Everything Rams' Ty Simpson Said About 2026 NFL Draft Pick, Matthew Stafford, More

Ty Simpson says he is "super ecstatic" to speak with Matthew Stafford after the Los Angeles Rams selected him with the No. 13 pick of the 2026 NFL draft.

Simpson had not spoken to the Rams' starting quarterback as of Thursday night, although he told reporters he had received a welcoming Instagram DM from his wife Kelly Stafford as well as a text from safety Quentin Lake.

"I can't wait to talk to Matthew. I'm super ecstatic, because I just want to pick his brain about everything, soak up all that knowledge," Simpson. "That dude, how he goes about things is super, super awesome, and I've been a big fan for a long time."

Simpson went on to give his impression of the Rams offense after watching Stafford's league MVP campaign last season.

AL.com's Nick Kelly reported Thursday that Simpson had studied Stafford's tape before his first season as Alabama's starter in 2025.

"It starts with the line of scrimmage. You can tell Matthew is in the huddle. He's taking control. He's going up to the line of scrimmage, and just making sure we're in the right formation, the right checks," Simpson said.

Simpson continued, "Everything's just so detail-orientated, and that's how we were at Alabama... it was cool to watch Matthew, and watch those guys do it on the film, in meetings, and then ironically enough I'm here."

The Rams selected Simpson after watching him play just 15 college starts, which makes him one of the least experienced first-round picks at quarterback in the last 25 years.

Simpson told reporters Friday his experience sitting behind Jalen Milroe early in his Alabama career was "probably" the most important part of his college experience.

"The years that I sat were probably more important than the years that I played because I had to learn how to practice, I had to learn how to work," Simpson said, per Adam Grosbard of the LA Daily News.

Simpson is now set to take on a similar developmental role with his next team, although it's not yet clear whether that will be as QB2. Rams head coach Sean McVay said Thursday the Rams were still Stafford's team, and that Simpson would compete with returning quarterback Stetson Bennett for the backup role this offseason.