Stetson Bennett's make-a-wish Rams QB successor scenario may come true after all

Imagine being drafted as a quarterback to the Los Angeles Rams and learning from veterans like Matthew Stafford, Jimmy Garoppolo, and even Carson Wentz. That is the career path of former Georgia University demigod Stetson Bennett. He is the guy who showed up to lead his team to two NCAA national championships. And now? He has faded into college football lore.

Los Angeles needs a succession plan for the quarterback position. On paper, this team is starting a 37-year-old veteran who appears to be at the top of his game. Backing him up is a guy who has an uncanny knack for never losing to LA. And then there is Bennett, a guy who polarizes the fans.

And yet, what better options are there? What other options are there?

If you have been lulled into the expectation of two first-round picks in the vault leading to the next franchise quarterback, you may wish to revisit that expectation. The annual NFL draft is a crapshoot, a flea market sale that places young football players on display.

The thing is, you can never know who, or which positions, will be available at an elite level until you get there.

Stetson Bennett may not compete with a rookie QB in 2026 after all

The 2026 NFL Draft was supposed to be the mother lode of rookie quarterbacks. But as in many aspects of life, you can't count your chickens until they're hatched. It seems that multiple NFL draft analysts have pulled back significantly from their enthusiasm over this rookie class at the quarterback position:

Right now, the projections of NFL teams shopping for a quarterback in the draft are significantly higher than the projected supply. Now, Los Angeles, a team once viewed as having the pick of the litter, may be shut out of a top-tier quarterback once more. If the right prospect is not available, don't expect general manager Les Snead to force the issue.

But that creates an unexpected future for The Horns. This team is no longer about a natural successor for Stafford. As the future rolls into the present, and the present into the past, Bennett appears to be the default future quarterback of this team. Is that so bad?

If you formed an opinion about the young Bulldog from his rookie season, it's terrible news. But if you've allowed that first impression to evolve, then perhaps it's not the worst-case scenario after all. He was the best NFL quarterback to compete in the preseason. And his ability to connect with his receivers helped to prepare them for their own NFL careers.

Is Bennett a future All-Pro? He is unlikely to ever become a Pro Bowler. But he needn't be. As long as he is surrounded by elite teammates and takes the football field with his tireless competitiveness, he will be enough. Keep in mind that even as he struggled in the 2024 preseason, he was able to lead the team back to victory.

In short, he possesses that Stafford-esque never-say-die attitude.

Of course, the coaching staff is set up to coach any quarterback up to an NFL level. And with fewer legitimate options expected in the draft, the team may veer towards a reclamation project like Anthony Richardson or Justin Fields in 2026.

For now, the transition from Matthew Stafford to the next quarterback may not be as seamless as hoped. Stetson Bennett is a great default option, for now. And who knows? At his rate of improvement, he could surprise fans. Unless you have held him in high regard all along, of course.

In that case, it's all panning out exactly as expected. Stetson Bennett's make-a-wish Rams QB successor scenario may come true after all.

As always, thanks for reading.