
The Rams surprised many by selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the NFL draft. The Jets and Cowboys also made notable moves, with the Jets adding linebacker David Bailey and the Cowboys retooling their roster.
The Rams delivered the biggest shock of the night, sticking at pick No 13 and selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. It was a stunner that seemed to take even their head coach by surprise. Sean McVay seemed less than enthusiastic at the Ramsâ post-pick press conference, and Simpson said in an interview that heâs never met McVay. Maybe it shouldnât have been a shock. Simpson, who started just 15 games in college, hemmed and hawed about whether to enter the draft at all. But a key reason he entered the class was Rams general manager Les Snead telling him he was a first-round pick. On Thursday, Snead stuck to his word, reaching for a quarterback tabbed as a fringe first-round prospect. **First round** 1 Las Vegas, Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana 2 New York Jets, David Bailey, LB, Texas Tech 3 Arizona, Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame 4 Tennessee, Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State 5 New York Giants, Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State 6 (from ), Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU 7 , , LB, Ohio State 8 , Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State 9 Cleveland (from Kansas City), Spencer Fano, OT, Utah 10 New York Giants (from ), Francis Mauigoa, OT, 11 (from Miami), , S, Ohio State 12 Miami (from Dallas), Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama 13 LA Rams (from ), Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama 14 , Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State 15 Tampa Bay, Rueben Bain Jr, LB, Miami 16 New York Jets (from ), Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon 17 , Blake Miller, OT, Clemson 18 , Caleb Banks, DT, Florida 19 Carolina, Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia 20 (from through Dallas), Makai Lemon, WR, USC 21 , Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State 22 , , LB, Miami 23 Dallas (from Philadelphia), Malachi Lawrence, LB, UCF 24 Cleveland (from ), KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M 25 , Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon 26 (from ), Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech 27 Miami (from ), Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State 28 (from Houston through Buffalo), Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah 29 Kansas City (from LA Rams), Peter Woods, DT, Clemson 30 New York Jets (from through Miami and San Francisco), Omar Cooper Jr, WR, Indiana 31 Tennessee (from New England through Buffalo), Keldric Faulk, DE, Clemson 32 , Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame **Second round** 33 San Francisco (from New York Jets) 34 Arizona 35 Buffalo (from Tennessee) 36 Las Vegas 37 New York Giants 38 Houston (from Washington) 39 Cleveland 40 Kansas City 41 Cincinnati 42 New Orleans 43 Miami 44 New York Jets (from Dallas) 45 Baltimore 46 Tampa Bay 47 Indianapolis 48 Atlanta 49 Minnesota 50 Detroit 51 Carolina 52 Green Bay 53 Pittsburgh 54 Philadelphia 55 LA Chargers 56 Jacksonville 57 Chicago 58 San Francisco 59 Houston 60 Chicago (from Buffalo) 61 LA Rams 62 Denver 63 New England 64 Seattle **Third round** 65 Arizona 66 Tennessee 67 Las Vegas 68 Philadelphia (from New York Jets) 69 Tennessee (from New York Giants via Houston and Buffalo) 70 Cleveland 71 Washington 72 Cincinnati 73 New Orleans 74 Cleveland (from Kansas City) 75 Miami 76 Pittsburgh (from Dallas) 77 Tampa Bay 78 Indianapolis 79 Atlanta 80 Baltimore 81 Jacksonville (from Detroit) 82 Minnesota 83 Carolina 84 Green Bay 85 Pittsburgh 86 LA Chargers 87 Miami (from Philadelphia) 88 Jacksonville 89 Chicago 90 San Francisco (from Houston via Miami) 91 Houston (from Buffalo) 92 Dallas (from San Francisco) 93 LA Rams 94 Miami (from Denver) 95 New England 96 Seattle 97 Minnesota 98 Philadelphia 99 Pittsburgh 100 Jacksonville **Fourth round** 101 Buffalo (from Tennessee) 102 Las Vegas 103 New York Jets 104 Arizona 105 New York Giants 106 Houston (from Washington) 107 Cleveland 108 Denver (from New Orleans) 109 Kansas City 110 Cincinnati 111 Denver (from Miami) 112 Dallas 113 Indianapolis 114 Dallas (from Atlanta via Philadelphia) 115 Baltimore 116 Tampa Bay 117 Las Vegas (from Minnesota via Jacksonville) 118 Detroit 119 Carolina 120 Green Bay 121 Pittsburgh 122 Atlanta (from Philadelphia) 123 LA Chargers 124 Jacksonville 125 Buffalo (from Chicago via Kansas City and New England) 126 Buffalo 127 San Francisco 128 Detroit (from Houston) 129 Chicago (from LA Rams) 130 Miami (from Denver) 131 New England 132 New Orleans (from Seattle) 133 San Francisco 134 Las Vegas 135 Pittsburgh 136 New Orleans 137 Dallas (from Philadelphia) 138 Miami (from San Francisco) 139 San Francisco 140 New York Jets **Fifth round** 141 Houston (from Las Vegas and Cleveland) 142 Tennessee (from New York Jets via Baltimore) 143 Arizona 144 Tennessee (from LA Rams) 145 New York Giants 146 Cleveland 147 Washington 148 Cleveland (from Kansas City) 149 Cleveland (from Cincinnati) 150 New Orleans 151 Miami 152 Dallas 153 Green Bay (from Atlanta via Philadelphia) 154 Baltimore 155 Tampa Bay 156 Indianapolis 157 Detroit 158 Carolina (from Minnesota) 159 Carolina 160 Green Bay 161 Pittsburgh 162 Baltimore (from LA Chargers) 163 Minnesota (from Philadelphia) 164 Jacksonville 165 Tennessee (from Chicago via Buffalo) 166 Jacksonville (from San Francisco via Philadelphia) 167 Buffalo (from Houston via Philadelphia) 168 Buffalo 169 Kansas City (from LA Rams) 170 Denver 171 New England 172 New Orleans (from Seattle) 173 Baltimore 174 Baltimore 175 Las Vegas 176 Kansas City 177 Miami (from Dallas) 178 Philadelphia 179 San Francisco (from New York Jets) 180 Miami (from Dallas) 181 Detroit **Sixth round** 182 Buffalo (from New York Jets via Cleveland, Jacksonville and Las Vegas) 183 Arizona 184 Tennessee 185 Las Vegas 186 New York Giants 187 Washington 188 Seattle (from Cleveland) 189 Cincinnati 190 New Orleans 191 New England (from Kansas City) 192 New York Giants (from Miami) 193 New York Giants (from Dallas) 194 Tennessee (from Baltimore via New York Jets) 195 Tampa Bay 196 Minnesota (from Indianapolis) 197 Philadelphia (from Atlanta) 198 New England (from Minnesota via Houston and San Francisco) 199 Cincinnati (from Detroit via Cleveland) 200 Carolina 201 Green Bay 202 New England (from Pittsburgh) 203 Jacksonville (from Philadelphia via Houston) 204 LA Chargers 205 Detroit (from Jacksonville) 206 Cleveland (from Chicago) 207 LA Rams (from Houston via Tennessee) 208 Las Vegas (from Buffalo via New York Jets) 209 Washington (from San Francisco) 210 Kansas City (from LA Rams) 211 Baltimore (from Denver via New York Jets, Minnesota and Philadelphia) 212 New England 213 Detroit (from Seattle via Jacksonville) 214 Indianapolis (from Pittsburgh) 215 Atlanta (from Philadelphia) 216 Pittsburgh **Seventh round** 217 Arizona 218 Dallas (from Tennessee) 219 Las Vegas 220 Buffalo (from New York Jets) 221 Cincinnati (from New York Giants via Dallas) 222 Detroit (from Cleveland) 223 Washington 224 Pittsburgh (from New Orleans via New England) 225 Tennessee (from Kansas City via Dallas) 226 Cincinnati 227 Miami 228 New York Jets (from Dallas via Buffalo and Las Vegas) 229 Tampa Bay 230 Pittsburgh (from Indianapolis) 231 Atlanta 232 LA Rams (from Baltimore) 233 Jacksonville (from Detroit) 234 Minnesota 235 Minnesota (from Carolina) 236 Green Bay 237 Pittsburgh 238 Miami (from LA Chargers via Tennessee and New York Jets) 239 Chicago (from Philadelphia via Jacksonville and Cleveland) 240 Jacksonville 241 Chicago 242 New York Jets (from Buffalo via Cleveland) 243 Houston (from San Francisco) 244 Minnesota (from Houston) 245 Jacksonville (from LA Rams via Houston) 246 Denver 247 New England 248 Cleveland (from Seattle) 249 Indianapolis 250 Baltimore 251 LA Rams 252 LA Rams 253 Baltimore 254 Indianapolis 255 Green Bay 256 Denver 257 Denver It makes *some* sense. The Rams donât expect to pick in the top half of the first round again any time soon. Theyâre slap-bang in the middle of the championship window, with the best roster in the league. If they believe Simpson can be a viable starter, it will extend that window beyond the career of , who has toyed with retirement and has only one or two years left in the league. But taking a flier on Simpson at No 13 was a reach. He is a historic outlier in size, weight and starting experience. The history of quarterbacks arriving with so little tape is gnarly. Only one quarterback has made a Pro Bowl with 15 or fewer college starts: , whom the Bears couldnât wait to move on from after four seasons. And the history of quarterbacks who play at 6ft1in, 211lb or under is just as grim. The only quarterbacks whoâve had success at that size have been either electric athletes or , one of the most accurate passers in the history of the league. Simpson is neither. Related: Simpson ** . In college, he was asked to do professional quarterback things, playing in a pro-style system and running the show from the line of scrimmage. You can see why the Rams would fall in love with his intellect, toughness and his willingness to push the ball down the field. All those skills map well to McVayâs offense; Simpson rips it over the middle of the field, and McVayâs offense is designed to generate those throws. The rest, however, is pure projection. Simpson lacks any elite tool. Inexperienced college starters are usually selected highly because they have an athletic super-skill. Simpson doesnât. On the continuum of quarterbacks, he is closer to or than he is to Stafford. Simpson isnât just short, heâs light. He lacked the body armour to survive a 12-game college season. How will it hold up over a 17-to-23-game schedule against NFL size and speed? We donât need to theorize. Last year, he took too many blows, and a rib injury wrecked his second half of the year. After looking like one of the best quarterbacks in college football over the first eight weeks of the season, he fell apart as the hits and injuries mounted up. Pairing up with McVay and learning from Stafford is the ideal landing spot for Simpson. It beats landing with the Jets or Cardinals, the other teams with serious interest. With some time behind the scenes, perhaps he can bulk up. But he needs reps against live competition, and with Stafford still at the peak of his powers, that isnât coming any time soon.
The Rams chose Ty Simpson as a potential successor to Matthew Stafford, despite his limited college experience.
The New York Jets drafted linebacker David Bailey from Texas Tech in the first round.
The top picks included Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana) to the Las Vegas Raiders and David Bailey (LB, Texas Tech) to the New York Jets.
The Dallas Cowboys focused on retooling their roster, including selecting safety Caleb Downs from Ohio State.

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The Cowboys entered day one with two first-round picks and a clear mandate: to fix their defense. Last yearâs unit was a disaster. Thursday night was a great step in correcting that. Dallas traded up one spot to select Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Itâs a home run pick. Downs was the best all-around player in the draft, a do-everything safety who can cover from the slot or deep down the field, bang away against the run in the box and is a weapon as a blitzer. He was the best read-and-react defender in college football, leading a Buckeyes defense that had Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, two top-seven picks in the draft, in tackles and splash plays. Downs will also add some much-needed playmaking and versatility to Dallasâ re-made unit. In the era of Kyle Hamilton, Brian Branch, Jalen Pitre and Nick Emmanwori, safety/slot value should have gone out the window. But Downsâ slide proves the league continues to overlook the value of hybrid players in the secondary. Hamilton, Pitre, Branch and Emmanwori all slipped in the draft. Each of them is now a linchpin piece for the leagueâs best defenses, putting stuff on the menu that other defenses cannot access. As a prospect, Downs stacks up with all of them. He lacks Hamiltonâs size, but he is a more blurry athlete who can create carnage all over the field. And the Cowboys werenât done there. With their second pick in the first round, they traded back and still picked up one of the top edge-rushing prospects in the class, UCFâs Malachi Lawrence. Lawrence brings juice off the ball. Heâs a speed-bend pass-rusher who moves a little like former Cowboys great DeMarcus Ware. Lawrence isnât as refined as Rueben Bain or Akheem Mesidor, two of the three edge-defenders selected ahead of him, but he has a shot to be the most impactful pass-rusher from this yearâs class.
Ties, the old cliche says, go to the big man. And the league stayed true to the rule, loading up on offensive linemen on the opening night. Nine offensive linemen came off the board in the first round, more than a quarter of the eveningâs haul. Part of that is the usual league-wide panic about the trenches; part of it is a genuinely strong crop this year; and part of it, letâs be honest, is that the top of this draft was thin on the sort of blue-chip skill-position prospects that normally hoover up the early picks. Related: Fernando Mendoza: LinkedIn lunatic, endearing goofball and a symbol of the NFLâs future Spencer Fano (Browns), Francis Mauigoa (Giants) and Kadyn Proctor (Dolphins) went at 9, 10 and 12. Vega Ioane got the interior prospects going, landing in Baltimore at pick No 14. And then the Texans decided to move up for Keylan Rutledge at 26, a mauling, slightly unhinged guard with shades of Richie Incognito. Four more tackles went between 17 and 28, with the Patriots jumping up to make sure Utah tackle Caleb Lomu didnât get away. Proctor was the buzziest selection. Miami has been at pains to say theyâre rebuilding through the trenches, trying to shed their label as a soft (yet fast) team and looking to build a more imposing, powerful group on offense. Proctor checks the box. Heâs a 6ft 6in, 352lb tackle who played closer to 400lb in college. His weight and work ethic have been concerns at times, and if he continues to play heavy, he will be forced to move inside to guard. But when Proctorâs weight is under control, heâs an extraordinary athlete for his size. Itâs not that complicated: guys so big shouldnât be able to move so fluidly. Given his sheer mass, no one can run through him. Proctor has all the physical to work with and is one of the youngest players in the class despite having plenty of experience. For a Dolphins team going through a full rebuild, taking a swing on a player with All-Pro potential, most likely at guard, was a bet worth making.
The Jets wound up making three picks in the first round. They traded back up to pick No 30 to go along with selections at No 2 overall and No 16. All their picks had one thing in common: gas. The Jets kicked off the night by selecting Texas Tech edge-rusher David Bailey, opting for proven pass-rush juice over the hybrid Ohio State defender Arvell Reese. Reese is the better prospect, but Bailey has unteachable first-step speed and a settled position. Given his deficiencies against the run, Bailey may struggle to become a full-time starter. But pass-rush sizzle is one of the most valuable commodities in the league, and few get off the ball as quickly or play as suddenly as Bailey. He may not be as stable down-to-down, but he will create splash plays. After Bailey, the Jets turned their attention to the offense, grabbing Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. Sadiq is a ridiculous athlete, with the best acceleration of the snap of any player in the class, regardless of position. His fit with new offensive coordinator Frank Reich is funky, but Sadiq has the kind of playmaking chops that Reich can build portions of his offense around. Sadiq is still somewhat of a project, both as a receiver and a blocker, but all tight ends take time to develop. And Sadiq isnât just a combine darling. Sure, he tested like a freak, but that athleticism translates to the field. And heâs willing to play a rugged style, offering all-out effort as a blocker. Sadiq is a little boom-bust, but squint hard enough, and you can see Vernon Davis. With the Jets lacking speed all over the field, taking a gamble on one of the most explosive offensive weapons in the draft makes sense. Itâs hard not to feel better about the Sadiq pick after the Jets closed out the night with Cooper, either. The Indiana receiver is a tough, shifty, slot-based player, with a hint of Puka Nacua about his game. Heâs a willing blocker and creates chunk plays with the ball in his hands. There were more tantalizing receivers available in the draft, but Cooper was as safe a selection as the Jets could have made. They entered the offseason with few playmakers on offense and an old and slow defense. If nothing else, they now have game-breaking speed on their roster.
There was a time when teams had 15 minutes to make their selections in the first round. For the better part of a decade, the league reduced that time to 10 minutes. This year, the NFL cut the time between picks down to eight minutes. And it was a triumph. The first round was snappy, moving at a slick pace. The opening night of the draft has become a marquee event. Ultimately, though, itâs an exercise in reading names. While there are dorks (hand up) who obsess about this stuff, most fans just want to know who theyâve picked and whether or not their team is run by bozos. Back in 2003, that took *six hours*. You could have flown coast-to-coast in the time it took to rattle off the selections. This year, with the reduced clock, everything was wrapped up in just over three hours. That subtle shift made everything feel more dramatic. There was almost no time to digest what had happened before Roger Goodell was back at the podium. Whoâs on the clock? Whoâs still available? Have the Cowboys traded up? What did they give up? Mel Kiper couldnât handle the cortisol spikes. It was a broadcast built for the TikTok generation, and in a class that lacked star power at the premium positions, it added some needed tension. Teams may not love making franchise-altering decisions without a chance to breathe, but it cranked up the stakes. The league deserves credit. When do they ever make a decision that leaves money on the table? Dropping the overall run time may have reduced the number of ad slots but made for a better overall program. Sometimes, even the NFL deserves a begrudging round of applause.