Crazy and unpredictable things happen in the NFL draft every year, which is what makes it such a fun event. It also leads to some wild mock drafts, particularly as we get closer to the first round.
Pro Football Focus’ Gordon McGuinness released a new mock draft of what he would do as each team’s general manager and the Los Angeles Rams make perhaps the most shocking pick of all. Rather than standing pat at No. 19, they trade all the way up to No. 8 in a deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
They weren’t targeting a tackle or wide receiver, though. No, no, no. the Rams landed Jayden Daniels, the LSU quarterback who’s almost unanimously expected to go in the first three picks. Suffice it to say, that would be a stunning development for Los Angeles, which is searching for its next franchise quarterback.
Mock Trade: Rams receive Pick No. 8; Falcons receive Pick Nos. 19, 52 and 99 and a 2025 first-round pick
The Rams have been aggressive about trading up for potential franchise quarterbacks over the past eight years, first trading a haul to land Jared Goff in 2016 and then trading Goff and a haul to land Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions in 2021. The latter move landed them a Super Bowl, so I don’t see them being shy about being aggressive again.
Pairing Sean McVay with a quarterback who just earned a nation-best 94.7 PFF grade and produced PFF passing and rushing grades of 92.0 or better? Sign me up.
There’s no question Daniels in the Rams’ offense would be fun. It’d be a perfect pairing, as PFF mentioned, and would solidify the position for years and years to come.
It’s just that there’s almost no chance this actually happens. The odds are certainly below 0.5%, if we’re to believe Daniels will go in the first three picks. The reason it happens in this mock is the Commanders take Drake Maye at No. 2, the Patriots take Marvin Harrison Jr. at No. 3 and the Vikings trade up for J.J. McCarthy at No. 4. That causes Daniels to slide past the Chargers, Giants and Titans, falling all the way to No. 8 where the Rams move up to.
The cost would obviously be high, but that’s the price you pay for a franchise quarterback. And we know Les Snead wouldn’t be afraid to give up an extra first-rounder for a player he loves.
It’s not going to happen, but it sure is fun to think about the Rams going up 11 spots for Daniels.
