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Did Rams draft heir apparent to Matthew Stafford at QB? Mel Kiper has thoughts
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- Did Rams draft heir apparent to Matthew Stafford at QB? Mel Kiper has thoughts
NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. wasted no time assessing the thinking of the Los Angeles Rams after they drafted Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick.
On ESPN's broadcast, Kiper said the Rams are "built for now with Matthew Stafford because they want the heir apparent, obviously, in Ty Simpson .''
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Moments later, Kiper said, "To me, Ty Simpson, they're hoping is the heir apparent to Matthew Stafford.''
Simpson was widely consideerd a late first-round or early second-round pick. Yet the Rams didn't bother trading back. They took no risks in using their pick at No. 13.
Already, Simpson is off to a good start.
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.
See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
-
New York Jets – OLB/DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
-
Arizona Cardinals − RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
-
Tennessee Titans − WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
-
New York Giants − LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
-
Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns) − CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
-
Washington Commanders − LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
-
New Orleans Saints − WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
-
Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs) − OL Spencer Fano, Utah
-
Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals) − OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
-
Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins) − S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
-
Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys) − OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
-
Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) − QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
-
Baltimore Ravens − G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers − DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
-
Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) − TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
-
Detroit Lions − OT Blake Miller, Clemson
-
Minnesota Vikings − DL Caleb Banks, Florida
-
Carolina Panthers − OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
-
Philadelphia Eagles (from Green Bay Packers via Cowboys) − WR Makai Lemon, USC
-
Pittsburgh Steelers − OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
-
Los Angeles Chargers − DE/OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)
-
Cowboys (from Eagles) − DE Malachi Lawrence, Central Florida
-
Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) − WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
-
Chicago Bears − S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
-
Houston Texans (from Bills) − G Keylan Rutledge
-
Dolphins (from 49ers) − CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
-
New England Patriots (from Texans via Bills) − OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
-
Chiefs (from Rams) − DT Peter Woods, Clemson
-
Jets (from Denver Broncos via Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers) − WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
-
Titans (from Patriots via Buffalo Bills) − DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
-
Seattle Seahawks − RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
1
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.
See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
1
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.
See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
2
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New York Jets – OLB/DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
3
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Arizona Cardinals − RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
4
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Tennessee Titans − WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
5
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New York Giants − LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
6
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns) − CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
7
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Washington Commanders − LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
8
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New Orleans Saints − WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
9
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs) − OL Spencer Fano, Utah
10
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals) − OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
11
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins) − S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
12
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys) − OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
13
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) − QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
14
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Baltimore Ravens − G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
15
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers − DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
16
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) − TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
17
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Detroit Lions − OT Blake Miller, Clemson
18
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Minnesota Vikings − DL Caleb Banks, Florida
19
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Carolina Panthers − OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
20
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Philadelphia Eagles (from Green Bay Packers via Cowboys) − WR Makai Lemon, USC
21
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Pittsburgh Steelers − OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
22
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Los Angeles Chargers − DE/OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)
23
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Cowboys (from Eagles) − DE Malachi Lawrence, Central Florida
24
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) − WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
25
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Chicago Bears − S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
26
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Houston Texans (from Bills) − G Keylan Rutledge
27
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Dolphins (from 49ers) − CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
28
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New England Patriots (from Texans via Bills) − OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
29
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Chiefs (from Rams) − DT Peter Woods, Clemson
30
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Jets (from Denver Broncos via Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers) − WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
31
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Titans (from Patriots via Buffalo Bills) − DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
32
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Seattle Seahawks − RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
When asked what he was most excited about in working with Rams head coach Sean McVay and Stafford, Simpson said, "Yeah, two of the greatest minds in offense.''
He also called Stafford "one of the greats of all time.''
'Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.': Nick Saban lauds Ty Simpson to Rams in NFL draft
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But it might be time for Stafford to help mold the Rams' next starting quarterback. After all, he is 38, has dealt with an assortment of ailments and his contract runs out after the 2026 season.
Ty Simpson, Rams' starting quarterback in 2027?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rams draft Ty Simpson as heir apparent to Matthew Stafford at QB
