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The Los Angeles Rams had a controversial draft, particularly with the selection of quarterback Ty Simpson at 13th overall. Opinions are divided on whether this pick strengthens their Super Bowl chances for the upcoming season.
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The Rams drafted Ty Simpson to potentially succeed their current quarterback, aiming to secure their future while addressing other roster needs later.
Many experts criticized the Rams' draft class, particularly the Ty Simpson pick, questioning its logic and expressing concerns about his limited college experience.
The draft's polarizing nature has led to mixed opinions on whether it improves the Rams' chances of competing for a Super Bowl this season.
Former Rams player Aqib Talib and analyst Mel Kiper Jr. were among those who criticized the Rams' draft, calling the Ty Simpson pick a mistake.
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âOn âThe Arena: Gridironâ Friday, Talib ripped the Rams for having the âworst draftâ after Round 1, criticizing the team by saying it âwastedâ the 13th pick on Simpson in the first round. Like many others, Talib argues that the Rams shouldâve stayed in win-now mode and tried to find a player who could help them right away, not a quarterback who may not play for a couple of years. âIf Iâm Sean, if Iâm Les, who can help me beat Seattle right now? And I donât think they did that. They wasted the 13th pick with a future backup, in my opinion,â he said.â
âEven though some experts have come around on the idea of drafting Ty Simpson, they also question how heâll perform in the NFL after having just one season of starting experience in college. And for a team that was so successful on offense last season, using four of its first five picks on that side of the ball was slightly puzzling. Below is a list of expert grades, and you can find our individual pick grades here.â
ââThis still makes little sense,â Kiper writes. âWhen Los Angeles got on the clock at No. 13, Monroe Freeling and Blake Miller were there. Makai Lemon, whom I projected to the Rams in my final mock draft, was still there. It was all lining up for coach Sean McVay and the Rams. But then Los Angeles shocked everyone and took Ty Simpson.â The Rams taking Simpson is a massive blow for their draft grade, and is a move that Kiper still cannot wrap his head around. And itâs a move thatâs hard to comprehend in general, especially with wide receiver Makai Lemon on the board still.â
ââLike, thatâs some rich people [expletive] man and thatâs just what the Rams are,â Long said. âTheyâre so rich that they were like, âYeah, I think we have everything we want. Weâll take care of the needs that we have elsewhere later. We think itâs important to draft a guy to succeed our quarterback, whoâs currently playing out of his mind at 38 years old or whatever he is.â The Rams are a [expletive] wagon and theyâre going to be good for a while if this kid can play quarterback in the NFL. I mean, itâs just like, this is what great organizations do.â