You’re on the clock. You’ve got ten minutes to make what could be a franchise-altering decision. You’ve prepared for this moment since you gave away the proverbial farm for this chance. Who are you going to take number one overall?
There’s a lot of pressure that goes into making the number one overall pick of the NFL draft — a pressure the Los Angeles Rams will be facing on the evening of April 28, 2016.
There has been a lot speculation as to whether the Rams moved up to take a quarterback number one overall, and it seems that it has been concluded that they will indeed. But who? That’s the million-dollar question.
If you remember, the Rams signed quarterback Case Keenum to a 1-year, $3.6-million deal. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher has also named Keenum the starting quarterback with Nick Foles as the backup. Assuming the Rams do select a quarterback first overall next week, it will be interesting to see how that shakes up the current depth chart.
If the Rams do elect to choose a quarterback, they face the question: Jared Goff or Carson Wentz? Some people say it’s as simple as a coin flip. Some lean towards Goff because he played at a larger school with tougher competition, making him more NFL ready. Others favor Wentz due to his size, his arm strength and his ability to move the ball downfield both with his arm and his legs.
With the first pick, the Los Angeles Rams will select Carson Wentz out of North Dakota State University.
While it’s true that Wentz went to a smaller school and played in the Football Championship Subdivision, talent is talent. Simple as that. And Carson Wentz has plenty of it.
To begin with, Wentz (6’6″) is taller than Goff (6’4″) by a couple inches. That will allow much more vision above the line as well as ability to see farther down the field.
In 2015, Wentz threw for seventeen touchdowns and ran for six. He threw for 1,651 yards on 130 completions for a completion percentage of 62.5 percent. That’s only two percent less than Goff. That means he is just as accurate. He had a passer rating of 152.3 out of 187.2 compared to Goff’s 161.3. In my eyes, he’s just as efficient and effective of a passer as Goff.
Looking at the tape, Wentz has the advantage in arm strength, ability under pressure and mobility outside of the pocket. The beauty in Wentz’s game is his ability to be efficient in any style of offense. North Dakota State runs a “multi-offense” that allows Wentz to line up under center as well as in the spread. Their offense allows Wentz to make a larger number of throws downfield as opposed to a higher number of shorter throws around the line of scrimmage. It draws many more similarities to a professional-style offense compared to a traditional spread offense many colleges are running.
The NFL is becoming a pass heavy league, and quarterbacks with big arms who aren’t afraid to move a little are going to be in high demand. I’ve seen comparisons to Ben Roethlisberger, but I see him more as a Cam Newton-esque player. He’s not afraid to run, and he won’t avoid contact. He’ll look to finish plays and get that extra yard if needed. Wentz and Newton have similar body types, and we all know what Newton is capable of. All Wentz needs is a chance to show the world.
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