After the LA Rams started 0-2, panic ensued throughout Hollywood, leading to some wild decisions. One absolutely ridiculous consideration was whether LA should trade star quarterback Matthew Stafford to some team in desperate need of help under center. While the rumors have cooled for now following the Rams’ potentially season-saving win over the 49ers, that shouldn’t stop the front office from exploring a replacement for Stafford in next year’s draft.

CBS Sports’ Blake Brockermeyer mocked Colorado QB and dark horse Heisman contender Shedeur Sanders with the Rams as Stafford’s potential successor with the ninth overall pick in his 2025 mock draft.

“The Rams need to start thinking about a replacement for Hall of Famer Matt Stafford. Sanders has the ability to be a top quarterback and distribute the ball to all three levels of the field. He is a great prospect and has all the tools to become a top quarterback. However, he appears to be immature off the field and that could affect his value to some teams.”

Sanders was the third signal-caller selected in Brockermeyer’s draft, following Miami’s Cam Ward (No. 3 overall to the Giants) and Texas’ Quinn Ewers (No. 7 to the Raiders).

The Buffaloes’ starter began his college football career with the Jackson State Tigers from 2021-22. In those two seasons, Sanders totaled 79 touchdowns and finished with a 23-3 record as a starter, winning the Jerry Rice Award and the Deacon Jones Trophy in back-to-back seasons. When Sanders followed his Hall of Fame father to Boulder, he began his Colorado career with a bang and a win over 17th-ranked TCU.

In 15 games at Colorado, Sanders has completed 68.9% of his passes for 4,570 yards and a 38:5 touchdown-to-interception ratio, including 12 total touchdowns in the Buffaloes’ first four games. There’s a clear reason why 247Sports’ Cody Nagel placed Shedeur at the top of his Big 12 quarterback rankings:

“Colorado’s offense would be completely out of sync without its star passer. There’s a reason he’s already considered one of the top quarterback prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft, and Sanders is thriving despite a porous offensive line and a nonexistent running game to ease the pressure. “Sanders ranks first among qualified Big 12 quarterbacks in turnover-worthy play rate (0.5%).”

Sanders is a polarizing candidate, yet he will likely be one of the top passers in the 2025 NFL Draft anyway. His immaturity and personality could be off-putting to several teams, but that could work to his advantage. A big personality would likely allow Sanders to easily fit into the Hollywood lifestyle.

I think Sanders and Sean McVay could be an interesting couple. The Rams coach seems to have a desire to work with a mobile QB, and Sanders can navigate the pocket (a necessity given Colorado’s porous O-line) and make all sorts of plays with his legs.

Like everything in the NFL, anything can happen between now and draft day. This means that Shedeur Sanders’ stock could either go up or down as the college football season progresses. Regardless of what happens, the Rams need to be prepared for life after Matthew Stafford, and this upcoming offseason would be a good start.