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Rams Find Their Quarterback, Picking Cal's Jared Goff

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — Welcome to Hollywood, Jared Goff.

The Los Angeles Rams are returning home with a new face of the franchise after choosing the California quarterback with the first overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.

NFL DRAFT TRACKER

Two weeks after trading up from 15th to grab the top pick from the Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles selected Goff over North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz, hoping they've finally found the solution to their perennial problem at football's most important position.

He is ready to bring his skills to Los Angeles and has a lot to offer his new team, Goff told CBS2's Jim Hill.

The 6-foot-4 Goff is a Bay Area native who set records and grew into a top prospect in three seasons with the Golden Bears. Now he'll be competing for the chance to throw the first passes at the Coliseum in the Rams' return in September.

Goff was generally considered to be a more polished pro product than Wentz, and the Rams apparently reached the same conclusion after extensive evaluation of the top two prospects. Goff and Wentz visited the Rams' temporary headquarters in coastal Oxnard, California, where Goff is expected to report next weekend for his first rookie minicamp.

"I felt very comfortable with their whole staff," Goff told ESPN in Chicago. "I had an immediate connection all the way from the combine. I felt really good with their whole staff, (general manager) Les Snead and everyone involved in the whole organization. It's very exciting."

The Rams heralded the draft and their return to Southern California after 21 years away with a block party in the LA Live entertainment district downtown. Thousands of fans and season ticket holders began lining up seven hours before the first pick, and they erupted in cheers when Goff's name was called by Commissioner Roger Goodell on the large video screen.

The Rams missed the playoffs last winter for the 11th straight season in St. Louis, with their strong defense unable to bail out the NFL's least productive offense and worst passing game despite star rookie running back Todd Gurley and a solid offensive line. Nick Foles lost his starting job to Case Keenum, but neither quarterback distinguished himself.

Hoping to make a splash in their new home while finally landing an elite passer, the Rams traded six draft picks to Tennessee two weeks ago for three picks in return, including the No. 1 choice.

While Goff isn't considered a can't-miss star in the mold of former top picks Andrew Luck or Cam Newton, he won over the Rams with his collegiate performances and strong work in draft preparation. He threw 43 touchdown passes for the Bears last season in coach Sonny Dykes' Bear Raid offense.

Coach Jeff Fisher and Snead didn't think Keenum and Foles were long-term solutions to their problem, and Rams owner Stan Kroenke strongly backed his brain trust's plan to make a splash in their return to Los Angeles.

Fisher and Snead said they don't necessarily expect Goff to start right away, perhaps allowing him to break in slowly. Still, the Rams are likely to thin their current group of quarterbacks through a trade soon.

The Rams' offense hasn't been dangerous since the early days of Sam Bradford, their ill-fated choice with the top pick in 2010. Fisher and Snead have been together for four straight losing seasons, patiently building organizational depth to survive the light draft necessary to trade up for the top pick.

The Rams haven't had a winning season since 2003. Their last winning season in Los Angeles was in 1989, five years before owner Georgia Frontiere moved them to St. Louis.

(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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