The signals are out there in the Southern California ozone that the Los Angeles Rams will add a quarterback in three weeks at the NFL Draft.
Sean McVay acknowledged this during his NFL Owner’s meeting appearance in Arizona. Mock draft boards including from ESPN has the Rams going with a QB in the fifth round. But on Friday, April 7, one analyst wrote down this stirring idea: The Rams take in a QB who was described as “taller and faster” than the highly-touted Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young by former NFL QB turned analyst Chris Simms.
That QB Zach Dimmitt of Sports Illustrated mentioned is an L.A. star in his own right: Dorian Thompson-Robinson of UCLA.
Hot Take on DTR From Both Analysts
Beginning with the NBC Sports analyst Simms, he may list the Bruins dual-threat as his co-No. 5 best option alongside Will Levis of Kentucky. Yet Simms — who’s no stranger to stirring eye-grabbing takes — wrote this about DTR.
“Taller than Bryce Young, faster than Bryce Young, think his arm might be stronger than Bryce Young. He plays the position of quarterback right up there with the top guys in the sport,” Simms began in his scouting review of each top 2023 QB for this class. “I mean he can do everything…he has a little bit of a long wind-up, maybe doesn’t see the field as well as C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young…I would argue that going through reads and seeing the field other than Stroud and Young he’s the next best one in the group, even maybe better than Hendon Hooker in that department.”
Simms concluded with “his mechanics are great, his feet is great, he’s got a really natural, fluid motion…so I’m just shocked I look at lists and there’s fifteen quarterbacks and this kid’s thirteen…this kid’s got starting quarterback NFL traits.”
Meanwhile, Dimmitt is the analyst pounding the tables for the Rams to choose the local star as their QB of choice.
“A true dual-threat weapon, DTR’s mobility gives him a significant boost when it comes to potentially carving out a career in the NFL. He’s got both lateral and vertical speed that compares to that of Kyler Murray and rivals most of the top dual-threat quarterbacks currently in the league,” Dimmitt wrote.
But: “Some mock drafts have had him falling to as low as the seventh round while others have had him going in the fourth round.”
Is DTR a Fit Inside the ‘Rams House?’
For what it’s worth, this is a polarizing projection.
For starters, Thompson-Robinson may have improved his numbers in his last two seasons in every statistical category including completion percentage. But he had way too many hot-and-cold moments during his time at Westwood.
He showed a habit of taking his eyes off lurking zone defenders, culminating in interceptions. He also had trouble with his decision-making which included having an awkward delivery. His deep ball touch also wasn’t accurate and lastly, he appeared to be more at his best when plays broke down and he used his legs.
But when DTR was on his game, he looked like a Heisman candidate especially in the quick strike aerial game and on designed keeper runs.
McVay and the Rams aren’t used to working with mobile quarterbacks. Two exceptions are Bryce Perkins and John Wolford, but the healthiest starters were usually natural pocket guys — a la Jared Goff then Matthew Stafford.
Still, Dimmitt believes this dual-threat is worth taking in inside the “Rams House.”
“The Rams could potentially get a steal at quarterback if they play their cards right and wait out potentially selecting DTR until the later rounds. He’d already be right home in LA,” he wrote. “And based on his unique ability, selecting him is a lower-risk move that the Rams could potentially regret not making.”
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Rams Called to Draft QB With 2 Advantages Over Bryce Young: Analyst