The Los Angeles Rams believe they found Matthew Stafford’s long-term successor at quarterback when they selected Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Jared Verse believes the University of Alabama product will thrive under head coach Sean McVay, who is good at getting the most out of quarterbacks, via D.J. Siddiqi of Casino.ca:
“He’s got Sean (McVay) and he’s in the perfect situation. He gets to come in and he gets to learn from Matthew, a first-ballot Hall of Famer, MVP, Super Bowl champion. You can see how he plays and how he attacks the game. I think he’s in the perfect position.”
Verse believes Simpson can be a dual-threat quarterback for his ability to run the ball and make pinpoint passes:
“He can run the ball, get through all that good stuff that all these quarterbacks in the league usually can do. The way he’s accurate, the way he’s able to have confidence in the throws he makes, the things that he does — he’s confident in his abilities. That’s just a credit to the hard work that he puts in.”
Verse stopped short of comparing Simpson to other quarterbacks and said he is unique in his own way:
“He’s kind of got his own style. You can always compare this guy to that guy, but I think he’s got his own little style — the way he moves, the way he does things.”
Simpson spent four seasons with the Crimson Tide, but only became a starter for the first time during his senior year. He completed 305 of his 473 attempts, throwing for 28 touchdowns against five interceptions in 15 games last year.
Simpson also rushed for 93 yards and added two more touchdowns on the ground, highlighting the impact he could potentially have as a runner.
The 2026 season is set to be a transitional year for Simpson, but the Rams are rightfully excited about his future when he takes the reins as their starting quarterback.
Ty Simpson had secret meeting with Rams before 2026 NFL Draft
The Rams’ decision to draft Simpson was surprising as he likely won’t make an impact this year with Stafford still playing at a high level.
Shortly after the pick was made official, several reports indicated that Simpson did not expect to join the Rams. He revealed at a press conference that he never spoke to general manager Les Snead or head coach Sean McVay during the pre-draft process.
Simpson has since revealed that he had a private meeting with McVay before the 2026 NFL Draft and both sides wanted to keep it under wraps.
