The biggest surprise in the 2026 NFL Draft came from the Los Angeles Rams, as the winning team selected the quarterback of the future.
With the 13th overall pick and plenty of talent, the Rams selected Alabama pass rusher Ty Simpson as Matthew Stafford’s heir apparent. Head coach Sean McVay reportedly called Stafford earlier in the day to inform him of the decision to draft the quarterback.
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It will be interesting to see how Stafford reacts to this pick. But what really stood out Thursday night was McVay’s reaction.
While speaking with reporters following the draft with Rams general manager Les Snead, multiple media members noted that McVay, known for his bubbly personality, seemed to be low-key when talking about the draft.
You can judge for yourself:
Asked if he had spoken to Stafford, McVay confirmed he had done so and said “I’ll keep it between us” as a natural follow-up question about what was discussed. When asked if Simpson would support Stafford, McVay said bluntly: “We’ll see, he’s going to compete with Stafford.” [incumbent back-up Stetson Bennett].
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Snead, who reportedly had a close relationship with Simpson’s father and advised him on his approach to the draft, was noticeably more dynamic. Simpson also said on Sirius XM that he had never met McVeigh.
At one point, Snead and McVay were asked if they were specifically targeting Simpson in the draft, and McVay rattled off an answer that lasted more than a minute. extract:
“There’s a lot of players that we like. When you really look at it, I think the body of work you like is — let’s make one thing clear, this is Matthew’s team. You have an opportunity to be able to address the backup quarterback, and we have Stetson, the importance of which we’ve discussed [former Rams back-up Jimmy Garropolo]so being able to add a guy in, you can evaluate the range of things he’s asked to do playing this position, and a lot of things that can translate: concepts, reading with his feet, some different things in dropbacks and playing action games, movement games.
“So there are a lot of things [Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb] This is very similar to how we operate. So it’s easier to evaluate and say, “Well, if he translated that to our level, what would that look like?” But we have a lot of players that we like and think about a lot. “
There are several possible outcomes here. Stafford could continue to play for years and keep the Rams competitive on a regular basis. Simpson could take over and become a star very quickly. Simpson may soon take over and go bankrupt.
Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports wasn’t one of the optimistic voices, giving the pick an “F.” Simpson had a decent season at Alabama last year, but also struggled down the stretch and doesn’t have the physical traits you see among top quarterback prospects.
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No matter what happens, Thursday night will be a shift for the Rams, and if it doesn’t work out, McVay’s reaction could end up being dissected over and over again.