Ty Simpson is now the most recent and final quarterback from Nick Saban’s recruiting classes to be taken in the first round. Now a Los Angeles Ram, the former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback gets his flowers from his former head coach. 

With the 13th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Rams selected quarterback Simpson. Back in February 2021, Saban recruited the Tennessee native. However, in his four years in Tuscaloosa, Simpson played only two seasons under Saban. But that did not stop the GOAT from praising the quarterback he once recruited. 

"This is the kind of player, the kind of person that you want in your organization," Saban said on ABC's NFL draft broadcast on April 23. "He's a good leader, a hard worker. I really like Ty. I think that the fact he only played 13 games - his best football is ahead of him.”

In Alabama, Simpson had some terrific records. Simpson has the lowest interception percentage in Alabama history at 0.96%, according to his school bio. Also, he is 1st in Alabama single-game consecutive completions and 1st in SEC completions without an incompletion (17-17). 

Simpson joins veteran quarterback and 2025 NFL MVP Matthew Stafford. Meanwhile, the former Alabama head coach believes that this is the perfect situation. 

"And he's getting in the best situation he can be in, going to an organization that has a veteran quarterback, and he will not have to play immediately and have a chance to develop. It's perfect. Perfect. Perfect," said Saban.

Simpson patiently waited in the wings behind Jalen Milroe and Bryce Young. He seized his opportunity in 2025 when he was named the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback.

In Los Angeles, the waiting game comes with a prize. Simpson now gets the benefit of learning behind an elite veteran quarterback. Also, there are no immediate expectations to start. 

At the same time, he will be playing under the wings of Sean McVay, who led the Rams to a Super Bowl win in 2021 and nearly returned the team to that berth again before falling to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship. 

Simpson to Succeed Matthew Stafford as QB of the Rams

By most draft projections, experts put Simpson to be selected in the second half of round one or to be selected in round two of the draft. The Rams made a surprising move by selecting him almost in the top-10. 

“The fact that an organization like the Los Angeles Rams believed in me and took a chance on me is just something that I’m so grateful for,” Simpson said.

The general manager of the Rams, Les Snead, has made a first-round draft pick for only the second time in the past decade, and this time it is Simpson.

It shows McVay and Snead’s belief in the young Crimson Tide quarterback, who caught attention because of his determination.

“The perseverance that you have when you go through hard things," said Snead when asked about what he liked the most about Simpson. 

Having played only one full season as a starting quarterback, he will be eased into the role rather than being thrown into the deep end. For now, however, it remains Stafford’s offense, as McVay confirmed.

The fact that Alabama’s offense under Ryan Grubb and Rams’ scheme are similar, the bar is higher for Simpson. Can he make his former mentor, Saban, proud? Share your thoughts.

Read more at Michigan Football Community.

Written by

Samvruth Raj

Edited by

Soheli Tarafdar