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The Los Angeles Rams shocked the football world when they took Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. While the Rams surprised almost everyone Thursday night, the decision was the culmination of several months of work on Simpson, according to head coach Sean McVay.
In an interview with FS1’s “The Herd,” McVay told Colin Cowherd that the Rams didn’t make a snap decision in selecting Simpson with the 13th overall pick, as they still have reigning MVP Matthew Stafford on their roster.
“There wasn’t that positive moment, it was a combination of work,” McVay said. “You like the job and you say, ‘Hey, this guy has the potential to one day become what we would consider a potential starting quarterback.’ We’ll welcome Ty into the building with open arms, but what I did think was important for me to make sure there was clarity was not to get things twisted. We’re trying to win right now and we have short-term and long-term decisions.”
Simpson only started at Alabama for one season, giving him less experience than most other quarterbacks selected in the first round in recent years. However, Simpson had an impressive year in his only season as Alabama’s starter. He finished the season with 3,567 passing yards, 30 total touchdowns and five interceptions. He also posted four straight wins over AP Top 25 teams, leading the Crimson Tide to their first College Football Playoff appearance under head coach Kalen DeBoer.
As a result, Simpson was widely viewed as the No. 2 quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, behind only Fernando Mendoza. FOX Sports NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang gave the Rams a B grade for the Simpson selection, calling it a “brave” pick.
“There’s no denying that he’s a good fit for Sean McVay’s offense (he was named as such on my top NFL team for every QB this year), but this is easy he “Boldest first round pick so far,” Rang wrote. “This is obviously a long-term move. But I can’t help but wonder if the Rams, presumably a Super Bowl contender in 2026, will later wish they had drafted a player more likely to make an immediate impact.”
Although Rang and a few others liked Simpson’s pick because of the positional value, there was still a huge elephant in the room with the pick. But McVay also made it clear that the team prioritized keeping Stafford informed when they drafted Simpson. McVay said communication was extremely important and called Stafford “a total stud” throughout the process.
“If you can’t have some comfort in the conflict, but it’s all based on me trusting that person. I know what they’re saying is the truth… you can work those things out,” McVay said. “I think one of the biggest developments in our relationship was having to go through some of the difficult conversations we had last season.”
Stafford showed no signs of aging last season, throwing for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns and eight interceptions while leading the Rams to the NFC Championship Game. He and the Rams are also reportedly discussing an extension to keep him under contract for a little longer. Still, Stafford turned 38 in February, and McVay admitted the quarterback’s commitment is probably year-to-year at this point.
Still, even if Simpson is Stafford’s heir apparent, he will have to move up the depth chart to become his backup quarterback first. As the team is in the midst of organized team activities (OTAs), McVay has reiterated that Simpson will compete with Stetson Bennett for the top backup spot.
