profile to match Stafford is ill-advised, especially in a win-now window.

Los Angeles has made it clear it expects to compete in the last few years of Stafford’s career, and its free agency backs that. While the Rams have remained fiscally responsible, this kind of splurge (at least four new starters) wouldn’t be aligned with a top pick being used on a backup.

With serious help needed on the defensive line – both at tackle and edge rusher – and potential upgrades at receiver and offensive, taking a non-transcendent quarterback dampens the competitive window, without the long-term upside worth the sacrifice.

With head coach Sean McVay calling the shots and a competent backup (Jimmy Garoppolo) already in the building, taking a quarterback out of fear of being left without one doesn’t make much sense.

Sometimes kicking the can down the road is the optimal choice, and Los Angeles has positioned itself well to procrastinate such an important decision.