Rams Pick Alabama QB Ty Simpson at No. 13 in 2026 NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, a move that caught observers off guard given the presence of reigning MVP Matthew Stafford on the roster.

Stafford, who turned 38 in February, delivered one of the best seasons of his career in 2025, passing for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns and eight interceptions while leading the Rams to the NFC Championship Game. The team used a first-round pick acquired from the Atlanta Falcons to draft Simpson, viewed as the No. 2 quarterback prospect behind Fernando Mendoza. Simpson, a 23-year-old from Martin, Tennessee, completed his lone full season as Alabama's starter with 3,567 passing yards, 30 total touchdowns and five interceptions, helping the Crimson Tide reach the College Football Playoff for the first time under coach Kalen DeBoer.

Rams coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead emphasized the pick as a balance of contending now and planning ahead. "We're trying to win right now, and we've got decisions for the short and long term," McVay said on FS1's "The Herd." The organization kept its interest in Simpson under wraps through private meetings,...