Pocket presence, performance under pressure make Jared Goff fit for Rams

7:39 AM ET

BRISTOL, Conn. — On Tuesday night, our ESPN NFL Nation reporters participated in the now annual mock draft live on ESPN.

Despite my secret desire to create chaos at the top, I’m sure my selection of Cal quarterback Jared Goff with the first overall pick for the Los Angeles Rams surprised nobody who has been awake or living anywhere above the rocks for the past few weeks. For the record, as I’ve written, I would take North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz in the Rams’ position, but I believe they are going to take Goff, hence the pick.

To be sure, the Rams really like both Goff and Wentz. Coach Jeff Fisher told ESPN’s Shelley Smith that he believes Wentz will “play in a Super Bowl” before his career is over on the day the Rams moved from No. 15 to No. 1 in this year’s draft. Wentz’s size, athletic ability and intelligence are hard to ignore. Crazier things than the Rams taking Wentz have happened in the draft.

But ultimately, the Rams look poised to make Goff the second quarterback they have taken with the first pick in the past seven years. In some ways, taking Goff would be a departure from the Rams’ recent draft preference of opting for the higher ceiling instead of a higher floor.

“I think that when you go pick someone No. 1, ceiling is important, but when you pick someone No. 1, floor is important, too,” general manager Les Snead said on the day the trade was made. “There shouldn’t be a low floor. But yes, ceiling, when you pick No. 1, I think philosophically, you are not necessarily picking for what coach …

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