When the Los Angeles Rams used the 13th overall pick on quarterback Ty Simpson, it raised more than a few eyebrows across the college football landscape. According to a recent ESPN report by Adam Rittenberg, anonymous SEC coaches were caught off guard by the selection, with one defensive coordinator calling it a "wow" moment and admitting, "I honestly was surprised. I was surprised by the team, too."

The skepticism doesn't stop there. Another SEC coordinator offered a blunt assessment: "He's not ready to go be a starter in the NFL right now, he's got work to do." The same coach noted that while Simpson performed adequately last season, he was "just OK" and benefited from an offense with clear limitations in its run game. However, they did acknowledge that Simpson might possess "those qualities that you can't coach that some of these NFL teams fell in love with."

Perhaps the most telling critique came from a defensive coordinator who ranked Simpson below both Jalen Milroe and Bryce Young in terms of difficulty to prepare against. That's a significant statement, especially considering Young's well-documented struggles since being selected first overall in 2023. While Young showed some promise late last season, he's been benched multiple times and still has plenty to prove as a long-term NFL starter.

Simpson's path to the pros was anything but straightforward. He spent two seasons backing up Milroe at Alabama before Milroe himself was taken in the late third round by the Seattle Seahawks in 2025. The Seahawks have been patient with Milroe's development, scrapping their planned packages for him after just three snaps—all of which went poorly—last season.

For Simpson, the challenge now is proving the doubters wrong. With a high draft selection comes high expectations, and the Rams are betting that his potential outweighs the concerns raised by those who faced him in the SEC. Whether he can rise to the occasion remains one of the most intriguing storylines heading into the new season.