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Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft delivered its share of surprises, perhaps none bigger than the Los Angeles Ramsselecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. Rather than picking a receiver or lineman like many thought they would to try and maximize Matthew Stafford's window, Sean McVay and Les Snead opted to prepare for life after the reigning NFL MVP.
It was a masterful smokescreen by the Rams brass, who had increasingly been linked to USC wideout Makai Lemon. Earlier in the week, McVay discussed the possibility of drafting a quarterback in the first round with USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon.
"I think the first thing is you got to make sure that you really like the player, regardless of what the position is," McVay said. "You don't ever want to overreach for a need, hypothetically. The quarterback position is really important, as are a lot of ones.
"We could talk for days about that. But number one, it always goes back to who's the person? What's their skill set, and what's the vision we have for them?"
The Rams front office clearly felt good enough about Simpson to draft him, to the point where ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that they called Stafford earlier on Thursday to give him a heads up. But was it the right move? Here's how I grade the Rams after Day 1:
Simpson had been linked to the Rams early in the draft cycle this year, but had fallen almost entirely out of the first round in most pundits' minds by the time Day 1 rolled around. The initial shock of the pick is a bit tough to get over, especially considering how much LA could've benefitted by grabbing one of the many quality receivers on the board at No. 13. But once you do, it's hard to find a better fit for Simpson. He'll sit behind Stafford for at least a year, which will give him exactly what he needs after just 15 career starts for the Crimson Tide: time.
He showed flashes in his lone season as the starter at Alabama with his pocket awareness, accuracy, timing, processing and quick release, all things that should translate to the NFL. He did struggle with consistency down the stretch, though; four of his five interceptions in 2025 were thrown in the final six weeks of the season.
Simpson is going to require patience, which McVay might have plenty of as long as Stafford is still around.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rams NFL draft grades after Day 1 Ty Simpson pick
Continue reading...
It was a masterful smokescreen by the Rams brass, who had increasingly been linked to USC wideout Makai Lemon. Earlier in the week, McVay discussed the possibility of drafting a quarterback in the first round with USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon.
"I think the first thing is you got to make sure that you really like the player, regardless of what the position is," McVay said. "You don't ever want to overreach for a need, hypothetically. The quarterback position is really important, as are a lot of ones.
"We could talk for days about that. But number one, it always goes back to who's the person? What's their skill set, and what's the vision we have for them?"
The Rams front office clearly felt good enough about Simpson to draft him, to the point where ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that they called Stafford earlier on Thursday to give him a heads up. But was it the right move? Here's how I grade the Rams after Day 1:
Rams Day 1 NFL Draft Grades
13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons): Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama - Grade: C+
Simpson had been linked to the Rams early in the draft cycle this year, but had fallen almost entirely out of the first round in most pundits' minds by the time Day 1 rolled around. The initial shock of the pick is a bit tough to get over, especially considering how much LA could've benefitted by grabbing one of the many quality receivers on the board at No. 13. But once you do, it's hard to find a better fit for Simpson. He'll sit behind Stafford for at least a year, which will give him exactly what he needs after just 15 career starts for the Crimson Tide: time.
He showed flashes in his lone season as the starter at Alabama with his pocket awareness, accuracy, timing, processing and quick release, all things that should translate to the NFL. He did struggle with consistency down the stretch, though; four of his five interceptions in 2025 were thrown in the final six weeks of the season.
Simpson is going to require patience, which McVay might have plenty of as long as Stafford is still around.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rams NFL draft grades after Day 1 Ty Simpson pick
Continue reading...
