In one of the best games of the Wild Card Round so far, the Los Angeles Rams nearly upset the NFC North champion Detroit Lions only to fall short. Three LA red-zone trips resulting in field goals instead of touchdowns were the difference in the end as the Rams fell 24-23.
Matthew Stafford was superb in his return to Detroit, throwing for a season-high 367 yards to go with a pair of touchdowns and no picks. Stafford will be 36 years old by the time the 2024 NFL Draft comes around in April, and it will be time for the Rams to start considering their quarterback of the future.
Backup Carson Wentz is age 31 and not Pro Bowl material anymore, while youngsters Brett Rypien and Stetson Bennett do not look like franchise QB material. The best step for the Rams is to target a quarterback in a draft filled with talented young arms. Going after a top prospect like Jayden Daniels or Michael Penix is always a possibility, but this year will be the first year since 2016 that the Rams will have a first-round pick.
With more immediate needs to consider, the franchise is more likely to wait until the middle rounds to select a quarterback. LA could then follow the Packers' example and draft a QB to develop behind Stafford over the next few years. Green Bay made the NFC title game the season (2019-20) before drafting Love (2020 draft) with Aaron Rodgers at age 36.
With top QB prospects likely off the table, the Rams should go after Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt.
Michael Pratt, Tulane
Michael Pratt was a consistent four-year starter at Tulane who only got better during his time in The Big Easy. He had at least 20 touchdowns and no more than eight interceptions in all four college seasons while finishing with a combined 22 wins over his last two years.
In 2023, Pratt was AAC Offensive Player of the Year as he had a career-high 65.4 percent completion rate. Per Tulane offensive coordinator Slade Nagle, one of Pratt's strengths is the deep ball. The QB is adept at making plays down the field while also limiting turnovers — just five picks each of the last two years.
Ian Cummings of the Pro Football Network rates Pratt as the best Group of Five quarterback, noting that, “Pratt is poised in the pocket, has excellent field vision and window identification, and can use his arm to layer pace and touch on throws.” That decision-making is a skill that will translate well to the next level.
Michael Pratt is also a decent athlete who is a threat on bootlegs and read-option plays. The Tulane QB has 28 career rushing touchdowns and averaged nearly 300 rushing yards per season with the Green Waves.
Pratt compared himself to Drew Brees in a recent interview with The Draft Network, noting how his leadership is an underrated quality. “He’s (Brees) an extremely talented quarterback, but I think the leadership and the stuff that I’ve heard about him really resonates with me.”
As the backup for Stafford for 2024 and possibly 2025 with the Rams, Pratt will have the opportunity to learn behind one of the best quarterbacks of the last 15 years. Is Michael Pratt the next Jordan Love? That remains to be seen.
But Pratt has the decision-making, big-play ability, and mobility of Love. With a few years of tutelage, Michael Pratt could be an NFL star.
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