Why Rams brushed off this huge Ty Simpson concern before 2026 NFL Draft

Before the Los Angeles Rams surprisingly made Ty Simpson the 13th overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, critics of the Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback repeatedly voiced concerns related to the fact that he made only 15 college starts. 

As ESPN's Sarah Barshop shared on Thursday, Rams assistant general manager John McKay recently explained why the club wasn't "overly concerned about" how much Simpson played before turning pro. 

Why Rams are confident Ty Simpson is "the right guy"

"He had spent the time at Alabama learning," McKay said about Simpson. "He was in a high-level program, and then we were able to evaluate all the types of throws. He was in a lot of big moments, so we felt like there was enough in that sample size where we didn't have any pause about the starts. ...We felt confident based on what he had put on tape that he was the right guy."

It also doesn't hurt that Simpson shouldn't become a full-time NFL starter anytime soon. The Rams have reigning Most Valuable Player Matthew Stafford atop their depth chart, and he is expected to sign an adjusted contract that could keep him attached to the franchise through at least the 2027 season. 

Ty Simpson "fits" Sean McVay's system

Rams head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead are reportedly on the same page regarding the belief that Simpson will one day become the franchise's next long-term QB1. Meanwhile, Rams director of scouting Nicole Blake noted that Simpson is "a super-smart quarterback" who shouldn't struggle to learn McVay's offense. 

"Particularly for Sean and the way that we like to play, you can't just plug and play any quarterback in there," Blake added. "When you find somebody that you think fits that system and has the buy-in from everybody in the building that we found, I don't think it really matters when you take them, you just take them. Maybe it's two years, three years, four years, who knows. It's a hard thing to find, so when you find that, you take it."

Simpson may spend a year or two learning about life in the NFL while serving as Stafford's backup. Eventually, the promising prospect will receive opportunities to prove McVay right and his critics wrong.