Surprise! Rams Draft Alabama QB Ty Simpson with 13th Overall Pick in 2026 NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Rams have made one of the surprise picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, and they’ve found their potential successor to Matthew Stafford. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson was taken by the Rams with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The selection was widely viewed as a stunner, with most mock drafts not having Simpson getting taken until the end of the first round. In fact, FOX Sports lead draft analyst Rob Rang didn’t have Simpson going in the first round of his most recent mock draft. Most big boards also had Simpson rated as a fringe first-round pick, at best, too. Rang ranked Simpson the 33rd overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft in his top 150 prospects list. “Simpson, a former 5-star recruit, torched the SEC for 28 touchdowns and a conference-leading 3,567 yards in his lone season as a starter in Tuscaloosa, showing the pro-caliber accuracy to project as a future NFL starter,” Rang wrote. “The traits were obvious during the throwing session at the Combine, all but cementing his position as the No. 2 quarterback in this class. Simpson has a quick release, plenty of zip and excellent touch to make every NFL throw — but there were some “deer in the headlights” moments on his game tape. Moreover, the track record of quarterbacks selected in the first round with 20 or fewer starts (Simpson has 15) is a bright red flag.” FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt ranked Simpson as his No. 32 overall prospect in his top 50 ranking. But Klatt was a bigger fan of Simpson than his draft ranking might indicate. “Simpson is kind of all over the place on these big boards,” Klatt wrote. “I’m a Simpson fan. I know his size is going to turn some people away, but if you watch him play, the film suggests he plays a lot bigger than his actual frame. The reason is that he makes really strong and accurate intermediate and deep-level throws, particularly outside the numbers. When you can do that, do I really care about your size? He’s a battler. This guy’s a warrior in there. Some of those games he played — Georgia and Oklahoma on the road — he was exceptional. He was a real bright spot for Alabama.” Simpson was only a one-year starter at Alabama. He helped the Crimson Tide reach the College Football Playoff, going 11-4. He threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2025. Simpson will likely back up Stafford for at least the 2026 season as the 38-year-old is coming off an MVP year in 2025. It was recently reported that the Rams and Stafford were making progress toward an extension, with the quarterback entering the final year of his current deal. Still, most expected Los Angeles to select a wide receiver at No. 13, with players like USC’s Makai Lemon and Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. still on the board.