{"id":2845,"date":"2024-09-12T14:10:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T14:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-oliviasayer\/?p=2845"},"modified":"2024-10-18T16:27:48","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T16:27:48","slug":"rams-general-manager-les-snead-revisits-drafting-stetson-bennett","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ctlsites.uga.edu\/rp-oliviasayer\/rams-general-manager-les-snead-revisits-drafting-stetson-bennett\/","title":{"rendered":"Rams general manager Les Snead revisits drafting Stetson Bennett"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Link to Article on The Red & Black<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

By Olivia Sayer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) runs with the ball. The University of Georgia football team ended the game against the Auburn University football team 42-10 on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia. (Photo\/Cassidy Hettesheimer)<\/sub><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Les Snead sat in a classroom at Auburn University in the early 1990\u2019s. As a walk-on tight end, the now-general manager of the Los Angeles Rams dreaded the Tigers\u2019 Tuesday practices due to \u201cbattle of the boards,\u201d a drill that featured no shortage of pounding and hitting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After class, Snead suited up into the armor of the school he dreamed about playing for and partook in the football program\u2019s \u201ctoughest work day of the week.\u201d In what could be described as a \u201creverse tug of war,\u201d the players attempted to push each other off the boards in order to build physical toughness and tenacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stetson Bennett began his Georgia career with similar experiences \u2014 giving his all in practice for the betterment of the team he grew up rooting for. As a walk-on quarterback, Bennett participated in no shortage of \u201cBloody Tuesdays,\u201d the Bulldogs\u2019 equivalent of \u201cbattle of the boards.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

advanced far beyond just being a walk-on, and after several seasons as Georgia\u2019s starting quarterback, it was Snead and the Rams that gave him a chance to play professional football.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in the saddle<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After Bennett led Georgia to its first national championship in 41 years, he had a decision to make. The quarterback could either go out on top or try to win the title again for the Bulldogs. Snead said the decision to do the latter impressed the Rams to the point of selecting Bennett in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat last year is very impressive because if you\u2019re Stetson, you could have probably walked into the sunset after that first national title and never played again, done whatever you want,\u201d Snead told The Red & Black. \u201cYou choose to get back on the saddle.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Returning also allowed Bennett to have a full season as the Bulldogs\u2019 starter. NFL teams noticed his improvement, as Snead said Bennett transitioned from \u201cmanaging the game to actually helping Georgia win the games.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe started [as number] 86, and he finished as QB1,\u201d Snead said. \u201cNot only does he finish as QB1, but wow, we forgot about Buck Belue and Herschel Walker.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bennett also had more film for teams to analyze with an additional season under center. Snead said Bennett\u2019s whole body of work stood out to the Rams throughout the scouting process, along with his mobility and ability to create plays off-schedule. Snead also liked how Bennett\u2019s catchable passes and timing allowed players to gain yards after the catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of those players, based on the story, that you pull for,\u201d Snead said. \u201cAnd then when you pull back the curtain and really study, you go, wow, there’s some skills here that could translate to the NFL.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An element of exhaustion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While Bennett\u2019s decision to return paid dividends for his NFL career, it also put him under a microscope. Every mistake the quarterback made was heightened by the fact he played for a national championship-caliber program, and as Snead put it, finishing anywhere but on top would be \u201clooked at as a bust.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The expectations, pressure and scrutiny surrounding Bennett\u2019s time at Georgia created an \u201celement of exhaustion.\u201d It resulted in him taking an absence from football during his rookie year with the Rams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou think about what he went through and this day and time with how big this industry is, while you do whatever it takes just to start at Georgia,\u201d Snead said. \u201cAnd not only do you start and you play well, we’re playing for an SEC championship and playing for a national title. You do that, then you come back and do that all over again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognizing everything Bennett had been through \u2014 walking-on, transferring to a junior college, transferring back to Georgia, becoming a backup, gaining the starting role, losing the starting role, gaining the starting role again \u2014 Snead said the Rams believed it was good timing for Bennett to have a breather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere’s an element of stress and drudgery that all humans go through,\u201d Snead said. \u201cLike a sprinter who runs a 400, 800 or runs a mile, there’s that moment where a human body definitely needs a chance to deload.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It just means more\u2026positive draft grades<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The main criticism around Bennett was his small stature. In the NFL, shorter quarterbacks are at a disadvantage because they cannot see over their offensive lineman. However, Snead said playing in the SEC, where offensive and defensive lineman are similar sizes to the NFL, showed the Rams that Bennett\u2019s height would not be an issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe way offensive coordinators are designing schemes these days, you’re able to overcome that [shorter height],\u201d Snead said. \u201cSo he did show that he could overcome that lack of height.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The film only plays a small part in scouting, as many teams rely on conversations with others to learn about players. For Snead, growing up in the south built numerous relationships with coaches such as Kirby Smart, Stacy Searels and Will Muschamp \u2014 who was a graduate assistant at Auburn with Snead and the two \u201ckind of grew up together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Snead relied on these coaches when scouting Bennett and appreciated the honesty they provided. When coaches are truthful about a player\u2019s strengths and weaknesses, it allows the organization to know who it is investing in, which Snead said leads to a \u201cbetter chance for success.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you know on the front end, it really helps an organization go, \u2018Ok, we’re taking this player because of the strengths, and we’re well aware of the weaknesses\u2019,\u201d Snead said. We’re going to help that player try to overcome those weaknesses, or in our schemes, those weaknesses aren’t necessarily going to come to fruition and be weaknesses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Bennett, Snead said the biggest improvement the Rams focused on was absorbing the NFL playbook. Snead said Georgia\u2019s is \u201crelatively sophisticated,\u201d while the NFL playbook is \u201cmore complex and sophisticated,\u201d leading to a greater challenge for all college quarterbacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re playing that video game and you get to the next level, things just happen a little bit faster,\u201d Snead said. \u201cAnd maybe there’s a little more complexity, and you got to calibrate to that speed of the game.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back to No. 86<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At Georgia, Bennett portrayed the confidence of a Baker Mayfield type. However, with the Rams, Snead said the NFL ecosystem placed him back at \u201cnumber 86.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being lower on the totem pole, Snead said Bennett still switches from his \u201cMonday through Saturday\u201d personality to show the conviction on Sundays he possessed with the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cI would say efficacy is this \u2014 you know, you can go do this,\u201d Snead said. \u201cIt’s not ok, I think I can. It’s not, I’m going to act confident. It’s, I know I can go do this. And [with] those players, usually good football comes to fruition on game days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On game days, Bennett is currently the backup to former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford while Jimmy Garoppolo serves his two-game suspension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Just spoke with Rams general manager Les Snead about Matthew Stafford and Stetson Bennett.

Story coming in the future with everything he had to say about the two former Bulldogs.<\/p>— Olivia Sayer (@OliviaKSayer) September 3, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote>