The Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Welcome to the #RamsHouse, @ty_simpson06! pic.twitter.com/HTv1O4JUzy
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 24, 2026
A message from the newest Ram! pic.twitter.com/erWdoM7CoB
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 24, 2026
Simpson was the second quarterback taken in the first round behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who went first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Los Angeles’ interest in Simpson was noted as it was reported that they were interested in taking him with the No. 29 pick before they traded the selection to the Kansas City Chiefs for Trent McDuffie. However, the Rams still went ahead and took Simpson who is now in line to take over for Matthew Stafford once the reigning MVP retires.
With Stafford still playing at a high level, there was an argument to be made that Los Angeles could have waited at least one more season to pick his successor. However, head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead clearly believed in Simpson’s raw talent enough to take him as soon as they could.
For Simpson, the Rams are the perfect landing spot as he’ll get an opportunity to sit and learn behind Stafford for at least one season. Most rookie quarterbacks taken in the first round are usually thrust into starting roles, but Simpson gets the benefit of being able to develop behind the scenes without the pressure to win games.
Fans won’t be able to truly judge Simpson’s selection until he’s handed the reins to the offense, but there will surely be some questions as to why the team didn’t draft someone who could step in and help immediately. It remains to be seen if Stafford plays beyond the 2026 season, so surrounding him with as much talent as possible seemed to be the wiser move.
However, McVay and Snead’s draft record speaks for itself so they deserve the benefit of the doubt. Building a roster for the present and future is a tough job for any organization, so it’ll be interesting to see if the Simpson pick pans out down the line.
Sean McVay says it means a lot to sign extension with Rams alongside Les Snead
Under McVay and Snead, the Rams have become one of the best organizations both on and off the field. McVay and Snead are able to identify player and coaching talent every year, allowing them to continue winning games at a high clip.
Los Angeles rewarded McVay with a contract extension earlier in the offseason and he said it meant a lot for him to sign it alongside Snead.
