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The Los Angeles Rams may have the defending NFL MVP under center right now, but that isn’t stopping the organization from positioning itself for the future. They may have done just that with the selection of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who now heads to L.A. as the No. 13 overall pick at the 2026 NFL Draft. 

This is quite the surprise to hear Simpson’s name called this early in the draft. Leading up to Thursday’s opening round, it wasn’t a guarantee that he’d hear his name at any point in the first. If he were, it’d probably be in the back half. However, that changes here thanks to the Rams’ belief in Simpson as the heir apparent to Stafford. 

The selection makes sense despite the presence of Stafford, who is coming off an MVP season. The 38-year-old is only signed through next season and has flirted with retirement in the past, so the presence of Simpson as a future starter developing in the wings gives Sean McVay and company a long-term option at the position. 

The Rams called Stafford earlier on Thursday to tell him of their plans to select Simpson, so the veteran was in the know at the time he was selected, according to ESPN.

Simpson is CBS Sports’ No. 2-ranked quarterback in the 2026 class after a stellar year as the Crimson Tide’s starter. He earned second-team All-SEC honors after throwing for 3,567 yards in 2025, the fourth-most in program history. Simpson’s numbers did dip in the second half of Alabama’s season, but that may have been largely due to him losing weight as he reportedly dealt with a case of gastritis. 

Ty Simpson 2025 season First 9 games Final 6 games

Completion percentage

67%

61%

Passing YPG

273.4

184.3

Yards per attempt

8.3

6.3

TD-INT

21-1

7-4

Simpson is the fourth Alabama quarterback selected in the first round since 2020, joining Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins), Mac Jones (Patriots), and Bryce Young (Panthers). 

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