Rams should look to Packers QB Jordan Love when formulating plan for Alabama QB Ty Simpson

The Green Bay Packers have established the blueprint for developing quarterbacks. The Los Angeles Rams should now follow it after selecting Alabama Crimson Tide QB Ty Simpson with pick No. 13 in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Love — pick No. 26 of the 2020 draft — sat for three seasons before replacing future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers (who sat behind Brett Favre for the same amount of time) as the team's starting QB during the 2023 season. Simpson (6-foot-1, 211 pounds) would benefit from a similar learning period. 

Like former Utah State Aggies star Love, Simpson's a talented but unpolished QB who needs time to develop. The Rams are in a position to give him that. 

Why Rams are a great landing spot for Ty Simpson 

Simpson tied for 12th in the FBS in touchdown passes (28) in 2025, leading the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff. The passer, however, started 15 games in college. NFL teams prefer a QB to start 25-30 games before turning pro. Love started 32 games in college but completed a below-average 61.2 percent of his passes, which prevented him from being a Day 1 starter. 

With that in mind, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban has said it would be best for Simpson to sit out a year at least. 

"I think I would say maturity is important in the development of his game," the coach told ESPN's Pat McAfee before the draft. "I think he can throw it well enough. I think he's athletic enough. ... Maturity is nothing more than making the right decision at the right time, and that comes with experience and repetition. He doesn't have enough of that, but he will get it and I think be a very good player."