Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the best Rams QB prospect fit of them all?

Well, time to step up and talk about the elephant in the room over the Los Angeles Rams' intentions of finally drafting a successor for veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. Is this something the Rams can put off for another year or two? Perhaps. But keep in mind that the Rams and Stafford have had to work very hard to negotiate a contract that both sides could live with in each of the past two offseasons. And the fact that Stafford is 37 years old has prompted the team to agree to what is likely a series of one-year contracts.

So if not now, then when?

The Rams are unlikely to seek a plug-and-play quarterback if and when they finally draft a quarterback prospect. The reasons for not getting an NFL-ready QB rookie is sound, as the Rams depth chart has no place for an elite prospect this year, unless the impossible act of benching Stafford is on the table. The team reformed the quarterback room with Stafford and backup quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett. That means that even a very optimistic prospect is unlikely to do better than QB3 this year. With Bennett's 2024 preseason performance, he could be a solid option as well.

Who are the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft? We listed them in a recent article. But just to refresh your memory, here are the Top 10 quarterback prospects per NFL.com in the 2025 NFL Draft:.

• Miami QB Cam Ward (likely off the board)
• Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders (likely off the board)
• Mississippi QB Jaxson Dart | 6-foot-2 | 223 pounds
• Louisville QB Tyler Shough | 6-foot-5 | 219 pounds
• Texas QB Quinn Ewers | 6-foot-2 | 214 pounds
• Alabama QB Jalen Milroe | 6-foot-2 | 217 pounds
• Syracuse QB Kyler McCord | 6-foot-3 | 218 pounds
• Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel | 5-foot-11 | 205 pounds
• Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard | 6-foot-4 | 216 pounds
• Ohio State QB Will Howard | 6-foot-4 | 236 pounds

The above list features a wide range of sizes, production, and potential for NFL teams at the quarterback position. So it's safe to conclude that multiple rookie prospects could fit the team's interest in finding a successor for Stafford. But as the 2025 NFL Draft nears, which of these prospects are the fairest of them all?

Let's take a look at thee rookie quarterback prospects who could be on the Rams radar in the 2025 NFL Draft.

III - Texas QB Quinn Ewers

Among the 2025 rookie prospects, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers has been frequently mocked to the LA Rams. Curiously, his selection occurs on Day 2, when the Rams hold two Round 3 picks. It's also the more logical place for the Rams to invest in a rookie quarterback whose first season is earmarked to sit on the bench and learn from veteran quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo.

Viewed as a Day 2 prospect, Ewers lands in the sweet spot of the 2025 NFL Draft as a quarterback who is good enough to intrigue the Rams coaching staff into developing him, but not so good that the team would need to invest a Round 1 pick into him. It may be that the Rams throw a curve ball, but a Round 1 investment is too dear of a price to spend on a bench player for 2025.

Ewers stands 6-foot-2 and tips the scales at 214 pounds, so he has the prerequisite size to be an NFL starting quarterback. And he has a history with current Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittington. So it's no wonder that some NFL draft analysts project Quinn Ewers to the Rams as an option in Round 3:

But with several NFL teams forced to patch up their quarterback room with veteran quarterbacks whose future can only be projected through 2025, will he be on the draft board that long? Perhaps. He is not going to be swept up in the stampede to land a quarterback in Round 1. But will he become a consolation prospect to a quarterback-needy team in Round 2?

There are other quarterback prospects who seem to fit the bill for that type of risk/reward. Ewers is a quarterback with high reward - high risk, which is what the Rams are looking for in 2025. If he does not develop, the team can regroup for the 2026 NFL Draft. If he pays off, he could be the next Rams franchise quarterback.

II - Mississippi QB Jaxson Dart

The stock of Mississippi rookie quarterback prospect Jaxson Dart is getting a huge boost from a host of ESPN NFL draft analysts. The challenge is trying to decipher whether the sudden spike in volume about Dart to the Rams is legitimate fit, or a narrative to elevate Dart's draft stock or NFL team interest in trading up for the Rams 26th overall pick.

The first ESPN NFL draft analyst to place Jaxson Dart on the Rams' radar scope is Mike Tannenbaum, whose pre-event mock draft projected the Rams to select Dart in Round 1. Some fans argued that Dart will never last in Round 1 to the Rams' pick at 26. Others argued that the Rams would never invest a Round 1 pick in a quarterback whose role will be to sit on the bench and learn for the duration of the 2025 NFL season.

And yet, he makes a passionate argument in support of his assertion:

The buzz of Dart to the Rams roster did not wilt on the vine. ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes shares her views, agreeing that Jaxson Dart's best rookie scenario is to be selected by the Rams and sit for a year:

Dart is another solid sized rookie quarterback. He stands 6-foot-2 and weights 224 pounds, slightly bigger than Ewers. Like Ewers, Dart has a solid track record of running a college football offense, and showing steady progress and development each year.

He needs to improve his deep pass accuracy, but he has the added ability to pull the ball in and make plays with his legs. Curiously, despite a very close draft grade to Ewers, Dart is projected as early as late Round 1. If the Rams do trade back in Round 1, the team almost certainly will do so to give another team the opportunity to select Jaxso Dart.

I - Louisville QB Tyler Shough

When it comes to the draft profile of Louisville quarterback prospect Tyler Shough, it seems as though no draft analyst has seen the same player perform on the football field. Perhaps that is due to the fact that his college football production is all over the place. His medical history will surely scare off some NFL teams, as he suffered impactful injuries in 2021, 2022, and 2023. That led to his NCAA college football eligibility to cover seven seasons. As a result, Shough will turn 26 years old in his rookie season in the NFL.

Many NFL draft analysts decried QB Stetson Bennett as too old, and he is 27 years old with two years of NFL experience.

The lack of consensus over Louisville QB Tyler Shough is exactly why he could become a wild card in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. He is blessed with huge size, standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 219 pounds, Shough has the stature to stand tall in the pocket. While he can pull the ball down and scramble, his best work occurs when he remains in the pocket with eyes trained downfield.

And there is the suggestion that Rams HC Sean McVay 'really liked' Louisville QB Tyler Shough at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine:

While medical flags are certainly a concern, the lack of options for the quarterback position in the 2025 NFL Draft have some analysts expecting Shough to be a legitimate option late in Round 1 or early in Round 2.

I'm not buying it. All things considered, Shough is an older quarterback prospect with a pattern of durability issues. I simple cannot believe that an NFL team will take a leap of faith to determine if Shough can handle the quarterback position for their team in 2025.

If the Rams truly view Shough as an option, he will need to fall as far as Round 3 before the Rams choose him. Even then, I'm not convinced that they do. Shough offers a huge risk-reward scenario, but at 26 years old, his rookie contract will carry him to 30 years old. Hmm.

Shough has plenty of intriquing qualities, and if he drops far enough could be selected by the Rams to add competition to the quarterback position. With the Rams in win-now mode, Shough may be more of a luxury than the team is willing to take this year.

There are plenty of other options in the 2025 NFL Draft available. These three prospects have been the most frequently linked to the Rams. Do any seem to be the ideal fit for the Rams to you? It's a matter that could shock NFL fans on draft day. Despite the irony of choosing a rookie quarterback when the Rams seem to be aiming for a Super Bowl LX victory, keep these prospects on your radar. The Rams still have to be prepared to compete in 2026 as well.

And as always, thank you so much for reading.

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