5 highlight for LA Rams to follow Day 1 of NFL Combine

Reason III: The Rams next backup quarterback may be among this years QB prospects.

While I cannot see the LA Rams using a valued draft pick to land a developmental quarterback in this year's draft, I can see the Rams selecting a raw but talented quarterback on Day 3 of the draft. Every year, a new group of gun-slinging and scampering hurlers migrates from the collegiate ranks, each prospect harboring the hope to become the NFL's next Tom Brady or Lamar Jackson.

The career path for quarterback hopefuls is no different than that of any other position, and success requires a secret blend of talent, perseverance, coaching, and perhaps most of all, the right opportunity. Towards that end, I believe that the LA Rams do offer many of the qualities to optimize the play of any rookie quarterback selected in this year's draft class.

But one name that has been circulating among the Rams whispers and rumors as a potential quarterback targeted by the Rams in the 2023 NFL Draft is that of Hendon Hooker. If he truly is a name to watch, then the Rams will need to target him with their earliest pick, the 36th overall in this draft. That means that rather than selecting a top tier offensive lineman, defensive back, or edge rusher, the Rams will instead be adding depth to their quarterback room.

It may or may not be a gamble that pays off for the Rams in this year's draft, but it is certainly a risky choice. Hooker is among the Top 5 quarterbacks in the eyes of many in the 2023 NFL Draft, which means that he is unlikely to fall further than early in Round 2. Curiously, the ninth-ranked quarterback by NFL Draft Buzz in Houston QB Clayton Tune, a quarterback who is projected to fall all the way to Round 6.

How much of a drop off in talent and potential upside is there among quarterbacks in this draft class? And at what point will the LA Rams decide to select a quarterback if they do indeed choose to do so? The NFL Draft is like a candy store, where there are so many treats and choices. But from the moment that the LA Rams begin the selection process, they not only add talent, but lose the opportunity to add talent elsewhere. That trade-off is a difficult matter, but is all part of the annual NFL draft.

A drafted backup quarterback would be very good news indeed for a Rams roster that may need help at the position. But the opportunity cost of selecting a quarterback in the draft in lieu of an alternative position or player is one tnat LA Rams fans have not had to experience in the recent past.