The Five Most Likely 2026 NFL Draft Busts in the NFC | The Five Most Likely 2026 NFL Draft Busts in the AFC
The Rams made the most stunning pick of the first round of this year’s draft when they selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall. With Matthew Stafford, the league’s reigning MVP, already locked in under center, many were dumbfounded over the selection, wondering why L.A. didn’t instead try to add some more talent to its skill positions and further enhance its chances of competing for a Super Bowl.
According to The Athletic, the Rams opted to roll with Simpson despite also considering wide receiver Makai Lemon and tight end Kenyon Sadiq, both of whom were on the board at No. 13. In the end, Los Angeles deemed that neither player would provide an immediate impact on the offense given the depth they have at both positions.
Lemon would be the No. 3 receiver behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and the Rams also have solid depth at tight end with Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee and Terrance Ferguson. As for Sadiq, who impressed at the NFL combine with a blazing 4.39s 40-yard dash, the fastest among tight ends, the Rams opted to wait before addressing the position. Instead of using a first-rounder on Sadiq, the team selected Max Klare out of Ohio State in the second round.
When it came time for the Rams to pick at No. 13, they felt more inclined to select a player who fit their long-term vision vs. a skill-position player who could help immediately.
As SI’s Albert Breer reported after the draft, coach Sean McVay studied Simpson’s tape and liked what he saw, enough that he greenlit the team’s decision to draft Simpson with its first pick. Alabama gave Simpson a lot of responsibility within its offense in his lone year as the starting quarterback, and despite the 23-year-old only making 15 starts, his tape was very impressive. Simpson might not be ready to step onto the field in the near future, but he has the potential to carry on the torch when Stafford does retire, similarly to how Jordan Love took the reins in Green Bay after the Packers moved on from Aaron Rodgers.
Simpson and McVay met secretly during the pre-draft process as the Rams attempted, rather successfully, to disguise their interest in the Crimson Tide quarterback. The organization has made clear that, despite the now-viral press conference in which McVay didn’t look too thrilled about the Simpson pick, the Rams were aligned in their draft strategy.
Could Sadiq or Lemon have been valuable depth pieces? Certainly, Lemon in particular, who could be a valuable addition to the wide receiver room, especially with Davante Adams having dealt with hamstring injuries last season. Simpson, however, has the potential to be an invaluable piece of Los Angeles’s football, and it’s hard to imagine that the Rams would’ve been picking early enough in the draft in any of the next few seasons to grab one of the top quarterbacks in the class of 2027 or ’28. Getting Simpson now addresses the quarterback position for the long haul, and secures a talent the Rams may not have had the chance to draft down the line.
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KARL RASMUSSEN
Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.
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