More than a few people in the NFL world were quite surprised when the Los Angeles Rams used the 13th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft to snag Ty Simpson, with many not certain whether he possessed the talent to justify being drafted that early. But his first NFL preseason has silenced some of that chatter.
The Rams wrapped up their preseason with a perfect 3-0 record on Thursday by capturing a victory over intra-city rival the Los Angeles Chargers, and while it's always best to take caution when reading into preseason results, it's hard to argue that Ty Simpson has looked quite impressive. He finished the preseason with a 78.3 completion percentage, going 47-for-60 with 382 passing yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Ty Simpson
with a STRONG close to his first NFL preseason 🐏 Did the Alabama product have the strongest performance amongst rookie QBs? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/BVhnMbn7Hf
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 28, 2026
Despite the controversy surrounding where Simpson was drafted, the Rams did not seem to have much of a second thought about drafting the rising signal caller out of Alabama. They reportedly even worked to keep their plans to draft him a secret, as they thought highly enough of him that they didn't want anyone else to jump the gun ahead of them.
After the offseason news that Stetson Bennett held the edge in the battle to be Matthew Stafford's backup over Simpson, there were some fans casting doubt on whether the rookie was adjusting to the professional level. But after his preseason performances, those people can put those worries to rest – because Simpson has looked to be every bit of a quarterback who could inherit the starting role for the franchise for years to come after Stafford eventually retires.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Ty Simpson closes debut NFL preseason, looking like a future star
