Ty Simpson has a wide range of possibilities in the upcoming NFL Draft. He's been one of the most polarizing figures in this class, with his ardent supporters, such as ESPN's Dan Orlovsky, believing he's every bit as good as projected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza. His detractors don't believe he should even be in the conversation for a first-round draft choice.
You can count ex-Rams QB Jim Everett as a Simpson fan. In an exclusive interview with Kyle Odegard of Action Network, Everett laid out the case for the Alabama QB to be selected by the Rams as the heir apparent to Matthew Stafford.
“I think Ty Simpson is pretty damn good,” Everett said. “I think he can play. And I think he comes from a family that has a mindset that Sean McVay loves. It’s been odd that there’s been zero talk about it. If they're thinking that Ty Simpson could be a possibility, I don't think you have to do it at pick 13. I think you have to do it before Pittsburgh's pick (at 21).”
Could the Rams still be a possibility for Ty Simpson in the NFL Draft?
Early in the draft process, it seemed like the Rams would be the perfect landing spot for Simpson. With an aging QB in Stafford, Los Angeles could draft Simpson and allow him to develop in the background for a couple of years before handing over the reins, similar to how the Packers handled things with Jordan Love and Aaron Rodgers.
Simpson seems like a great fit for Sean McVay's offensive system, something that Everett noted in the interview:
“Matthew Stafford's an enthusiast, and I think that gives you a little insight on the type of guy Sean McVay wants to be his quarterback,” Everett said. “He wants an enthusiast. Not the guy that just wants to show up. He wants the guy that wants to show out. That's Matthew Stafford.
"Honestly, I think it's a little bit like Ty Simpson as well, and if I had to go out on a limb, that would be a guy that probably would remind me of a Sean McVay-type guy. I'm not saying he's gonna be all that. I'm just saying I think he has a work ethic.”
Everett makes great points. Simpson has the work ethic and the acumen to make an excellent pro quarterback, but there are legitimate concerns about his lack of starts in college. That's why many think he should go somewhere and sit for a year or two.
Unfortunately, that's not likely to be the Rams.
Los Angeles originally had two first-round picks in this draft, selecting at No. 13 and 29. But they traded the No. 29 pick to the Chiefs to land star CB Trent McDuffie. It's hard to imagine, while the Rams are clearly in win-now mode, that they would use a premium selection at No. 13 on a backup quarterback.
Unless they trade back, which seems unlikely, Everett's dream of Simpson landing on his former team isn't likely to come true.