Los Angeles Rams Mock Draft Roundup: What the Experts Are Saying

Jared Goff or Carson Wentz. 

Those are the two options for the Los Angeles Rams at No. 1 overall. While most teams are contemplating a dozen scenarios in the first round, the Rams' options are boiled down to just two. 

That simplifies things, for sure, but it comes at a cost. 

Now the pressure is on. This isn't a typical first-round selection. According to ESPN.com, the Rams are giving up six total picks in the next two drafts—with all six picks being in the third round or earlier—so this single pick will shape the long-term outcome for this franchise. A wrong decision will cripple the team for the next several seasons.

It's a decision that has been discussed at great length among Rams leadership, and it's a discussion that's still raging on for fans and members of the media. 

This article will take a closer look at the ongoing debate. We'll look around the web and see what the top draft experts and media figures are saying about Los Angeles' top pick.

Mel Kiper of ESPN: Jared Goff

Gail Burton/Associated Press

Over a week ago, Mel Kiper of ESPN admitted he was unsure which direction the Rams will go with the top pick, but he seemed to favor Goff: 

"

I'm not making any assumptions yet regarding whether the Rams will take Carson Wentz or Jared Goff. I have Goff as the more NFL-ready passer because of his anticipation, accuracy and pocket instincts, but Wentz has incredible physical tools, a strong arm and a big, athletic frame.

"

Five days later, Kiper released a mock draft on ESPN.com that had Los Angeles taking Goff No. 1 overall:

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(The Rams) are now the only team with just one pick over the first three rounds, but I do think Goff is the top-rated quarterback in this draft. That's why I selected him here. If the Rams do select Goff first overall, it's critical that they play him when he's truly ready, not when they simply want to show flashes of a potentially bright future. 

"

It's interesting that Kiper mentions benching Goff until he's ready, because that'll be a crucial question surrounding the Rams' new quarterback. 

In today's NFL, starting rookie quarterbacks appears to be the norm. Tampa Bay and Tennessee did it last season with Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. Jacksonville and Oakland did it in 2014 with Blake Bortles and Derek Carr.

It's a trend that was set by Ben Roethlisberger's success as a rookie in 2004 and made mainstream after rookie passers Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco led their teams to playoff berths in 2008. 

Kiper is correct when he states the Rams should wait until Goff (or Wentz) is ready, but given the magnitude of the pick, is that something the fanbase can accept? 

The Rams gave up an awful lot for this selection and put the franchise in jeopardy. What does it say about the team's leadership if the new quarterback can't beat out Case Keenum for the starting job? If the new passer can't win the starting job, like Winston, Mariota, Carr and so many others have done in recent years, was he really worth trading up for? 

In the end, political pressure may force the Rams to trot out their new quarterback in Week 1, whether he's ready or not. 

Rob Rang of CBS Sports: Carson Wentz

Bruce Crummy/Associated Press

Rob Rang of CBS Sports is one of the most well-known mock draft authors in the media. In his latest mock draft, he has the Rams selecting Wentz with the top pick:

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The last time an FCS player was selected in the top three came back in 1995 when a young Jeff Fisher - then head coach of the Houston Oilers.

"

Of course, that top-three pick Rang is referring to is quarterback Steve McNair, who was selected No. 3 overall out of Alcorn State in 1995. McNair went on to lead the Tennessee Titans to a Super Bowl appearance following the 1999 season. 

Rang brings up an excellent point. 

Goff is frequently hyped as the most NFL-ready of the two, but not everyone agrees. In fact, former NFL coach Jon Gruden claims that Wentz—not Goff—is the "most NFL-ready quarterback" he has seen in recent years, per NBC Sports. 

It very well could be true that Goff is more NFL-ready than Wentz, but it's probably safe to say that many are reaching that conclusion based solely on the fact that Wentz played in the FCS. 

Based on the McNair pick, we know Jeff Fisher won't shy away from an FCS quarterback if that quarterback is truly the better player.

This decision will be based on football above all else. If the Rams believe Wentz is the better quarterback, he'll be the pick—regardless of Goff's status as a Division-I star.

Walter Football: Jared Goff

Ron Jenkins/Associated Press

Walter Football is perhaps the most popular mock draft on the web. The site's latest mock draft agrees with the consensus and has the Rams taking Goff at No. 1 overall: 

"

Some of the major media people (as well as one individual who has plagiarized content off this site twice) have reported that Jared Goff will be the pick. We had Carson Wentz slotted here initially, and the Rams did, in fact, favor Wentz over Goff at some point. However, things have changed, and the Rams now plan on choosing Goff with the first-overall selection. 

"

Walter Football fails to mention the source, but solid sources in the media—which we'll get to later—are throwing in with Goff. 

In fact, Walter Football has no alternative picks listed for the Rams—not even Wentz. The site claims that there's a 99.9 percent chance that Los Angeles goes with Goff. 

Goff is considered the favorite and the selection of Wentz would certainly be a major plot twist, but Walter Football's odds are a bit of an exaggeration. All signs point to Goff, but the Rams are keeping their cards hidden. 

We can make predictions, but only the Rams know the true outcome.

Michael Silver of NFL.com: Jared Goff

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

Michael Silver of NFL.com recently made an appearance on ESPN radio. During the interview, he made the claim that Goff is the pick, and he seemed quite certain of himself: 

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Yes, the Rams are taking Jared Goff. The Rams will take Goff and they're getting a kid who has shown an ability to fight through adversity and endure some tough times, because when he got to Cal they had the worst defense in the country and were in the midst of a 1-11 nightmare.

"

Silver went on to elaborate on what Goff brings to the field:

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He makes really quick decisions, he makes really good decisions, he gets rid of it very quickly, he throws a beautiful ball and he's unbelievably accurate.

"

Silver's endorsement for Goff is very interesting, as he's no mere pundit spewing some random opinion. 

For the past several seasons, Silver has been entrenched in the Rams' draft-day war room. Following the draft, he posts an article covering his experience and describing the entire process in detail. The result has been some of the best Rams-related pieces you'll ever read—just Google "Michael Silver Rams draft." 

The point being that Silver has a very good working relationship with the Rams. They trust him enough to let him in the war room, and he surely has more than a few high-level contacts within the organization. 

Silver's confidence in Goff as the pick is probably the reason why certain media figures and mock drafts—Kiper and Walter Football—share the same confidence. 

If Silver says something about the Rams, it's probably a fact. 

Sam Farmer of the LA Times: Jared Goff

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Sam Farmer of the LA Times initially predicted Wentz as the pick, but he has since adjusted his tone. According to a recent tweet, Farmer is yet another expert in Goff's camp. 

"

Although I first thought the Rams' pick was Carson Wentz, I believe I misread the signs. Mark me down for Jared Goff. See Sundays LA Times.

— Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) April 23, 2016"

Like Silver, Farmer is another opinion worth taking seriously. 

Farmer covered the Rams extensively throughout the entire relocation process. Now that the Rams have relocated from St. Louis to Los Angeles, Farmer is a new beat writer for the team. He's a local reporter with contacts within the organization. 

Something made Farmer change his mind. We don't know whether that comes from a source within the team, someone from the league or simply a gut feeling, but he's suddenly very convinced the Rams are going with Goff. 

When in doubt, it's best to trust the local beat writers. They work more intimately with the individual teams and pick up on things the national media tends to overlook. 

Farmer's confidence in Goff as the pick is a major endorsement.

Steven Gerwel is the longest-tenured Rams Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report and serves as the Rams' 2016 draft-day correspondent. You can find more of Gerwel's work by visiting his writer profile or by following him on Twitter.