Rams rookie QB Watch: Who has most to prove in playoffs?

The field for the College Football Playoff has been set. There will be no Texas, which also means no Arch Manning. However, there will be a handful of players to watch throughout the College Football Playoff and those players will have a lot to prove with more eyes on them closer to the beginning of the draft process. Here are the five draft eligible quarterbacks with the most to prove over the next month.

1. Ty Simpson, Alabama

Simpson will have the most to prove during the College Football Playoff, especially after his performance against Georgia in the SEC Championship game. Georgia dominated in the trenches which put Simpson under a lot of pressure. That pressure sped up Simpson’s process, forcing inaccurate throws and other mistakes. He finished just 19-for-39 with a touchdown and an interception. There is still a lot to like about Simpson’s game, but the last four weeks haven’t been as good as the previous four.

The question becomes whether or not Simpson is someone that is capable of elevating those around him and creating out of structure. Is he closer to Jared Goff than Joe Burrow as a prospect? A quarterback is always going to be tied down to their situation to some extent. However, that’s more true for some quarterbacks than others. Simpson can still have a strong playoff and solidify himself as a first-round pick. Heading into the Playoff, he may be better suited to return to school.

2. Dante Moore, Oregon

If Dante Moore didn’t play another down of college football, he would very likely be a top-5 pick in next year’s draft. There have been some questions on whether or not Moore would return to Oregon. Will Stein was the quarterback coach and just took the head coaching job at Kentucky. That changes things for Moore. If Simpson stays, that leaves the quarterback class pretty thin at the top. Moore may benefit to declare this year rather than wait and enter a better 2027 class.

Moore has looked very good this season and will look to continue that in the College Football Playoffs. If Oregon defeats James Madison, they play Texas Tech who has one of the best defenses in the country. Fernando Mendoza may be QB1, but if Moore plays well, he will have the opportunity to close that gap.

3. Carson Beck, Miami

Throughout the season, it has been thought that Miami has a team that can compete for a national championship. For them to achieve that, all they needed was a quarterback that could keep the train on the tracks. Miami got the final non-G5 Playoff spot. It’s time for Carson Beck to deliver when it matters. Beck had a strong win in Week 1 against Notre Dame, but didn’t play well in two losses to SMU and Louisville.

The thought with Beck is that he is a quarterback with a high floor as a prospect, but a low ceiling. He’s reminiscent of Jimmy Garoppolo or...