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Sean McVay may end up taking a quarterback project in the NFL draft.
The Los Angeles Rams will need to replace Matthew Stafford at some point, and NFL Draft expert Todd McShay explained why that could make them the perfect fit for Alabama QB Ty Simpson.
The Ringer’s draft guru shared Simpon’s market at the upcoming draft and set the table for the Rams to potentially select him with the 61st overall pick.
McShay rates Simpson as the No. 2 quarterback prospect on his big board at The Ringer, even though he is a bit undersized (6-1), only started one season at Alabama and is “aggressive to a fault,” according to McShay.
Todd McShay Thinks the Rams Would Be a Great Landing Spot for Ty Simpson
Simpson is a throwback as a modern draft prospect, since he did not transfer out of Alabama — even while sitting behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe for his first three seasons in Tuscaloosa.
That inexperience may hinder Simpson’s potential for starting Day 1, but it could also set him up for success long-term.
“Ty Simpson could be a good starter in the league,” McShay said on the Rich Eisen Show on Monday. “He just needs to go to the right place. He needs a little bit of time to sit and learn but also needs game experience with just 15 [college] starts.”
There are few places that would benefit Simpson better than Los Angeles and are more of a natural fit for the Alabama QB. Head coach Sean McVay has resurrected Stafford’s career but also had a hand in reigniting Baker Mayfield’s resurgent second life in the NFL.
Plus, even though Stafford is the reigning NFL MVP, he is getting long in the tooth. Stafford just turned 38 in February, and Father Time is in fact undefeated, which means McVay needs a QB of the future to help mold.
“I think the Rams have interest but probably on their terms, meaning second round,” McShay said.
The Rams May Have Competition for Ty Simpson
The Rams will remain in win-now mode for as long as McVay is the head coach. That means they will be seeking the best-available player with the 13th overall pick.
That pick, which LA got from the Atlanta Falcons last year, would be way too much of a reach to select Simpson. Stafford has one more year on his contract and is of course coming off that MVP season, and in the modern NFL if you choose a QB in the first round, the expectation is he will play Day 1.
So the Rams may need to move up if they want to select the Alabama QB, since Simpson may be gone by No. 61. The Rams’ division rival Arizona Cardinals, who have two second-round picks (No. 34 and No. 65) are considered a potential Simpson landing spot, according to McShay.
Still, predicting a spot for the QB is a bit of a crapshoot right now.
“I think Arizona’s the most intriguing fit,” McShay said. “The market is interesting for Simpson, because there are some people who love him in the league. But it’s hard to pick the right spot for where does he definitively go with an existing pick in Round 1, because I’m not sure that it’s there right now.”
Pat Pickens is an experienced sports writer and media personality who has written for outlets like NHL.com, the Associated Press, the New York Times and USA Today. He covers the NFL, NBA, NHL and NBA as a breaking news contributor at Heavy. More about Pat Pickens
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