For the last five years, Rams fans have spent more time talking about Creed Humphrey than the player they actually drafted in 2021, Tutu Atwell. Sometimes it’s what you don’t have that outshines what you do have. Whether Ty Simpson proves to be the right pick in the long run or not, fans can expect the next year to be spent on the players that L.A. did not draft in the first round instead of the one they did.
It’s already starting at The Athletic, where Ted Nguyen mentioned that although the Rams
have had a “great offseason”, he couldn’t get through a compliment without mentioning that Les Snead and Sean McVay took a quarterback over a player who might help over the next season or two:
“However, they could have used their first-round pick to add wide receiver depth. Davante Adams isn’t getting younger and missed time because of his hamstring last season. They could have drafted guard Olaivavega Ioane or defensive end Rueben Bain. They don’t necessarily need starters at those positions, but injuries happen.“
The next four players drafted after Simpson were Ioane, Bain, tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and right tackle Blake Miller. Makai Lemon went 20th, meaning that if L.A. could have traded down they might have been able to get a player who was projected to go 13th and also more picks.
That does NOT mean that Lemon will prove to be a good NFL player. He fell to 20 for some reason.
It does not mean that Ty Simpson couldn’t end up being the best pick of the 2026 first round. Maybe that’s what will happen.
But as far as next season, Simpson is expected to sit for the entire year, meaning that while Matthew Stafford is starting for the Rams then fans will only be able to watch the progress of players like Lemon and Bain and Sadiq and Ioane and safety Dillon Thieneman.
It only takes one star rookie taken after Simpson for the media and the fans to question “What if?” during 2026.
Who do you think is the most likely rookie drafted after Simpson to have a Rookie of the Year campaign?
Let us know in the comments which player drafted after Simpson has the best odds to win Offensive or Defensive Rookie of the Year.
