There are analysts who feel the Los Angeles Rams grabbing Stetson Bennett in the fourth round feels like a draft reach.
The Georgia Bulldogs quarterback, even as a national title winner, was given a fifth to sixth round grade by nfl.com. Even further, there was the April 21 report from NFL insider Tom Pelissero that featured one unnamed AFC coordinator saying that as talented as he is, he comes with “bad body language.”
However, Sean McVay was given a good report about Bennett — enough to convince the Rams to take him in the fourth at No. 128. McVay not only scrutinized Bennett’s journey and evaluated his skill set, but got the trusting word from three assistants (one a AFC North coordinator and the other two staff members) to make the pick for the national title winner.
“I think his journey, people take for granted that this guy is just a really good football player. Because of the background and the way that he became the starter at Georgia is a little bit unconventional and it wasn’t the five-star route, but I think it minimized the athleticism, the ability to create off-schedule,” McVay said to reporters after the draft. “He’s a natural thrower of the football. He can play with great anticipation, throws the ball with accuracy, plays within the timing. I think Coach (Todd) Monken, who’s now with the [Baltimore] Ravens, they did a great job where it’s an easier eval because you can see a lot of the concepts that maybe you would ask him to execute.
“And he’s around great players, but he elevated those guys. He sees the field well,” McVay continued. “You can see he’s processing things quickly and he’s a lot better athlete than people give him credit for. And I think there’s an edge to him that’s a positive. You want some competitors that have some stuff to them, that things don’t always go well, they’re unfazed and they can kind of move on and be able to reset themselves. And credit to Les [Snead] and really [quarterbacks coach] Zac Robinson and [offensive coordinator] Mike LaFleur and really his scouting staff where they had identified Stetson early in the process.”
McVay Confident With Bennett at the Hands of 1 Rams Assistant & All-Pro
To further illustrate McVay’s comfort level in taking in Bennett early in day three of the draft, he believes Bennett will be in good hands working with one assistant.
“Well, I think you’re excited. I was talking to Zac Robinson about that,” McVay said. “He’ll do a great job of being able to help him develop and looking forward to working with Stetson.”
But there’s more Bennett is walking into. He’s entering a room featuring another past Georgia great, and one he can learn from in Matthew Stafford.
“I think what a great opportunity for him to come in and learn from a perennial All-Pro, a great football player who’s been doing it at a high level,” McVay said of Bennett and Stafford together. “And it’s not exclusive to just the great things you see Matthew (Stafford) do on Sundays, but the level of preparation and professionalism that exists throughout the course of the week. His rhythm and routine, the way that he just seamlessly, naturally interacts with guys. I think there’ll be a lot of good things that Stetson will be able to see what it looks like.”
QB Signing Making a Switch
While Bennett is coming in to potentially cement himself as the No. 2 behind Stafford, one quarterback addition is trying to place himself in a new spot on the field.
Braxton Burmeister of San Diego State was one of the Rams signings made official via the league’s waiver wire on Tuesday, May 2. He leaves the college game throwing for 3,283 career passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in stops at Oregon, Virginia Tech and SDSU.
But now, he’s giving wide receiver a try as the Rams list him at that position.
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Rams’ Sean McVay Sounds Off on Drafting Polarizing Mid-Round Pick