Overview
- Los Angeles selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th pick on April 23, positioning him to learn behind Matthew Stafford before taking over.
- ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported the Rams likely could have traded down and still gotten Simpson, and Pro Football Rumors says Detroit offered a move from No. 17 that Los Angeles declined.
- Reporting indicates the Rams viewed Arizona as a real threat to reenter Round 1 for Simpson, and accounts of quiet McVay–Simpson meetings help explain why the team stayed at 13.
- Despite Sean McVay’s subdued podium look on draft night, multiple outlets report he and GM Les Snead agreed on the choice, and former aide Mike LaFleur said McVay “always really liked that quarterback.”
- Evaluations are mixed, with PFF grading the Rams’ draft a C and ESPN’s Matt Miller slotting the Simpson pick 42nd among the top 100, even as one exec called the plan “genius” and Stafford’s contract talks continue.