The shocker of the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night was the Los Angeles Rams, who already have an entrenched starting QB in reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, using the 13th overall pick to select Alabama's Ty Simpson.
While it was one of the worst-kept secrets in league circles that the Rams really liked Simpson, reactions were mixed among fans, draftniks, and armchair scouts.
That's no problem for Simpson, though.
He's used to people doubting him. He sat on the bench for three years at Alabama, and many questioned, even after he made his first start against Florida State, if he was truly the guy for the Crimson Tide. He went on to lead Alabama to 11 wins, the first-ever road win in College Football Playoff history, and a berth in the Rose Bowl.
Now he's a first-round pick, heading to a perfect situation in Los Angeles to learn and grow.
Of course the haters and naysayers are going to be loud again. He doesn't mind it. He's confident in himself, and he dropped a perfect quote after being picked that was a direct message to all the critics.
"Don't be a fan later, because it'll be too late," Simpson said.
Ty Simpson dropped the mic on the critics of his draft selection
Those who actually make a living scouting the quarterback position are sold on Simpson's ability at the next level. Dan Orlvosky pounded the drum for months on end during the pre-draft process and got to take a much-deserved victory lap when the Rams backed up his belief in the Alabama signal-caller.
It's hard to picture a better landing spot for Simpson to be able to prove all the haters wrong. After just 15 starts in Tuscaloosa, Simpson needed to go somewhere where there wouldn't be a lot of pressure on him right away. He found the perfect spot with the Rams, who will let him learn and grow while taking a Jordan Love-esque path to the starting job.
It's still Matthew Stafford's team in Los Angeles for now, but the future is on the way.
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