The Los Angeles Rams and HC Sean McVay start their preparation for life after Matthew Stafford in latest 2026 NFL mock draft 

The Los Angeles Rams head into the 2025 NFL season in a pretty interesting spot as an organization. With head coach Sean McVay leading the team, and quarterback Matthew Stafford still behind center, there are very much Super Bowl aspirations still on their minds. The one issue is that Stafford is getting old quick, and has been dealing with back issues all offseason. There is no telling just how long he will be able to maintain his health, making the future a bit of a question mark for the Rams.

Without a young quarterback in the fold, general manager Les Snead would be wise to start exploring options for the the future of the position. Even if Stafford has another season beyond 2025, your eyes can still very much be forward. Quarterback isn't just the most important position in football. It is the most important position in all of spots, and it should be treated that way at all times.

In a recent 2025 NFL mock draft from Kyle Crabbs of A to Z Sports, he began looking for future options for the Rams. With the No. 31 overall selection in the first round, Crabbs had Clemson signal caller Cade Klubnik landing in Los Angeles. Here is what Crabbs had to say about Klubnik, and his potential fit with the Rams.

31. Los Angeles Rams – QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson

The Rams decided to pass on a quarterback early thanks to the availability of the true best player available in Caleb Downs. Here, they land an heir to Matt Stafford courtesy of Cade Klubnik.

Klubnik struggled against LSU’s pressures and speed defensively in the season opener, and his splits in and out of ACC play are notable. But if you could trust any coach to get it right with a quarterback who has tools, McVay has to be pretty far up on your list, right?

Those with a short attention span will think about Klubnik's performance against the LSU Tigers during the 2025 college football season opener. That would be near sighted, ignoring the tremendous growth that we saw from Klubnik during the 2024 season. When he began that season against the Georgia Bulldogs, it didn't look pretty. By the Texas game in the playoffs, Klubnik was playing very good football.

He is a modern RPO passer who does his best work as a point guard from the quarterback position. Klubnik is a creative athlete who has upside as an extender, and can also hurt a defense with his legs. The Clemson standout also has a live arm, creating more than enough with a quick and accurate stroke. Both the RPO and play action games are friends for Klubnik.

The senior passer would also be a perfect fit for the McVay offense, especially if he has the chance to develop behind Stafford for a year. There are still several things to improve on, but this landing spot would be ideal.

With the No. 10 overall selection, which the Rams acquired via a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, they also selected Ohio State All-American safety Caleb Downs. Nabbing Downs and Klubnik would be quite the hypothetical first round hauls, and Rams fans would be buzzing in result.