Grading the Pick: The Los Angeles Rams took the pick from the Falcons, but still made a very Falcons pick
The Los Angeles Rams have made their choice in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
What the Los Angeles Rams will do at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft has been the talk of the town for months. The team picked up the No. 13 overall selection due to a trade with the Atlanta Falcons in last year’s draft. The last time the Rams picked this high, they selected Aaron Donald. The Rams are hoping this pick ages just as well.
The Rams stood and picked at No. 13. Los Angeles selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. I will fully admit I was wrong on the pick.
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Ty Simpson is either going to be an all-time outlier or he’s going to fall into the group of quarterbacks who have 15 or fewer starts in college that didn’t pan out in the league. There is so much to like about the player and person. A coach’s kid who remained loyal to Alabama and waited his turn in the portal and NIL era, he’s an extremely high-character individual. As a quarterback, his 2025 film is full of high-level throws on NFL concepts. Big time shots down the field, anticipation over the middle of the field on in-cuts, over routes, and posts, he makes all the throws. But Simpson is a bit on the smaller size at 6-2, around 200 pounds. He played much lighter than that in 2025 due to a slew of injuries, including gastritis, which prevented him from eating. There are questions about durability and experience, but in the right situation, Simpson can thrive.
Rob Gregson
There’s very little to rationalize here with it. I don’t really understand the rationale, as it goes against everything they’ve wanted to do at quarterback post-Stafford. Simpson doesn’t boast great tools. His fit in a “pro-style” offense is exaggerated, and his accuracy falls apart the further downfield the throw goes. Simpson played in 15 games and suffered three major injuries in that stretch. Additionally, his play dropped off drastically when the competition ramped up.
Simpson at his peak is closer to resembling Brock Purdy than Matthew Stafford. He simply does not have the tools needed to be a quarterback who elevates an offense, and that’s simply not a first-round quarterback. For all the Rams’ talk about offensive evolution, they are making the conscious choice to go backwards. It would be hilarious if it wasn’t so flabbergasting.
With a looming Stafford extension incoming, how long is Simpson going to sit? They wanted an experience backup, but are drafting a QB2 who only started 15 games? What’s the point of taking the offense back to the Goff (at best) days? It makes little sense, and I don’t see how it remotely helps them make a Super Bowl, now or in the future.
Silly.
Grade: F
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