The St. Louis Rams selected quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 23.
Why the Rams chose Simpson despite lower projections
The Rams selected Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 13th overall. In what might go down as the most shocking pick of the first round, the Rams picked Simpson as their quarterback of the future at the 13th pick, something around 20 slots earlier than most projected Simpson to go off the board. Simpson (6-foot-1, 211 pounds) only started one year at Alabama and posted troubling efficiency numbers (64.5 percent completed, 7.5 YPA), but to be fair the surrounding cast at Alabama was probably the worst it has been in some number of years.
How the Rams are planning for the post-Stafford era
The Rams know Matthew Stafford and his creaky back can only accept so many more hits, and with the Simpson selection the team resolved to get ahead of whenever Stafford has to hang up the cleats. The Rams selected Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 13th overall.
Who is Ty Simpson and what was his college performance?
Ty Simpson is a 6-foot-1, 211-pound quarterback who started one year at Alabama. He completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 7.5 yards per attempt during his lone starting season.
Why did the Rams select Simpson so early compared to projections?
The Rams selected Simpson as their quarterback of the future at the 13th pick, something around 20 slots earlier than most projected Simpson to go off the board. The Rams know Matthew Stafford and his creaky back can only take so many more hits, and with the Simpson selection the team resolved to get ahead of whenever Stafford has to hang up the cleats.
Surrounding cast at Alabama was probably the worst it has been in some number of years, which may have affected Simpson’s efficiency numbers.