The 2026 NFL Draft might not have had the juice that some other recent draft classes have had, but there were still several enticing storylines that developed around the league over the three-day event this weekend. No storyline had people around the league buzzing more than what the Los Angeles Rams did with the 13th overall pick, though.
After the Rams surprisingly took Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with their first-round pick, we asked several people around the NFL why the move could’ve made sense for Los Angeles. We also asked our sources across the league who they think won the draft, which pick was the biggest steal and what might come next this offseason.
So, here’s what we learned after speaking with executives, scouts and even a player.
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Why Ty Simpson pick makes sense for Rams
Eric D. Williams: Sean McVay was not his usual chipper self when addressing reporters after the Los Angeles Rams selected the heir apparent to MVP Matthew Stafford with the surprise pick of the draft.
In a much better mood on the second day of the draft, McVay acknowledged he was “grumpy.” And for good reason, having to tell Stafford the Rams were taking a quarterback in the opening round instead of an impact player that could help the Rams in their quest to win another Super Bowl as the current betting favorite to win the big game.
“Let’s make one thing clear, this is Matthew’s team,” a stoic McVay said on Thursday night.
While acknowledging that Stafford wasn’t necessarily thrilled by the selection, McVay said the No. 13 pick was essentially an extra pick achieved by trading down last year with the Atlanta Falcons so they could take edge rusher James Pearce Jr. in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Rams moved down to the second round and selected tight end Terrance Ferguson, who McVay said they would have taken in the first round had they stayed and picked.
“To move back and to still get the guy that we wanted, and then to basically be able to get an extra pick,” McVay said. “And then oh by the way, with your original one, go get a player like [cornerback] Trent McDuffie. … We’re all the time going to make choices that we expect are finest for the quick and the long run. We will probably be excited to have the ability to get to work with him. That’s the place we’re at.”
Ty Simpson is the winner of 2026 NFL Draft with Rams drafting him at No. 13
League sources I spoke with agreed that the transfer was prudent for the Rams, deciding on a possible quarterback of the longer term within the first spherical when contemplating Stafford’s age and harm historical past. Nonetheless, these sources additionally had issues with how Stafford would react to the state of affairs, much like a prickly Aaron Rodgers coping with the Inexperienced Bay Packers deciding on Jordan Love within the first spherical, and the chance value misplaced by not deciding on an affect participant who can assist the Rams chase a Tremendous Bowl now, like USC receiver Makai Lemon.
“They gave him a heads up it might occur,” an NFL personnel govt who has been in an identical state of affairs instructed me. “It’s a superb roster-building transfer when you could have a 38-year-old quarterback with an unpredictable again.”
The personnel govt additionally pointed to the Rams utilizing their unique first-round choice, together with third, fifth and sixth-round picks, to safe Kansas Metropolis Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie in a commerce earlier than the draft, an apparent want the place the Rams struggled within the NFC Championship loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
“They acquired McDuffie,” the personnel govt mentioned. “He’ll assist rather more proper now than a rookie at any place.”
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NFL participant wonders what Rams’ decide of Ty Simpson means for Sean McVay
Williams: An NFL participant I spoke with not solely questioned concerning the affect the drafting of Simpson can have on Stafford, who nonetheless has one yr left on his contract at $40 million this yr and is at the moment in negotiations engaged on extending a brand new deal, but additionally for McVay.
“The McVay angle is attention-grabbing, as a result of if he’s not planning on sticking round, that is basically a decide for the subsequent head coach,” the participant mentioned. “However perhaps it is a method to get him enthusiastic about staying and never driving off into the sundown with Matthew.”
McVay, 40, has publicly flirted with retirement prior to now. There have been a number of offseasons following the Rams’ Tremendous Bowl-winning 2021 season wherein his future appeared to be unsure, however he and normal supervisor Les Snead signed extensions in February.
As for the Rams’ long-term plan at quarterback, McVay mentioned the 38-year-old Stafford is his quarterback for so long as he needs to play. McVay wished Jimmy Garoppolo to return because the crew’s backup, however he’s mulling retirement. McVay mentioned Simpson will compete with Stetson Bennett for the backup job.
Are Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford’s future hooked up to the hip? (Photograph by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-Information by way of Getty Pictures)
Whereas the participant I spoke with believes Simpson was a first-round decide, evaluations have been blended on whether or not he may very well be a viable, long-term starter within the NFL. The participant I spoke with thought No. 13 was a bit wealthy for Simpson and questioned concerning the affect the choice would have on Stafford’s long-term relationship with McVay and the remainder of the group.
“I’m not stunned he was a first-rounder, however I’m stunned they took him at 13,” the participant mentioned. “May they’ve traded down and picked him later? The factor that’s clear is that this: It’s the most effective factor that would’ve ever occurred to Ty Simpson. He will get to have not less than one season with Matthew Stafford and be coached by Sean.
“I’ve to consider Matthew Stafford isn’t that enthusiastic about it, although. Nothing in opposition to Ty, nevertheless it positive can be good to get a first-rounder that may show you how to go win a Tremendous Bowl. It jogs my memory a bit of little bit of how Steve Younger most likely felt when the 49ers drafted Jim Druckenmiller.”
Added one other league supply: “I believe he will probably be a superb backup or low-end starter. Lots like Drew Lock or Jacoby Brissett.”
The Rams additionally profit from Stafford’s willingness to take much less cash than he’s price. Stafford’s $40 million annual wage is 14th amongst quarterbacks. A part of the explanation Stafford takes much less is to permit the Rams so as to add extra expertise of their Tremendous Bowl window.
However how does Stafford really feel nice concerning the franchise utilizing his monetary flexibility in including a backup quarterback within the first spherical as a substitute of a receiver that may assist him transfer the soccer on sport days, notably as he negotiates a brand new deal?
“Given his expertise on this league, he is aware of the way it works and I believe that’s actually cool,” mentioned Tony Pastoors, the Rams COO and chief contract negotiator, once I requested concerning the flexibility that Stafford’s contract supplies on the annual NFL house owners conferences final month. “It does enable us to do some issues – add Trent McDuffie and a few of these issues – as a result of Matthew understands the mechanisms. He’s prepared to work with you to assist create that flexibility as a result of Matthew needs to win. His purpose is not any totally different than ours, and that’s to deliver one other Lombardi again to L.A.”
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Standard Jets? Or can one other ‘nice’ draft lastly result in some wins?
Ralph Vacchiano: The Jets had a powerful draft that acquired good evaluations, particularly within the first spherical, the place they seemingly landed three starters and certain affect gamers. Perhaps that’s sufficient to lastly jump-start their rebuilding undertaking and make them aggressive.
Then once more, haven’t we heard all this earlier than?
“The issue with the Jets is we are saying the identical factor each few years,” one rival NFL govt instructed me. “They’ve a transformative draft. They get some severe gamers. Then, just a few years later, they blow all of it up and begin over once more.”
Working example: The 2022 Jets draft, which netted them cornerback Sauce Gardner, extensive receiver Garrett Wilson and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson in Spherical 1 and operating again Breece Corridor in Spherical 2. That was speculated to be their core of the longer term. However they’ve gone 22-46 since then, and a brand new normal supervisor and coach traded Gardner and Johnson away.
Will David Bailey be the one to assist the Jets get out of purgatory and make the playoffs after the crew took him with the No. 2 total decide? (Photograph by Emilee Chinn/Getty Pictures)
Will it’s any totally different with the Jets’ Class of 2026, which included three first-rounders — edge David Bailey (at No. 2), tight finish Kenyon Sadiq (No. 16) and extensive receiver Omar Cooper (No. 31), plus cornerback D’Angelo Ponds within the second spherical?
“It’s onerous to not do effectively when you could have excessive picks, and if you commerce away a whole lot of gamers for extra picks,” one scout instructed me. “However I do like that group. With these 4 and all of the modifications they made on protection in free company, they’ve the items to be aggressive.
“However in addition they have the identical drawback they all the time have: No quarterback. Till they clear up that place, they received’t get anyplace.
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How a lot did the Giants love Jeremiyah Love? Perhaps sufficient to take him at 5
Vacchiano: The Giants have been stunned that edge rusher Arvell Reese was obtainable for them to take with the No. 5 decide within the draft. They anticipated him to go within the prime 4, partly as a result of, as GM Joe Schoen revealed, he was the top-rated non-quarterback on their draft board.
However not by a lot. Working again Jeremiyah Love, who was taken by the Cardinals at No. 3, had “principally the identical grade” as Reese, a crew supply instructed me.
So what would’ve occurred if each Reese and Love had been obtainable at 5?
We could by no means know, however the inside debate within the run-up to the draft had been fascinating. Love clearly had some robust help within the Giants group, and Harbaugh was believed to be certainly one of his largest boosters. The coach had a strong speeding assault in Baltimore behind Derrick Henry, and he needs to rebuild that sort of offense in New York.
Jeremiyah Love was chosen by the Cardinals with the third decide. Would he have ended up with the Giants if he fell to No. 5? (Photograph by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Pictures)
However there are others within the group who consider strongly in “positional worth” — notably Schoen, who was assumed by most to favor Reese. The fifth decide within the draft will get a contract price a assured $47.8 million. That’s $11.8 million extra assured than any operating again has ever gotten earlier than.
“It’s a horrible use of belongings,” one normal supervisor instructed me. “Clearly, you’ll find 1,000-yard rushers for a lot much less. It’s important to actually consider [Love] is a Corridor of Fame expertise and may rework your crew instantly. As a result of financially, you’re saying he’s 33% higher than [Saquon] Barkley. And he’s not.”
“I don’t know what the Giants would have completed,” a scout instructed me. “However typically you simply need to take the expertise and ignore the fee. He’s a particular operating again. Overlook the funds. It’s about: What can he do for you?”
That’s most likely the talk the Giants have been having for weeks. The Cardinals prevented the world from discovering out how it might have turned out.
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Cowboys might need gotten the ‘steal’ of the draft
Vacchiano: Jerry Jones known as security Caleb Downs a “prize” that they couldn’t cross up after they noticed him falling within the first spherical. That’s why he traded two fifth-round picks to the Dolphins to maneuver up from 12 to 11 to get him.
That was a small value to pay for a participant that a number of NFL sources told me was a “steal.”
“I do know he was the highest [non-quarterback] on just a few boards across the league,” one scout instructed me. “I get that no person needs to draft a security excessive, however this dude is greater than a security. He’s a weapon again there. He’s Kyle Hamilton (the Ravens’ three-time All-Professional), solely perhaps extra explosive.”
“They acquired some severe worth that far down,” a normal supervisor instructed me. “I do know you needed to take the sting rushers first, however he’s extra of a distinction maker than Sonny Kinds (the linebacker that went to Washington at 7). He can cowl, he can blitz, he can play the run. You’ll be able to deploy him like a nook or a linebacker. He can do all of it.
“I’m positive the Commanders and Giants are pleased with who they acquired,” an NFL defensive coordinator instructed me. “However they will hate having to play in opposition to this man twice a yr.”
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Bye-bye A.J. Brown: Eagles draft made it clear they’ll be buying and selling their No. 1 receiver
Vacchiano: The A.J. Brown commerce to the New England Patriots has been rumored for months, even because the Philadelphia Eagles have tried to downplay the likelihood. They have been dismissive of it after they signed veteran extensive receiver Hollywood Brown. And so they brushed it off after they traded for extensive receiver Dontayvion Wicks.
However after they traded up within the first spherical to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers to USC extensive receiver Makai Lemon, there’s nearly no level in denying it now.
“I suppose the one query is what they’ll get,” an NFL assistant normal supervisor instructed me. “And perhaps whether or not another person, just like the Rams, swoops in on the final minute and provides a greater deal.
“However I inform you what: It positive can be attention-grabbing in the event that they don’t commerce him. We all know they’ll run. I’m positive the road will probably be higher than final yr. It’s the passing sport that they haven’t actually been in a position to work constantly the previous couple of years. A few of that’s as a result of they’ve by no means had a dependable third receiver. It’s been all Brown and [DeVonta] Smith.
“Nicely, now they’ve acquired Wicks, Lemon, perhaps Hollywood to stretch the sphere. That’s greater than sufficient with out Brown. However they positive can be harmful in the event that they stored him.”
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Garrett Nussmeier’s lengthy wait might need a giant payoff
Vacchiano: Heading into the draft, it regarded like LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier can be the third or fourth quarterback taken. Some thought he had an opportunity to go as early because the third spherical. As an alternative, 9 quarterbacks have been taken earlier than him, together with Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis. He wasn’t picked till the seventh spherical and with the 249th total decide.
However he could have landed within the excellent spot. He was taken by the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, giving him an opportunity to study from Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
“If he has any means to play on this league, that’s the place for him,” one scout instructed me. “No person’s higher than [Reid.] That child will sit for 4 years, however he’s going to study a ton.”
Nussmeier dropped within the draft largely as a result of medical exams on the mix reportedly revealed a cyst on his backbone, which triggered the indirect ache he performed by means of most of final season. He may have a medical process, which is able to hold him out two-to-three weeks, however he’s anticipated to be able to go for the beginning of camp.
“I believe the medical factor simply put it excessive for lots of groups,” one normal supervisor instructed me. “He had some mechanical points and I heard a few of his interviews weren’t nice. Put that along with his play final season after which the [cyst] and it gave groups a motive to cross.”
