Rams land 'Grand Slam' Matthew Stafford successor in 2026 mock draft

With a Los Angeles Rams team dealing with serious concerns in the secondary, deplorable blocking on special teams, controversy along the offensive line, and a pass rush that was consistently present until it was needed most, there are many needs to address in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

The upcoming draft presents a golden opportunity to address the concerns fans have expressed over the past several years. With an offense that is buoyed by the prowess of veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford, it stands to reason that if anything happens to him, there go the hopes for postseason success. So now is the time to address his successor.

And to do that, general manager Les Snead must be ready to use one or both Round 1 picks. The question is: Who? Penn State University’s Drew Allar is not showing Round 1 forte. Nor is draft-darling Arch Manning, who has yet to show signs of his family’s legacy. But Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is rising rapidly among NCAA quarterback rankings, and for good reason. He may be a Round 1 rookie prospect in the making.

Dante Moore could be Rams’ perfect Matthew Stafford successor

The 2026 NFL Draft is still months away, but the team will never have a better opportunity to sink its teeth into a quality quarterback. And the coaching staff, if it can remain intact, is built to develop young talent into a premier NFL pocket presence. That only leaves one question. What about Moore makes him the right prospect?

For starters, he stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 206 pounds. He is a quarterback who transferred from UCLA to Oregon and is finally getting quality starts. He is showing all the signs of playing Frogger at a faster pace, an attribute that LA loves to see. He may only have a small sample size in terms of recent starts at quarterback, but he has been incredibly impressive.

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. called Moore a 'Grand Slam' prospect, making the 20-year-old's draft profile that much more intriguing.

Moore has completed nearly 75 percent of his passes, thrown for over 1,200 passing yards in five games, and thrown for 14 touchdowns to just one interception. He even possesses enough mobility in his legs to threaten defenses by running with the football.

The best aspect of his candidacy is that he has already been mocked to Los Angeles by The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner, and he makes a compelling case in his article:

"It’s still early, but (Oregon quaterback Dante) Moore has passed every test to this point with flying colors. A former five-star passer who sat behind Dillon Gabriel last season, Moore has shown the Jayden Daniels poise gene over and over again this year, playing under control while flashing elite athleticism and arm talent. His performance at Penn State was a huge eye-opener." - The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner

Perhaps one of the characteristics of Baumgardner’s mock draft is that he offers up a realistic projection based on what we now know. And just for fun, he has The Horns selecting offensive tackle Caleb Lomu out of Utah with the second Round 1 pick. He’s been mocked to the team before, bringing an instant plug-and-play option at right tackle.

The team certainly has to nail the 2026 NFL Draft in many ways. The team is consistently successful, driving the cost of current veterans up as their experience grows. So the rookie class of 2026 needs to arrive ready to play in many roles that will be vacated or too costly to fill with current players. Dante Moore shows many signs of a successful NFL career. Let’s hope Snead agrees.

As always, thanks for reading.

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