Goff or Wentz? Wentz or Goff? Der Wentz oder Goff entscheidung

Ian Rapoport ‏@RapSheet
A few weeks ago, the #Rams worked out #NDSU QB Carson Wentz, source said. LA doing research on the top QBs, as well.

Conflicting reports on whether Rams prefer Goff or Wentz

Michael David Smith

Conflicting reports on whether Rams prefer Goff or Wentz

The Rams are doing everything they can to make the NFL draft suspenseful.

After trading up to the first overall pick today, different sources within the Rams are saying different things to different reporters about whether they plan to draft North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz or Cal quarterback Jared Goff.

The initial reports said the Rams were leaning toward Wentz, but Adam Schefter of ESPN is now reporting that the Rams are leaning toward Goff.

It seems unlikely that the Rams would trade up to the first overall pick before deciding which quarterback they want to take. It’s more likely that the Rams know who they’re taking but have decided to wait until draft day to announce it.

I believe it’s Wentz. Someone asked Fisher a question at the press conference about developing small school QBs–like Mcnair and the way he answered it sounded like he had a plan in place for Wentz. I can’t remember exactly what he said but when I heard it I thought–he sounds like a guy who has made up his mind on Wentz. I think the Goff stuff is just a tease for Cleveland, in case they want to throw in something to jump up. They won’t. But it’s draft games stuff.

If this is wrong in a couple of weeks just delete this post and we’ll all agree I never made it.

2016 is reminding me of 2004…the Eli, Rivers, Roethlisberger draft. I think this year there’s at least 3 guys with that kind of upside. Not quite elite qbs, just good to very good qbs who thrive when their teams are set.

If, in 2004, your team had no qb, would you trade up to get one of those 3?

I think that’s what’s going on here.

I also think about the fact that more or less those guys have all done well for more than a decade, and that’s what I expect the Rams to get…a 12-15 year qb who can do it if you add a defense to the mix.

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http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/carson-wentz?id=2555259

Recent Comps

So they have Wentz graded at 6.53 and Goff at 6.51–flip a coin as far as the “grade”. By way of comparison Winston was 6.7, Mariotta was 6.27, Bortles 6.2. They changed the way they grade players and what the scores mean after 2013 so these are all the “apples to apples” comparisons.

You want to say you don’t like trading lots of picks for a few, fine. But please don’t tell us that “there is no one as good as Winston or Mariotta in this draft–the scouting grades puts both Wentz and Goff a good deal ahead of Mariotta. If you want to look at small school comparisons for Wentz, Bortles at 6.2 and Garoppolo at 5.8 are the comps.

Been told multiple times that Carson Wentz and Jared Goff graded out higher for a number of teams than Mariota and Winston did last year.

— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) April 15, 2016

Jared Goff vs. Carson Wentz: Who should Rams take with No. 1 draft pick?

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000653481/printable/jared-goff-vs-carson-wentz-who-should-rams-take-with-no-1-draft-pick

On Thursday, the Los Angeles Rams sent shockwaves through the NFL by jumping from No. 15 in this month’s draft all the way up to No. 1. Of course, this move didn’t come without a price: The Rams sent the Titans two first-round picks, two second-rounders and two third-rounders over the next two drafts (in exchange for No. 1, No. 113 and No. 177 in this month’s event). But the trade puts the Rams in position to (presumably) draft a quarterback to build around as the franchise returns to L.A.

It appears that two signal callers have separated themselves from the pack: Cal’s Jared Goff and North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz. Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET, NFL Network will break down the biggest question heading into the 2016 draft with a special program, “Path to the Draft: Goff or Wentz?” But in the meantime, what do you think? Which of these two QBs should the Rams select at No. 1 overall?

Charley Casserly
Writer | NFL.com

Carson Wentz has more long-term promise, but Jared Goff is the guy for L.A. in 2016
I like Carson Wentz over Jared Goff long term, but Goff is a better fit right now. And Los Angeles could indeed be a QB away from being a playoff team — the Rams have a good defense and a Pro Bowl RB in Todd Gurley. Goff has very good pocket presence — he sees things quickly and has a quick release. But he does not have a top arm.

To be frank, though, I don’t think either one of these QBs is an elite prospect.

Daniel Jeremiah
Writer | NFL.com

Wentz is the superior prospect — in fact, he’s better than Blake Bortles was coming out of UCF
They should take Carson Wentz. He’s bigger, more athletic, has a stronger arm and gained experience in an NFL system while at North Dakota State. He’s proven to play his best in big moments, and he’s done nothing but win his entire athletic career.

Wentz’s toughness, competitiveness and football intelligence are off the charts. He’s a better player than Blake Bortles was coming out of Central Florida.

Gil Brandt
Writer | NFL.com

I have Wentz rated slightly higher, but I think Goff is a better fit in Los Angeles
In my rankings — which will be released on NFL.com on Monday — I have Carson Wentz one spot ahead of Jared Goff. But, if I were the Rams, I would go with Goff because of the fact the he was raised in California. He would be much more familiar with the difficulty of movement in Los Angeles, mainly traffic and the pace of living. Goff would have an easier time adapting to the high-intensity way of life in the L.A. area. Moving to California would be a culture shock for anybody who has lived their entire life in North Dakota.

Lance Zierlein
Writer | NFL.com

Return to L.A. gives Rams more time to develop a QB — I’d bet on Wentz’s upside
If this were still the St. Louis Rams, I would probably say Jared Goff because they would need to win more immediately. However, in Los Angeles, the Rams should have a honeymoon period that allows them to bring Carson Wentz along with more patience.

At the end of the day, I believe that Wentz has the potential to be a “face of the franchise” quarterback more than Goff.

Bucky Brooks
Writer | NFL.com

Goff’s experience will allow him to be the Rams’ starter on Day 1
The Rams should take Jared Goff with the top pick. The Cal quarterback is the more polished and experienced player at the position. Goff enters the NFL with 1,500-plus pass attempts and 37 career college starts (compared to Wentz’s 612 attempts and 23 college starts), which makes him better prepared to step into the lineup as a Day 1 starter.

From a physical standpoint, Goff doesn’t have the big arm or prototypical dimensions of Wentz, but he displays better footwork and poise in the pocket. He plays with his eyes and feet connected, while exhibiting good poise under duress. Goff’s ability to thrive within chaos sets him apart from others in the class and gives him the nod in this debate.

Considering Goff’s outstanding touch, timing and anticipation as a passer, the Rams finally have a chance to field an explosive offense with the potential to attack on the ground or through the air.

Chase Goodbread
Writer | NFL.com

Rams made a bold move with win-now intentions, so Goff has to be the pick
You don’t blow a hole in two drafts — as the L.A. Rams just did in moving up to No. 1 — to acquire a quarterback who might need a year or two to develop. That’s why the choice needs to be Jared Goff of Cal.

While Carson Wentz’s offense at North Dakota State might have been more NFL-like, it’s a mistake to lump Cal’s “Bear Raid” offense in with other college spread offenses that translate poorly to the pros. Goff, with an experience edge over Wentz — and having played against a much higher level of competition in the Pac-12 — will be more ready to win games right off the bat.

Elliot Harrison
Writer | NFL.com

Wentz would seem to be a better fit in the Rams’ Todd Gurley-led offense
I’m thinking Carson Wentz. Unless the Rams view Jared Goff as a clearly superior quarterback to Wentz, I would go with the guy who has been under center more in his career if I were part of the Rams’ brass. Not because Goff can’t assimilate himself to pro sets outside of the spread and shotgun, but because the Rams’ best player is tailback Todd Gurley, who often operates out of a single-back set. The key to the Rams making big plays downfield this season is having success with play action to Gurley, and that is something — at least under center — that Wentz is more equipped to carry out at this stage.

Charles Davis
Writer | NFL.com

Wentz will fit like a glove into into Jeff Fisher’s offense
I have had Jared Goff rated slightly higher than Carson Wentz throughout the run up to the draft. But when it comes to who should the Rams take with the No. 1 overall pick, I believe they should select Carson Wentz. To me, he would fit nicely with what Los Angeles wants to do on offense given head coach Jeff Fisher’s background — run the ball, hit big plays off of play action, and pair that philosophy with a stout defense already in place. Wentz’s background at North Dakota State saw him handling line calls, adjustments and audibles in the run and pass game, and operating a lot of offense from under center, in the pistol and shot gun. His ability to read fronts and control the run game would be valuable.

As an added bonus, his athleticism and comfort running the ball will really come in handy. The possibility of his escaping out the backdoor will help tamp down pressure packages focused solely on stopping Pro Bowl RB Todd Gurley, and Wentz’s sturdy 6-foot-5, 237-pound frame allows him a great chance to hold up well as a runner.

Finally, with the heavy focus and commitment to running the football, the plan would be for Wentz to be able to throw the ball against easier coverages and in more favorable situations. That would allow him to break into and acclimate to the league quicker, as well as develop without being hit so often early in his career when trying to pass.

This formula worked well for Ben Roethlisberger and Russell Wilson as rookies. I think that Carson Wentz would find it agreeable, too

Carson Wentz over Jared Goff for Browns at No. 2, experts at NFL Combine say

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2016/02/browns_carson_wentz_jared_goff.html

INDIANAPOLIS — The Browns should draft Carson Wentz over Jared Goff at No. 2, a handful of NFL draft experts at the NFL Combine told cleveland.com Saturday.

“I would take Carson Wentz, especially since I know the coaching staff,” said noted draft expert Greg Cosell of NFL Films.

Cosell said the veteran, quarterback-savvy Browns staff would know how to develop a small-school prospect like Wentz, who played at FCS school North Dakota State. What’s more, he’s started only 23 games, going 20-3. The Browns offensive coaches have tutored the likes of Kurt Warner, Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco, Andrew Luck and Andy Dalton.

“They have Hue Jackson, Pep Hamilton, Al Saunders and Kirby Wilson,” said Cosell. “They have coaches who have been in the NFL for a long time and I think that’s absolutely critical.”

Like Warner, an NFL Network analyst, Cosell believes that Wentz won the quarterback workouts Saturday, beating out Cal’s Goff, Memphis’ Paxton Lynch and Michigan State’s Connor Cook, a native of Hinckley, Ohio.

Wentz finished tied for second in the 40 with a 4.77, tied for second in the broad jump and finished third in the three-cone drill. He also displayed a strong arm, good footwork, nice touch on the shorter routes and a quick release.

“Hands down, Wentz (6-5 1/4 237) was the best quarterback in these workouts,” Cosell said. “Hands down he shone above everyone else.”

But Cosell relies on his extensive film study in grading the passers.

“Since I’ve watched both on tape, I’d say Wentz has high level traits, the kind of traits that make you think if he were to become what he could be that he’d be a top five kind of quarterback in the league,” Cosell said.

Kurt Warner says Carson Wentz ‘looked the best of all the quarterbacks’
Kurt Warner says Carson Wentz ‘looked the best of all the quarterbacks’
Wentz, whom the Browns are considering with their first-round pick, displayed the same things in drills that he did at the Senior Bowl and on tape: a strong arm, great footwork, a quick release and exceptional size.

Like NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, Cosell believes that Goff (6-4, 215) might be more ready now, but that Wentz has more upside potential.

“Goff is a really refined player for a 21-year-old quarterback, really good pocket mechanics, really good feel for the pocket, does something that not even some pro quarterbacks do, which is he moves his feet with his eyes, which is a really refined trait for a young quarterback,” he said. “So Goff to me is more refined, but Wentz has the higher-level traits.

He said the fact Wentz played in a pro-style offense in college while the other played in a spread doesn’t push him over the top.

“I’m not a huge believer in that because I think you can teach guys,” he said. “It’s like receivers when you say they only ran three routes. I think if you coach guys well, if they have change of direction and good movement skills you can teach guys how to run the route tree. I think with a quarterback you can teach your offense.”

He added, “both guys from what I can gather have come across very well and are generally smart kids.”

One high level NFL talent evaluator who doesn’t need a quarterback but studied the current class said he’d go with Wentz because “he’s stronger, a good athlete, a good thrower, played in a pro offense and won national championships.”

One NFL offensive coach said, “all things being equal, go with the size.”

Still, another NFL offensive assistant said Goff has done it for longer and Wentz is coming out of nowhere. He’s leery. “No one heard of him until the Senior Bowl,” he said.

Before the workouts, NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Wentz was his top QB. The session confirmed it.

“Everybody focuses on the level of competition, but to me I believe he’s the top quarterback in this draft class,” he said. “A lot of it is because of what he’s asked to do. He’s under center, he has a lot of control in that offense.”

Although Warner crowned Wentz winner of the day, he also likes Goff.

“Jared Goff, I don’t know if you see as much of what makes him a pro ready quarterback out here in combine drills,” he said. “It’s his speed inside the pocket, it’s movement, quick release, those two guys I thought looked very solid.

“That’s one thing that really impressed me with Jared Goff when I watched him on film — tremendous pocket awareness but the ability to move his hips and get the ball out quickly in that small, little box is impressive.”

As for Mayock, he seems to be favoring Goff for the Browns because he’s ready to step in now, and Wentz for the Cowboys at No. 4 where he can sit awhile behind Tony Romo.

“Now if (Wentz) had to go in and play this year, do I think he could take his lumps and do that? Yeah,” he said. “But I think the healthiest situation for that kid in a franchise is to give him a year behind an established starter, even in Cleveland.

“If Cleveland took him. Go to Cleveland, spend a year learning the system and learning what you’re doing and a year from now you’re the guy. I think that’s healthy.”

Why is Goff more ready now?

“The advantage Wentz has is he’s been under center,” he said. “He’s done a lot in the protections. You could see his footwork, it was good. The difference is he’s played 23 games and he’s done it at a lower level. I didn’t see the same pocket awareness.

“When I watch Goff I see a guy sliding, moving around in the pocket, going from one side of the field to the other making every throw. I don’t think Wentz is at that point yet as far as being quickly able to do that and I think he needs a lot more reps.”

Question is, where will he get them?

snowman wrote:

I think they take Goff.

I just poured a bunch of Wentz stuff into the thread. He’s my favorite, but I;m not “debating” it, plus I have nothing against Goff—it’s just that some Wentz stuff just now caught my eye. People should add Goff stuff too, as will I whenever I run across it, which ought to be frequently.

Who’s the Top QB in the 2016 NFL Draft? | Move the Sticks | NFL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJKHckmXTCA

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000653513/article/rams-topsecret-qb-tour-bred-blockbuster-trade-for-no-1-pick

Rams’ top-secret QB tour bred blockbuster trade for No. 1 pick

Jeff Fisher and Les Snead arrived in Berkeley on a cloudy February morning, and as soon as quarterback Jared Goff began his private workout at California Memorial Stadium — as if on cue — the rain came pouring down like the Andy Dufresne escape scene in “Shawshank Redemption.”

By the end of the former Cal star’s sublime throwing session, all had become clear for the two men deciding the immediate fate of the newly rechristened Los Angeles Rams. And it was that clarity of purpose which, two months later, would trigger the blockbuster trade that shook up the 2016 draft and brought some serious gridiron glitz to Tinseltown.

Having flown to Northern California straight from Fargo, North Dakota — where they’d watched the 2016 draft’s other top quarterbacking prospect, ex-North Dakota State passer Carson Wentz, perform impressively in a similar session — Fisher, the Rams’ veteran head coach, and Snead, the team’s fifth-year general manager, were completing the second and final stop of their under-the-radar, Find a Franchise Quarterback Tour.

They weren’t prepared for the inclement weather, but they weren’t complaining, either. After all, one of the few raps against Goff was his perceived inability to throw a wet ball, a stigma that began early in his freshman season in 2013, when he performed so miserably on a rainy afternoon at Oregon that he was pulled from the game in the first quarter.

Even as Fisher vainly attempted to shield the footballs under his light jacket before handing them to Goff, he understood the beauty of the moment: If throwing a slippery ball were still a legitimate weakness, Goff would surely be exposed.

Instead, as if channeling the artistry of dreadlocked Cal alum Adam Duritz, Goff summoned a performance so tremendous, he might as well have crooned, “I am the Rain King!”

Goff, according to one witness, flat out “ripped it” while throwing to former Cal teammates Trevor Davis and Maurice Harris. “The ball never hit the ground,” said another person who attended the session.

“It was a great opportunity to see him throw a wet ball,” Fisher recalled Thursday morning, a couple of hours after the announcement of a pricey trade with the Tennessee Titans that put the Rams on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick. “We were just going through the process, and he made all the throws, and he was outstanding.”

Whether the Rams use the No. 1 overall selection on Goff, as I believe they will, or call Wentz to the podium in Chicago on April 28, Fisher and Snead already have made one thing obvious: After methodically building a talented defense, a process fueled by the bounty they acquired in their own blockbuster pre-draft trade four years ago, and last year bolstering the running game by selecting star halfback Todd Gurley and a slew of offensive linemen, the Rams can no longer get by with mediocrity at the game’s pivotal position.

They weren’t prepared for the inclement weather, but they weren’t complaining, either. After all, one of the few raps against Goff was his perceived inability to throw a wet ball, a stigma that began early in his freshman season in 2013, when he performed so miserably on a rainy afternoon at Oregon that he was pulled from the game in the first quarter.

Even as Fisher vainly attempted to shield the footballs under his light jacket before handing them to Goff, he understood the beauty of the moment: If throwing a slippery ball were still a legitimate weakness, Goff would surely be exposed.

Instead, as if channeling the artistry of dreadlocked Cal alum Adam Duritz, Goff summoned a performance so tremendous, he might as well have crooned, “I am the Rain King!”

Goff, according to one witness, flat out “ripped it” while throwing to former Cal teammates Trevor Davis and Maurice Harris. “The ball never hit the ground,” said another person who attended the session.

“It was a great opportunity to see him throw a wet ball,” Fisher recalled Thursday morning, a couple of hours after the announcement of a pricey trade with the Tennessee Titans that put the Rams on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick. “We were just going through the process, and he made all the throws, and he was outstanding.”

Whether the Rams use the No. 1 overall selection on Goff, as I believe they will, or call Wentz to the podium in Chicago on April 28, Fisher and Snead already have made one thing obvious: After methodically building a talented defense, a process fueled by the bounty they acquired in their own blockbuster pre-draft trade four years ago, and last year bolstering the running game by selecting star halfback Todd Gurley and a slew of offensive linemen, the Rams can no longer get by with mediocrity at the game’s pivotal position

Speaking of which: With records of 7-8-1, 7-9, 6-10 and 7-9 during their four years in St. Louis, the newly relocated coach and GM understand that they’ll have to step up it up to stay employed in Southern California beyond this season.

So Fisher and Snead, in a strategy they employed as far back as their first season in St. Louis, hit the road and got an up-close-and-personal view of what was out there. And when they loved what they saw in Fargo and Berkeley, they set their sights on the top of the draft.

With the 15th overall selection, Fisher and Snead knew it wouldn’t be easy. Not since 1984 had a team (the Patriots, who came up from 16th to land receiver Irving Fryar) moved up so far to land the first pick. But the Rams had an important chip: an extra second-round pick in 2016, obtained in last year’s trade with the Eagles that sent oft-injured incumbent quarterback Sam Bradford to Philly for Nick Foles. And while Foles’ stint as the Rams’ starting quarterback had been short and inglorious — ultimately, he was supplanted by Case Keenum, who technically still resides atop the L.A. depth chart — that extra second-rounder turned out to be a godsend.

As fate would have it, the Rams’ ownership of that pick — and the Eagles’ lack thereof — may have allowed L.A. to outjockey the Eagles for the Titans’ top pick. The Eagles, according to sources, have a high degree of interest in both quarterbacks, particularly Goff, and were also engaged in talks to trade up in the draft.

Meanwhile the Browns, who hold the No. 2 overall selection, may lose out on the quarterback they covet most — and, in response, might try to trade down to a team interested in acquiring the passer the Rams pass over.

Again, this intriguing scenario is layered with the seeds of past developments: Last March, before trading Bradford to the Eagles, the Rams — according to a high-ranking team source — believed they had a deal in place to send him to Cleveland for a first-round pick, but the Browns backed out the following morning.

Throw in the fact that Fisher closed the deal for the first overall pick with the franchise that employed him as head coach for 17 seasons, and there have been a whole lot of dramatic arcs to this story. And make no mistake: He and Snead are intent on milking the drama for all its worth between now and draft night, with organizational sources sending out conflicting reports of which quarterback the Rams prefer to numerous reporters, a process likely to continue right up until the moment when the Rams are officially on the clock.

Regardless of the noise, Fisher and Snead will get their man — and their immediate futures will likely depend on the young quarterback’s aptitude. For what it’s worth, their bosses (Rams owner Stan Kroenke and COO Kevin Demoff) were absolutely on board with the trade. As one high-ranking Rams official put it in an internal conversation, “We can go with Case Keenum and [second-year backup] Sean Mannion, and if everything breaks right, we can probably be a wild-card team. But we’re not chasing wild cards. We want to go after championships.”

To get to that level, a young man will have to guide them — and something Fisher and Snead saw in Fargo and/or Berkeley two months ago convinced them that there’s at least one quarterback in this draft who can transform their team in a hurry.

“We’re not looking over our shoulders here,” Fisher told me Thursday. “We’re planning for the future, and we’re building this team, and this is the next step. Last year we drafted Todd Gurley, and we drafted [four] offensive linemen. This year, we know what we want, and we’re going after it.”

Rain or shine.

Follow Michael Silver on Twitter @MikeSilver.

I mean look at Romo!

But, Romo’s hurt a lot.

…

I take Wentz. Pro style offense big physical can run rocket freaking arm and the guy is smart. Just a better fit than Goff who doesn’t like pressure. NDSU is like a pro team in ND . Can he make the jump ? Well we’ve seen spread offense guys struggle especially ones that don’t deal with pressure well. The guy just has the look imo Goff to me is kind of erratic.