NFC West team connected to Oregon QB Bo Nix ahead of NFL Draft

Don't be shocked if Oregon quarterback Bo Nix ends up in Los Angeles. 

On Monday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter suggested the Rams may draft a potential successor for 36-year-old QB Matthew Stafford. He also pointed out Nix has a connection to Los Angeles general manager Les Snead. 

"Snead was a graduate assistant coach at Auburn in 1993, when the school's quarterback was Patrick Nix, Bo's father," wrote Schefter. "Patrick helped lead Auburn to an 11-0 record as a sophomore that season. Snead could go from watching one Nix make a mark on a team he was associated with early in his career to another Nix trying to make a mark on his team years later."

The Rams should target a defensive lineman before they focus on QB. In March, 10-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald retired. According to Tankathon's projections, they'll take Texas DT Byron Murphy II with the 19th overall pick to replace the future Hall of Famer.

Nix could still fall to the Rams in the second round, though. In his latest seven-round mock draft, Pro Football Focus draft analyst Trevor Sikkema has Los Angeles taking the 2023 Heisman finalist with the 52nd overall pick.

"Some see Nix's age [24] as a negative, but it has made him one of the more knowledgeable QB prospects with a better pre-snap understanding of defenses than most QBs," wrote Sikkema. "His knack for avoiding negative plays, including sacks, is top of the class."