Rams make a shocking QB selection in the 4th round with Stetson Bennett

The Los Angeles Rams have not used a selection in the NFL Draft on a quarterback since they took Jared Goff with the first overall pick in 2016. That is, until now. With the 128th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Rams selected Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett. Although just a fourth-round pick, this selection feels a bit significant for the Rams given the way we saw Baker Mayfield come in off the waiver wire last year and provide a bit of a spark.

During the NFL Draft broadcast on NFL Network, insider Ian Rapoport stated that Bennett was Rams GM Les Snead’s “favorite” QB in this draft and obviously that’s considering the context of who the Rams had available to them. As we know, at this point, that list would include Hendon Hooker of Tennessee and Will Levis of Kentucky.

Bennett was part of so many big games at Georgia and had to fight off so many of those five-star prospects, and all he did was endure and come through with big plays for the Bulldogs program.

As fate would have it, he’s also joining a fellow former Georgia Bulldog in that quarterback room in Los Angeles…

This is just a really solid contingency plan for Matthew Stafford, whose health has been a question mark for the last couple of years. Of course, nobody is going to sit here and say that Stetson Bennett is the future QB1 of the Los Angeles Rams, but I do think he has a ceiling as a multi-year NFL starting QB with a floor of being a very high-end backup and spot starter.

You just saw Bennett’s game progress so much over the course of his years at Georgia, and he certainly got plenty of time on task. He was a guy this team rallied around, a true underdog story at the game’s most important position, and a player who has the type of moxie and confidence to play the QB position at a high level in the NFL.

Bennett got into some hot water this offseason after being arrested for public intoxication, but obviously, that didn’t hinder his NFL Draft status whatsoever. Most people felt like he would last until day three, but I don’t know how many had him going in the fourth round.

When it comes to the QB position, teams don’t mess around when they find guys they really like.

Bennett is a tremendous athlete and dual-threat at the position who had over 4,000 yards through the air last season with 27 touchdowns and also 10 rushing touchdowns. He’s got the playmaker instinct but also plays within the confines of the offense.

Going into Sean McVay’s offense, I don’t think Bennett could have asked for a better transition to the NFL.