So you are among the masses who are not sold on the Los Angeles Rams selection of Alabama rookie quarterback Ty Simpson. Well, if social media is any indication, you are not alone.
In many ways, this instant and loud negative reaction to a rookie selection has only been matched by the outcry of protests when the team selected Louisville wide receiver Tutu Atwell with the 52nd pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. And fans know how that turned out.
While concerns and opinions are always legitimate, are there objective facts to support the protests, frustration, and misgivings over selecting Simpson at 13? Even as the reasons vary, the common theme opposing Simpson seems to run in a finite number of categories. Well, that's fair.
But in the event of emotional reactions, fans risk overreacting. There are many examples of frustration over a player, demanding he be cut, only to feel regret when that same player excels elsewhere. Fans may complain about a lack of loyalty by players, but that same lack of loyalty runs rampant in fans as well.
As we await seeing Ty Simpson run this offense in training camp and preseason, let's revisit why this could be more fun and thrilling than many expect:
5 most popular fan criticisms of Ty Simpson selection
1. "it's not that they selected hiim, but when"
This is a common complaint. But to be objectively true, two components must be simultaneously true. This objection only holds water if the team had options to trade back from the 13th overall pick. And it only applies as long as no other NFL team was willing to select Simpson later in the draft.
Why this doesn't hold:
Well, we know that reports confirmed that LA did not have any options to trade back from 13. Before the draft, NFL rumors suggested that the Detroit Lions were willing to trade up to 13 to grab offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor. But as he was off the board, no trade occurred. The Horns would not pick again until the 61st overall pick.
Simpson would have been off the board by all accounts by then.
2. Rams could have added an impact player there
Some fans point to the fact that tight end Kenyon Sadiq and wide receiver Makai Lemon were still on the board at 13. Sadiq was chosen 16th overall by the Miami Dolphins, while Makai Lemon was chosen 20th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles. But would those rookies have moved the needle in 2026?
Why this doesn't hold:
LA's offense ran very smoothly in 2025, and all but Tutu Atwell returned for 2026. With that in mind, touches for rookies are automatically difficult to come by. Kenyon Sadiq was not extensively experienced, catching just 82 receptions for 802 yards and 11 touchdowns in three college football seasons. While Lemon was a bit more productive, he projected as an NFL slot receiver.
The team drafted tight end Max Klare, who was more experienced and productive in college than Sadiq. And yet, fans turn a blind eye to his way.
3. No other team was interested in Ty Simpson
Another set of protests is the belief that LA was chasing a rookie prospect that no other NFL team wanted. To emphasize that point, one report suggested the Seattle Seahawks had a Round 3 grade on Simpson. Well, to be fair, the Seahawks have had zero success drafting and developing quarterbacks in many years.
Why this doesn't hold:
Seven quarterbacks were drafted in 2026. While Fernando Mendoza was the first overall selection, Alabama's Ty Simpson was viewed as the consensus runner-up. The Arizona Cardinals, long thought to be in hot pursuit of Simpson, settled for Miami's Cason Beck in Round 3 of the draft. They held the 34th overall pick, but with Simpson already gone, they added a guard named Chase Bisontis.
Other teams had plenty of draft capital to trade up for Simpson if he fell. But with him off the board, they could simply let lesser candidates fall to them.
4. He is too inexperienced to be selected so early
While it's true that he had just one year of college football experience as an NCAA starter, he showed plenty in that season as a starter in the SEC to give Los Angeles the confidence to select him. And his projection on many pre-draft big boards relected plenty of enthusiasm surrounding his NFL potential. Inexperience only matters if he was expected to start in the NFL as a rookie.
Why this doesn't hold:
Los Angeles never intended to start any rookie quarterback in 2026. So Simpson lands on a team that pre-planned to coach him up and develop his talents for a year. Simpson will get plenty of work in OTAs, training camp, and preseason. But who better to develop him than veteran Matthew Stafford?
5. NFL analysts hated the pick
Some NFL analysts hated the Rams' selection of Ty Simpson, as they tried their darnedest to compare him to the Packers' selection of Jordan Love in 2020. Other NFL draft analysts, like ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper, hated the pick because it veered off their scripts. Of course, fans should always be skeptical of 'instant' grades. But it's hard to swim against a vitriol-swollen river of negative sentiment.
Why this doesn't hold:
There are many more Rams and NFL draft analysts who love the pick. The difference-maker in such a diverse range of opinions appears to be that the analysts who are more familiar with the team are also the ones who are most excited about the fit. And therein lies the rub. The excitement is about Simpson's 'fit' in LA.
Ultimately, as soon as Simpson throws his first preseason interception or touchdown, fans' opinions will galvanize into something a bit more relevant and objective.
As always, thanks for reading.
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