Drafting a QB in 2016 would be bitter sweet for the Rams

Nov 28, 2015; Berkeley, CA, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Jared Goff (16) walks off the field after the win against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Memorial Stadium. The California Golden Bears defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils 48-46. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

If there’s one thing the St. Louis Rams need for Christmas this year, it’s a competent, talented quarterback. Unfortunately, Santa doesn’t visit NFL franchises, so the Rams will need to do without until next season. However, at 4-7, St. Louis has all but taken themselves out of the running for the first overall pick which tends to be the landing spot of the best quarterbacks.

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Currently, the Rams sit in the ninth overall draft slot, and that will most likely change between now and April. They hold a 15.8 percent chance of climbing (or falling in essence) into the top five. Based on the current standings, the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys all pose the biggest threat to drafting a quarterback before the Rams turn comes around in 2016.

General consensus seems to point to at least two, maybe three, quarterbacks worth taking in the first round. Paxton Lynch out of Memphis, Jared Goff of California and Connor Cook of Michigan State. All three hold potential to, one day, be a starter in this league and pose the highest reward factor in the risk/reward scale.

Lynch has come out of no where this season to supplant Goff as the clear cut number one quarterback off the board. Lynch has thrown for 28 touchdowns and just three interceptions at Memphis this season. Now, he hasn’t faced the type of opponents both Goff and Cook have, but that ratio is still pretty impressive. Of course Lynch would need to leave school early and declare for the draft before we can say with any certainty he will be the first quarterback off the board. But based on his play, that’s a safe assumption.

Both Lynch and Goff have the physical tools to play at the next level, but neither plays in a pro-style offense. This is where Cook catches up to the pack leaders. Cook does play in a pro-style offense at Michigan State and has shown great leadership skills for the Spartans. However, his accuracy isn’t the greatest and he has struggled with consistency a bit this year, but he is very much in the first-round conversation.

This year’s quarterback class is not as talented at the top as last years were. Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota were the clear number one/two selections by a wide margin. This crop, while providing some healthy options at the top, may not have a day one starter in it.

Lynch and Goff project to be the first two quarterbacks off the board, but each could return to school for their final year. Both have areas of their game that still need work, but still peg to be first-round selections in spite of the poor competition. Even digging a bit deeper in the draft to include Carson Wentz of North Dakota State, Christian Hackenberg of Penn State and Cardale Jones of Ohio State the group still lacks quality.

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