ESPN says this day three quarterback would be fit for Rams

ESPN’s Matt Miller pegs Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed as fit for Rams

Throughout the NFL Draft process, the Los Angeles Rams have been pegged as a popular destination for quarterbacks. Whether it’s JJ McCarthy or Michael Penix early in the draft or mid-round options like Spencer Rattler, pairing a young quarterback with Sean McVay has been a common occurrence in draft coverage.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Jordan Reid and Matt Miller did a “quarterback only mock draft” in which they predicted landing spots for every quarterback that they see getting drafted. These picks were based on league intel, team fits, their rankings, and how they see how teams may approach the position.

In the sixth round, Miller has the Rams taking Austin Reed from Western Kentucky. Said Miller,

“The Rams have 36-year-old Matthew Stafford entrenched as QB1, and they just added oft-injured Jimmy Garoppolo, who will join the roster after serving a two-game suspension. Behind them are Stetson Bennett and Dresser Winn, so to say that QB3 is a need in Los Angeles might be underselling it. And Reed has the potential to be a future backup. He is a good mover in and out of the pocket, and I see solid enough arm talent for him to play when needed in the pros. Reed really impresses with pocket escapability and poise too. His 3,340 passing yards ranked 22nd in the FBS last season, and he threw 31 touchdown passes.”

At this point, it seems far-fetched that the Rams would draft a quarterback. That may not have been the case a month ago, but they have since signed Garoppolo and Stetson Bennett looks like he could make a return to the team. After spending last year off of the roster, the Rams could draft a player like Reed to potentially compete for the third quarterback spot behind Garoppolo. However, the Rams spent a fourth-round pick on Bennett and will likely be looking to give him an opportunity. If they didn’t favor Bennett in some fashion, they very easily could have just cut him at some point over the last eight months.

There is something to be said about the Rams needing a future at the position and a player with upside. Reed could give them that as a developmental third-string quarterback that could develop into a backup. Garoppolo is 32 and coming off of arguably his worst season and Bennett will essentially be a 27 year old rookie after a poor preseason and losing a year of development. However, that doesn’t look to be the route that the Rams want to take at the position, and instead prioritize experience at the position.