Matthew Stafford will be under center for the Los Angeles Rams in 2025. The quarterback suggested his tenure could very well extend beyond that. Still, at 37 years old, the Rams could plan for life after Stafford, and Jaxson Dart could be the answer.
Dart, the former Ole Miss Rebels QB, continues to be speculatively linked to the Rams. LA owns the No. 26 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
If Dart slides, ESPN’s Field Yates, Jordan Reid, and Matt Miller all see a fit with the Rams.
“I’ve heard he’s actually the second-best QB on some teams’ boards. That bodes well for his first-round potential,” Reid wrote on March 28. “Pairing Dart with Rams coach Sean McVay and allowing him to sit and develop behind Matthew Stafford for multiple seasons in L.A. would be the best-case scenario for him.”
“Dart could start right away with a team such as the Steelers (No. 21),” Yates wrote, “and the Saints (No. 9) or Rams (No. 26) might view him as an eventual starter.”
Dart threw for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions on 69.3% completion in 2024.
“In my talks with scouts this past week, the expectation is that his predraft process has been too successful for him to get past the first 32 picks,” Miller wrote. “The three teams Field mentioned — the Steelers, Saints and Rams — are all obvious fits for his services.”
Former GM Pushes Rams to Draft Jaxson Dart
GettyFormer Ole Miss Rebels QB Jaxson Dart #2 looks on against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum, who was the general manager of the New York Jets from 2006 to 2020, has touted Dart’s potential fit with the Rams on multiple occasions. Tannenbaum noted the QB “excelled” at Ole Miss with 72 touchdown passes.
“Dart excelled in Lane Kiffin’s scheme at Ole Miss, throwing 72 touchdown passes over his three years in Oxford. He has risen on draft boards in the past few months, too. He had a great week at the Senior Bowl and was, in my opinion, the best thrower at the combine. Dart has a sturdy lower frame and really good movement skills, and he has a lot of upside,” Tannenbaum wrote on March 25.
“If I’m taking over the Rams’ GM role today, I’m absolutely eyeing the future.”
Like Tannenbaum, Miller projected the Rams to select Dart with the No. 26 overall pick.
“After waiting to see whether Matthew Stafford would return for another season, it’s time for the Rams to prepare for their post-Stafford future at quarterback. Dart could go as high as the top 10 depending on how the QB board settles early in the draft. He’s an accurate thrower on intermediate routes with underrated ability to layer the deep ball downfield. He’s also experienced, starting the past three seasons at Ole Miss after transferring from USC,” Miller wrote on March 27.
“Dart got better every season under Lane Kiffin and has the eyes and arm to make plays on time and to every area of the field. Dart will need time to acclimate to the NFL, as Kiffin’s RPO-heavy scheme limited his reads and progressions, but he can sit and learn behind Stafford in 2025. The Rams don’t have a second-round pick, so this would be the time to aggressively pursue their QB of the future.”
Yates also suggested Dart and the Rams are a good fit on March 21, so the momentum could be building.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer name-dropped the Rams as an option too in a March 19 article.
Rams GM Turns Heads With QB Prospect
GettyLos Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead recalls a story.
Rams general manager Les Snead is making the rounds on the pro day circuit. Snead was spotted in attendance at Texas’ pro day, chatting up Arch Manning.
Manning still has at least one more season in college before he can enter the draft.
However, former teammate Quinn Ewers is among the pool of prospects in this year’s draft. He could present a value target for the Rams to develop behind Stafford for a year or two. It is just another option for the Rams if they miss out or pass on Dart.
“Ewers’ arm talent and game flashes are enticing, but he hasn’t learned to play the game with a high enough level of consistency,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft profile. “He spins it with a sudden release and good touch over the first two levels and makes it look easy when he finds a rhythm.
“Ewers rarely operates as a smooth, full-field reader. He often predetermines his target and throws into coverage instead of taking what the defense is offering. A lack of escapability will require him to process quickly enough to stay ahead of NFL blitz packages. The raw talent and upside will be alluring for pro-style passing attacks, but it’s fair to wonder if he will ever be able to rise above the talent on his roster and the ability of his play-caller to create favorable terms.”
Jimmy Garoppolo, who re-signed in free agency this offseason, and 2023 fourth-round pick Stetson Bennett are the Rams’ current QB2 and 3, respectively.
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