Having a reliable backup quarterback in the NFL is invaluable and finding the right player can be tough. The Los Angeles Rams have deployed a few different backup quarterbacks in recent years, with none of them bringing much stability to the position.
Matthew Stafford will be starting for the Rams again in 2023, but John Wolford is a restricted free agent and Baker Mayfield is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. With Stafford turning 35 years old last month and having injury concerns, the Rams would be wise to address the backup spot ahead of next season.
The 2023 NFL draft is a source for the Rams to take a quarterback in hopes they can be a backup and/or develop into the future starter. After putting together a draft prospect profile on Hendon Hooker out of Tennessee, the next profile will be on Jaren Hall out of BYU.
Background
After attending Maple Mountain High School in Spanish Fork, Utah, Hall elected to attend BYU to play college sports. Hall was a two-sport athlete at BYU as he played baseball in 2019 and 2020 before replacing Zach Wilson as the starting quarterback in 2021.
In his two seasons under center for the Cougars, Hall accumulated 6,174 passing yards, 52 passing touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. The soon-to-be 25-year-old also rushed for 657 yards and six touchdowns in his final two collegiate seasons. Hall was also invited to the Senior Bowl and we’ve seen the Rams show a willingness to draft players that attend.
How he fits the Rams
When watching Hall, there’s no doubt that he has a few tools that will entice teams to select him in the draft. Hall has a strong arm and can make plenty of out-of-structure plays, but he’ll certainly need to refine his other skills if he wants to carve out a long career in the NFL.
Along with Hooker, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah iterated that Hall would be a fantastic fit in Sean McVay’s offense. If the Rams were to select Hall, he’d have time to develop his game behind Stafford and serve as a backup with potential in McVay’s quarterback-friendly system.
Draft projection
The Rams have a few major needs entering the upcoming draft, so they may not target a quarterback early in the draft — or at all. With Hall set to turn 25 years old later this month and having a smaller stature for a quarterback, some teams could avoid him entirely in the draft.
In most mock drafts, Hall is being taken in the fourth or fifth round, making him a potential Day 3 pick. The Rams don’t currently have a fourth-round pick and have two fifth-round picks. That means they’ll either need to take him in the third round, trade up, or hope he falls to the fifth round.
