There doesn’t figure to be much drama when the Los Angeles Rams officially come on the clock to start Thursday night’s first round of the 2016 NFL draft.
More and more, Cal’s Jared Goff looks like a lock to be the first overall pick.
Peter King of MMQB thinks it would now be a “big upset” if Goff isn’t the top pick. And King isn’t alone.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes a “very strong sense has emerged” that the Rams will use the top pick on Goff, especially after the Philadelphia Eagles moved up to the second overall pick last week—presumably to take North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz once Goff is the first pick.
Barring an unforeseen turn, Goff will go No. 1 to the Rams, with Wentz landing in Philadelphia with the second pick.
The real drama on Thursday night should start at No. 3, where the San Diego Chargers will have plenty of options once the top two quarterbacks are off the board.
Goff, who threw 78 touchdowns over his final two seasons at Cal, would become the sixth first overall pick in Rams franchise history, and the first since the team took Sam Bradford with the top pick back in 2010. He’d also become the sixth quarterback to be taken first overall in the last eight drafts, and the 32nd quarterback to be the top pick in draft history.
Since 2001, eight of the 11 quarterbacks taken first overall have gone on to play in at least one Pro Bowl.
Rams general manager Les Snead believes both Goff and Wentz are headed for NFL stardom.
“We had great workouts with both of them, and we have a great feeling about both of them,” Snead said. “We think both are going to have very successful careers.”
Expect Snead to turn in a card with the name “Goff” to kick off Thursday night’s first round.
