Todd McShay springs unexpected mixed message on Rams over upcoming draft

The Los Angeles Rams may or may not be selecting a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. But even if they do aim for a rookie padawan prospect to learn from starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, the options for elite talent are limited. Only Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the consensus top quarterback. After that?

Anything goes.

And therein lies the rub. If Los Angeles has its heart set on a quarterback, it will be forced to shop very early in the draft or settle for selecting one late, but developing that rookie over the next year or two.

The challenge is that the arguable runner-up among rookie quarterback prospects, Alabama's Ty Simpson, is getting a post-combine push. So much so that NFL draft analyst Todd McShay hints that Simpson could be selected as early as the sixth overall pick by the Cleveland Browns.

If you are not a fan of Simpson going to the Rams, this could be great news. McShay projects Notre Dame running back Jeremiya Love as a top-five selection. And as more and more rookie prospects who may not be an immediate upgrade to the roster are selected among the first 12 picks, the chances of selecting an impact player at 13 skyrocket.

Would the LA Rams chase Ty Simpson up the draft board?

Would general manager Les Snead be willing to trade up to grab Ty Simpson? We compiled a list of three rookie prospects who could lure Snead into that type of strategy, but Simpson was not among them.

Sinking an early Round 1 pick into any rookie prospect dictates that not only will the team play that rookie in his first season, but that he is a bona-fide starter. Simpson is not going to start any games in 2026.

Still, ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick hints that Simpson is LA's favorite quarterback in this draft. And Dan Orlovsky, another ESPN NFL analyst, believes that Simpson's first eight games of the 2025 NCAA college football season were the best among all rookie quarterbacks. Even Ramblin Fan's own Michael Haney sees Ty Simpson as a great fit in LA.

But unless Simpson proves to be a perennial Pro Bowler over the course of his career, the team may be better served by addressing more immediate needs. The team is definitely in need of fresh blood at the cornerback position.

And so, Simpson's stock is rising. But if you are not fully invested in LA's need for the Alabama quarterback, this is great news.

As always, thanks for reading.