Los Angeles Rams legend Jim Everett is all-in on the team taking Ty Simpson as the successor to Matthew Stafford.
The Los Angeles Rams have an important decision to make at No. 13 overall. General manager Les Snead may choose to stand pat and take a player, or trade down for more draft capital.
The latter seems to be the logical choice, which could lead to landing a player that Rams legend Jim Everett believes fits the Sean McVay mold: Ty Simpson.
Simpson has been connected to the Rams for months and weeks at this point, but the issue is taking him at No. 13. The Alabama prospect has continued to move up and down the draft board, most recently going at the end of the first round or into the start of the second round.
A major red flag for his draft position has been the lack of starts, as he has only put up one full season of tape, though it was a solid season. Simpson ended his 2025 season with 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 64.5 completion percentage.
Simpson also tacked on 93 rushing yards and two touchdowns. If the Crimson Tide product had at least one more season under his belt, the conversations would be far different.
Despite the knock of one starting season, Rams legend Jim Everett believes he possesses a trait that head coach Sean McVay looks for: work ethic.
Everett spoke with NFL reporter Kyle Odegard, breaking down why Simpson to Los Angeles would make a ton of sense.
"Matthew Stafford's an enthusiast, and I think that gives you a little insight on the type of guy Sean McVay wants to be his quarterback," Everett said. "He wants an enthusiast. Not the guy that just wants to show up. He wants the guy that wants to show out. That's Matthew Stafford.
"Honestly, I think it's a little bit like Ty Simpson as well, and if I had to go out on a limb, that would be a guy that probably would remind me of a Sean McVay-type guy. I'm not saying he's gonna be all that. I'm just saying I think he has a work ethic."
Everett notices that Simpson may have the kind of work ethic can outshine the fact that he has only started in one season. Having the enthusiasm to want to learn under Stafford and McVay could lead to great things.
The issue is the Rams taking Simpson at No. 13, which Everett also does not agree to. He believes that Los Angeles would need to select him at least before No. 21, where the quarterback-needy Pittsburgh Steelers are.
“I think Ty Simpson is pretty damn good,” Everett said in an exclusive interview. “I think he can play. And I think he comes from a family that has a mindset that Sean McVay loves. It’s been odd that there’s been zero talk about it. If they're thinking that Ty Simpson could be a possibility, I don't think you have to do it at pick 13. I think you have to do it before Pittsburgh's pick (at 21).”
The good news is that Snead indicated the Rams would more than likely trade down and stack more draft capital. The usual case for this front office is never to utilize the first-round pick in the manner of standing pat and selecting a player.
Now, that is not always the case, but if the Rams can trade down to somewhere in the 15-20 range and stack more draft capital while landing Simpson, they may be in a good spot.
Simpson has some good traits, and many analysts and pundits have described him as being the most NFL-ready next to Fernando Mendoza. However, the Alabama signal caller would not be starting in 2026.
Instead, Simpson would learn under Stafford, who is arguably the best quarterback in the league right now.