With draft week approaching, theRams.com will be doing a big-picture overview of the positions linked to the Rams externally via mock drafts, covering names to know and what experts are saying about each class overall.
We conclude the series with quarterback.
The basics
This position will remain a topic of conversation annually as the Rams navigate their current year-to-year arrangement with quarterback Matthew Stafford, who enters his 18th NFL season in 2026. According to the website Grinding the Mocks, which aggregates mock draft results from across the web, 7.0% of published mocks as of April 13 have Los Angeles using that pick on an tight end, making it the fourth-most projected position for the team (wide receiver is 37.2%, followed by offensive tackle at 27.0%, cornerback at 19.4% and tight end at 3.2%).
Rams general manager Les Snead last month said the team was not "desperate" to add Stafford's eventual successor to the roster this offseason, so it remains to be seen whether they would select a quarterback in this year's draft. But if they do, here are some names to know in this year's class.
Note: Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is widely regarded externally as the presumptive No. 1 pick, so for the sake of a realistic exercise, he is being excluded from this list and we are focusing on five other names.
Outlook
"The 2026 quarterback crop lacks the talent and depth of some recent classes, but there are a handful of passers with the potential to emerge as long-term starters." – NFL Network's Bucky Brooks
Five names to know
Ty Simpson – Alabama
Measurables: 6-foot-1, 211 pounds
Snapshot: The consensus No. 2 prospect in this year's quarterback class behind Mendzona, Simpson recorded the seventh-most completions (305, out of 473 attempts, 64.5% completion percentage) and 10th-most passing yards (3,567) in the FBS while starting all 15 games for the Crimson Tide last season. He also threw 28 touchdowns against only five interceptions. Analysts say Simpson's lack of experience (only one year as a starter) makes him a difficult evaluation, and someone that consequently needs a patient coaching staff willing to give him the time to develop, but his processing, mechanics, accuracy and decision-making give him a ceiling of functional NFL starter.
Big board rankings:
Daniel Jeremiah Top 50 4.0 (NFL.com - April 1): No. 38 overall (No. 2 QB)
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Beast; The Athletic - April 8): No. 42 overall (No. 2 QB)
Matt Miller Top 482 (ESPN – April 10): No. 40 overall (No. 2 QB)
Pro Football Focus (Big Board, April 2): No. 42 overall (No. 2 QB)
Quoteworthy:
"One-year starters rarely "boom" so he'll need a patient staff and a clear developmental roadmap to fill in the missing pieces. – NFL.com's Lance Zierlein
Garrett Nussmeier – LSU – Prospect Preview
Measurables: 6-2, 203
Snapshot: Completed 194 of 288 pass attempts (67.4%) for 1,927 yards and 12 touchdowns against five interceptions in an injury-shortened season that limited him to nine starts. Analysts describe Nussmeier as a pocket passer with a compact delivery and arm talent emboldened by a gunslinger mentality who projects as a spot-starter or backup.
Big board rankings:
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Beast; The Athletic - April 8): No. 81 overall (No. 3 QB)
Matt Miller Top 482 (ESPN – April 10): No. 86 overall (No. 3 QB)
Pro Football Focus (Big Board, April 2): No. 93 overall (No. 3 QB)
Quoteworthy:
"Although his slender frame and substandard arm strength are concerns, he can overcome those physical deficiencies with his instincts and football intelligence." – Brooks
Carson Beck – Miami
Measurables: 6-5, 233
Snapshot: Second-highest completion percentage (72.4%), fourth-most passing yards (3,813) and tied for sixth in passing touchdowns (30) in the FBS last season. A three-year starter, analysts view Beck as a mechanically-sound passer whose poise and decision-making break down versus pressure. He projects as a backup.
Big board rankings:
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Beast; The Athletic - April 8): Not ranked (No. 6 QB)
Matt Miller Top 482 (ESPN – April 10): No. 131 overall (No. 6 QB)
Pro Football Focus (Big Board, April 2): No. 113 overall (No. 5 QB)
Quoteworthy:
"Beck projects as a good backup with the potential to earn a starting job down the road, but he must continue developing game-managing instincts." – NFL.com's Lance Zierlein
Drew Allar – Penn State
Measurables: 6-5, 228
Snapshot: Completed 64.8% of his passes for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns against three interceptions before sustaining a season-ending ankle injury. Analysts note Allar's prototypical size for the position and physical tools, but say his passing rhythm needs to improve.
Big board rankings:
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Beast; The Athletic - April 8): Not ranked (No. 4 QB)
Matt Miller Top 482 (ESPN – April 10): No. 105 overall (No. 4 QB)
Pro Football Focus (Big Board, April 2): No. 96 overall (No. 4 QB)
Quoteworthy:
"He has NFL starting-caliber physical tools, although a lack of natural passing rhythm creates uncertainty about his developmental ceiling." – Brugler
Cole Payton – North Dakota State
Measurables: 6-3, 232
Snapshot: Led the FCS in passing efficiency (193.84) and yards per completion (16.9) while finishing second in completion rate (71.9%). A dual-threat quarterback with one season of starting experience, analysts view him as a developmental project.
Big board rankings:
Dane Brugler Top 100 (The Beast; The Athletic - April 8): Not ranked (No. 5 QB)
Matt Miller Top 482 (ESPN – April 10): No. 104 overall (No. 5 QB)
Pro Football Focus (Big Board, April 2): No. 248 overall (No. 9 QB)
Quoteworthy:
"Payton is green and will require patience, but he's a dynamic dual-threat quarterback. His physical tools and competitive makeup are promising qualities for a developmental prospect." – Brugler
