Ty Simpson's Controversial Selection to Rams at Pick 13
Drafted 13th overall by the Los Angeles Rams, Ty Simpson became a hot topic, facing both sharp criticism and fervent defense, stirring intense media debates.
Video Transcript
But probably the biggest surprise on draft day was Ty Simpson going to the Los Angeles Rams at pick 13.
I will say, I did see this mocked in one popular spot.
I'll call it, it was Todd McShay of now The Ringer, and the b- breakdown of the prediction with, "I'm not saying this is going to happen," which really bothered me- 'cause it's legitimately a predictive mock draft.
And in my opinion, no victory lapping, should be allowed when you lead off the analysis with, "I'm not saying this is going to happen."
It did happen.
And what followed was a lot of scrambling.
I-- listen, I'm not in the position, right, for m- you know, media feuds.
I'm not calling anybody out, thinking that anything is going to come from it.
But these are all stories that I think you are all familiar with.
Dan Orlovsky of ESPN gets in this big thing with the McAfee Show over his analysis of Ty Simpson.
Then Ty Simpson goes 13th.
He's celebrating like it's his son who just got drafted, and pretty much the only people now that are defending what the Rams did are Orlovsky and Les Snead, and that's kind of where we are in this process, because the Rams made a mistake.
And I-- unless you're in the Rams building, right, or Ty Simpson's m- most public supporter, it's kind of hard to argue the other direction.
First of all, the report that came out from Albert Breer following the Simpson selection is one of the most eye-opening reports I've ever seen, that as Ty Simpson was attempting to figure out, "Should I go into the draft or not?"
His father, his father spoke with Les Snead, and Les Snead said, "Leave."
So that is a personal relationship GM selection.
McVay throws his fit at the press conference on Thursday, says, "I'm just doing it to be respectful to Stafford."
That's Looney Tunes.
Just don't draft him then.
And pretty much everybody's attempt to say, "Oh, this is a really good pick," is, "Well, McVay'll figure it out."
If that's our plan, i- if our plan, okay, is McVay will figure it out, then I do not need to spend a pick this high on a quarterback.
I can just take Garrett Nussmeier in the sixth round and go, "McVay'll figure it out," or take Taylen Green in the third round and go, "McVay will figure it out."
The Super Bowl favorites had the 13th pick and passed on bringing in a player who can help them win the Super Bowl this season.
It's a mistake, Tom, and everybody's been doing damage control for a week.
It's beyond a disaster.
Look, there's no other way to describe, and what you said is the only people that want to defend it are either someone who was planting their flag saying that Ty Simpson is great, which he may very well end up being a good quarterback, that's fine, or people within the Rams building.
And to your point, using that draft capital to draft a player who is not going to help you this year in, outside of some extreme circumstance, is a, a, a, a mistake, a disaster to the highest degree.
When there are skill position players you could take, given the fact that we've seen Davante Adams trade rumors in the off-season, we have Puka Nacua potential legal issues, that there are wide receivers on the board to help Matt Stafford and/or other offensive linemen to help protect an aging Matt Stafford, who had more than we can count back injury news coming into last, training camp.
Now listen, Stafford was great last year, but his clock is running out, and you need to surround him with protecting him and skill players, and that's what the Rams need most.
The defense, I think, is good enough, right?
They could have always drafted another edge player, another cornerback, whatever it might be.
But drafting a quarterback at 13th is one of the biggest mistakes that we have seen, and suspecting that McVay is some type of quarterback whisperer and that he will anchor things for the rest of the franchise and figure out every quarterback is wrong
