NFL analyst believes the Los Angeles Rams could potentially be in on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
The Los Angeles Rams are in a prime position to draft two players in the first round following their trade with the Atlanta Falcons in the 2025 NFL Draft.
With the core roster for Los Angeles remaining the same, there are some areas of improvement that should be addressed. The secondary and the offensive line could be areas of focus, but NFL analyst Lance Reddick has also stated the Rams could in on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
Of the quarterback prospects out of college, Simpson is considered the second-best to consensus No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. The issue is that the Alabama product comes with a major caveat: he has only had one season as a starter.
Many teams might be wary of drafting Simpson high up in the first round due to the three years he spent as a backup. However, his full season at Alabama led to 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Regardless of his inexperience as a full-fledged college starter, he does possess the kind of arm strength and athleticism that many teams might covet. One such team could be the Rams, who appear to be high on the young quarterback.
NFL analyst Lance Reddick believes with the 13th and 29th picks in the first round, the Rams may take a deeper look at Simpson.
"I know personally they (Rams) like Ty Simpson. His skillset and makeup is exactly what they're looking for," Reddick said.
Now, take what Reddick is saying with a grain of salt, as the Rams might not be in the market for a quarterback just yet. Granted, they possess the kind of draft capital that could land them a solid passer such as Simpson, but they might also choose to stack capital for the 2027 season instead.
Matthew Stafford announced his return for the 2026 season, but there is no telling if he plans to play past that. There were plenty of talks regarding retirement, which he silenced after winning the league MVP.
Essentially, the Rams bought themselves another year, which greatly favors them. Dante Moore returned to Oregon for another season, and there are other passers such AS Texas's Archie Manning, and more that are supposed to round out a better class of quarterbacks next season.
The Rams can stand pat on using a first-round pick, and instead use those picks on offensive line and secondary help. They might also choose to trade out of the 29th pick to stack capital for the 2027 season to secure Stafford's successor.
Simpson is likely to go in the top 15, but it all depends on which team does the scouting work on him to trust that he can be a starter at the NFL level. With only one season doing so in college, there are many questions regarding the Alabama [asser's ability to translate into a franchise option.
Rams general manager Les Snead is also a great talent evaluator, so if the front office and Sean McVay do truly like Simpson, then it would not be shocking for him to get picked at No. 13 overall.