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The Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson 13th overall in the first round of the draft. This unexpected pick aims to secure the team's future as Matthew Stafford approaches retirement.
The Los Angeles Rams added to their quarterback room on Thursday night in the first round of the draft, selecting Alabama's Ty Simpson 13th overall. It was an unexpected pick for many, but one the Rams are confident in – especially with Matthew Stafford nearing the end of his NFL career.
Simpson only started for one season at Alabama and it was a tale of two halves, but the Rams are hoping they get the guy from the first eight games instead of the last seven.
Here are six things to know about Simpson.
Coming out of high school, Simpson was a well-regarded recruit. He was the third-ranked quarterback in the class, behind only Cade Klubnik and Conner Weigman. He committed to Alabama and stayed there all four years, despite having to wait his turn behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe.
Simpson opted not to do any athletic testing at the combine or his pro day. He didn't run a 40, nor did he do the vertical or broad jumps. Nothing. Instead, he just did the usual weigh-in procedures, coming in at 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds at the combine with 9 3/8-inch hands and a 76.5-inch wingspan.
The Rams certainly have athleticism numbers on him from their GPS data and whatnot, but we don't know how fast or truly athletic he is because he didn't run the 40 – not that a quarterback is running 40 yards very often, if ever.
The Rams selected Ty Simpson to strengthen their quarterback position as they prepare for life after Matthew Stafford, who is nearing the end of his career.
Ty Simpson started for one season at Alabama, showing a mix of strong performances in the first half and struggles in the latter part of the season.
Ty Simpson was ranked as the No. 3 quarterback in the 2022 recruiting class.
Ty Simpson's selection is seen as a strategic move to ensure the Rams have a promising quarterback option as they transition away from Matthew Stafford.
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The Rams always target high-character players and Simpson checks that box with flying colors. He was a team captain in 2025 and is regarded as a great person beyond being a talented player. He earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Alabama and showed his commitment to the school despite having to wait his turn behind Young and Milroe.
If the draft had happened after Simpson's first eight games of the season, he might've been in the running to be the top overall pick. He was that good. He completed 68% of his passes and threw 20 touchdown passes with only one interception in that span, going 7-1 as the starter and averaging 273 yards per game. He was delivering darts over the middle and playing with confidence, which then subsided in the second half.
As pointed out by Dane Brugler of The Athletic in "The Beast," Simpson earned a Bachelor's degree before even throwing a touchdown pass at Alabama. He graduated in 2024 and threw his first touchdown pass in the season opener of 2025 against Florida State.
Simpson then completed his Master's degree in 2025.
Pro Football Focus credited Simpson with 30 big-time throws last season, which was tied for the most in college football. That shows the confidence and accuracy he was throwing with, fitting the ball into tight windows regularly down the field.
Matthew Stafford led the NFL with 58 big-time throws last year, 21 more than any other quarterback.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams draft Ty Simpson: 6 things to know about LA's new QB