The Los Angeles Rams looked to the future when they selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
It was a move that drew plenty of criticism as Simpson won’t do much to improve the Rams’ chances of winning Super Bowl LXI next season. He is not expected to get on the field with reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford still playing at a high level.
Simpson has heard the naysayers and is focused on proving them wrong, via Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated:
“I really didn’t care, to be honest with you. Everybody can have an opinion, but it’s my job to take care of my business. So, the Rams took me with the 13th overall pick, so now it’s my job to be the best player I can be, the best Ty I can be, and go out there and prove them right. I don’t really listen to all that. My job is to make sure to do whatever my team needs me to do to win and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Those who were against the Simpson pick have pointed out his limited playing time in college. He made only 15 starts for the Crimson Tide, all of which came during his senior season.
However, the Rams clearly liked what they saw in the small sample size and believe Simpson has all the tools to become the team’s quarterback of the future.
The 23-year-old has wasted no time getting acclimated to his new team as he recently participated in quarterback drills with Stafford and Stetson Bennett.
Simpson won’t have much pressure on him with Stafford still entrenched as the starting quarterback, but he is doing everything in his power to learn as much as he can while staying ready for any opportunity that might arise.
Sean McVay reveals what he liked about Ty Simpson’s college tape
Rams head coach Sean McVay recently revealed what he liked about Simpson’s college tape, pointing out the array of challenges he faced in the SEC.
Simpson had to navigate the highs and lows that come with being a quarterback, winning eight of his first nine games before dropping two of the final four, which amounted to the team barely earning a spot in the College Football Playoff.
He nevertheless turned in a solid year, completing 305 of his 473 attempts and throwing for 28 touchdowns against five interceptions in 15 games.
McVay believes Simpson will be better off in the long run because of all the adversity he was able to overcome.
