The Los Angeles Rams are leaning toward making Cal quarterback Jared Goff the top overall pick after acquiring the selection Thursday from the Tennessee Titans, but a team source added that the team would also consider North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz before it has to make the pick on April 28.
The source said that one reason the Rams made this deal now was to give the team "two weeks to debate between Goff and Wentz. You can make a convincing case for both. Both are going to be good."
Rams coach Jeff Fisher talked to reporters about both quarterbacks Thursday.
"We've also done private workouts with Jared and with Carson already," Fisher said. "We did those at the end of February, early March. We were the first ones in. We're familiar with both of them, in addition to those other prospects on this roster. So, the skill sets are different, the personalities are different, the background is different, the competition is different, and that's what makes this such a challenge."
Rams general manager Les Snead said the team had done "90 to 95 percent" of its research on the pick but would not reveal a decision until the draft.
Tennessee sent the top selection, along with its fourth- (No. 113) and sixth-round (No. 177) picks this year, to the Rams in a blockbuster trade in exchange for Los Angeles' first-round pick (No. 15), two second-round selections (Nos. 43 and 45) and a third-round pick (No. 76) in 2016. The Titans will also get the Rams' first- and third-round picks in 2017.
Sources told ESPN that the trade was agreed to Wednesday night, but the Rams didn't want to steal any thunder from Kobe Bryant's final game. It was decided that the Titans would announce the deal at 9 a.m. ET Thursday. Fisher confirmed Thursday that the Rams asked Titans to keep the trade quiet until the next day.
"There was no need for the news of the trade to get out while Kobe was playing his last game," one Rams official told ESPN. "Kobe deserved his night, and there was no reason for this trade to be announced on his night."
League sources told ESPN's Ed Werder that the Philadelphia Eagles -- despite signing Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel this offseason -- were among the teams expressing interest in the No. 1 pick, but the team withdrew from discussions earlier this week.
Believing they had their franchise quarterback in 2010 No. 1 overall pick Bradford, the Rams traded away a high draft pick in 2012, sending the No. 2 overall selection to the Washington Redskins for three first-round picks and a second-rounder. Washington used that No. 2 pick to select Robert Griffin III.
Neither quarterback worked out for his team. Bradford was dealt to the Eagles in a March 2015 trade, and Griffin signed with the Cleveland Browns last month after being released following a 2015 season in which he did not take the field.
The Rams currently have three quarterbacks on the roster: Case Keenum, who finished last season as the starter; Nick Foles, acquired in the Bradford trade; and Sean Mannion.
ESPN Rams reporter Nick Wagoner contributed to this report.