The Rams have exactly one quarterback on the roster right now: Matthew Stafford. They don’t have a backup under contract, letting both Bryce Perkins and John Wolford test free agency, even after Baker Mayfield joined the Bucs.
There’s still time for them to add a veteran backup and likely a rookie in the draft, but quarterback doesn’t seem like a very high priority for Los Angeles this year, even with Stafford coming off a back injury in 2022.
In the draft, it’s tough to find a future starter outside the first and second rounds, but the Rams can at least come up with a decent backup on Day 2 or 3. Here are five options for them to consider.
Round 1: N/A
As much as analysts want to link the Rams to Will Levis in a hypothetical trade-up into the first round, it isn’t happening. Levis isn’t worth moving up for and the Rams shouldn’t use their premium draft capital to go get the Kentucky quarterback. There are no first-round quarterbacks who are realistically within striking distance for the Rams.
Round 2: Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Hooker is being projected somewhere in the range of the first to the third round, but Round 2 feels like the sweet spot for the former Tennessee Volunteer. He has the type of skill set Sean McVay seeks in a backup quarterback, possessing good mobility and athleticism at the position. Tennessee’s offense gave him a lot of open receivers, but Hooker still made plenty of NFL-type throws in college. What hurts his draft stock is his age (25) and torn ACL.
Round 3: N/A
There’s a pretty sizable drop-off from the draft’s top quarterbacks to the second tier. After Hooker, there isn’t another quarterback who looks like an NFL quarterback right now, which leaves the Rams with no legitimate option in the third round. Unless Hooker falls all the way to No. 69, they should pass on quarterbacks altogether in the third.
Round 4: Jaren Hall, BYU
Hall has a long way to go before he’s viewed as an NFL starter, but his skill set is intriguing. He had 52 touchdown passes and only 11 interceptions the last two years, but he’s undersized at just 6 feet tall. He has good mobility and accuracy, which help make up for his average arm strength, and that could get him drafted as early as the fourth round. Hall would make for a good project for McVay and the Rams.
Round 5: Clayton Tune, Houston
The Rams had Tune in for a pre-draft visit, showing interest in the athletic Houston quarterback. He had 4,074 yards and 40 touchdown passes last season to go along with 544 yards on the ground with five rushing touchdowns. He was Houston’s starter for four years, so experience isn’t a question. But he does need to work on reading defenses and going through his progressions.
Round 6: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
Thompson-Robinson is a true dual-threat quarterback, as evidenced by his 3,169 yards passing and 645 yards rushing. He threw 27 touchdown passes and scored another 12 times on the ground, carrying UCLA’s offense last season. He’s on the smaller side as a quarterback prospect, being 6-2 and 203 pounds, but he can pick up yards with his legs and extend plays when they break down.
Round 7: Max Duggan, TCU
Duggan has a very limited ceiling as an NFL prospect, being viewed as no more than a backup. He’s mobile and athletic enough to pick up yards on the ground, but his arm strength is below-average and his accuracy is lacking some, too. That being said, the Rams could use a backup with his intangibles and leadership behind Stafford.
