Would Rams Re-Do the 2016 NFL Draft?

However, during the years between 2016 and 2024, the Rams experienced tremendous success, in part due to selecting Jared Goff with the first overall pick. However, Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wassermann stated that in a redraft, the Rams should've ended up with Dallas Cowboys quarterback and 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Dak Prescott.

"The Rams traded a king’s ransom for the opportunity to select Jared Goff with the first pick in 2016, but had they known what Dak Prescott would become, they may have opted for him as their franchise quarterback instead," wrote Wassermann. "Prescott’s 87.8 career PFF passing grade outpaces Goff’s 82.5 mark. He has also provided significantly more value on the ground than Goff, accruing an 80.9 PFF rushing grade so far in his career."

Truthfully, it wouldn't have made the slightest difference. Goff and Prescott are two sides of the same coin, except Prescott is a better overall quarterback while Goff is the premier postseason performer. Let's not forget that in the 2019 playoffs, Goff faced off against Prescott and won. Goff also pulled off one of the sickest, slowest spin moves for a game-winning first down in recorded human history during that contest.

Wassermann stated that if the Rams knew what Prescott would become, they may have opted for him. I disagree. What is Prescott's Achilles' heel as a quarterback? He can't make the critical plays in the postseason, and when asked to engineer game-winning playoff drives, he fails.

If the Rams' selected Dak Prescott over Jared Goff, then the Rams would have traded Prescott to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. It's as simple as that and there's proof.

During the 2020 season, the Rams already handed Goff an extension. At the same time, the Cowboys refused to commit themselves to Prescott long term, bringing in Andy Dalton to compete against him.

Prescott played 2020 on the franchise tag before getting hurt. Then Dalton came in, stunk, thus forcing the Cowboys to commit to Prescott.

Let's not forget Goff did take the Rams to the Super Bowl and the Lions to the NFC Championship Game while Prescott has yet to play in either contest.