Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft delivered its share of surprises, perhaps none bigger than the Los Angeles Rams selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. Rather than picking a receiver or lineman like many thought they would to try and maximize Matthew Stafford's window, Sean McVay and Les Snead opted to prepare for life after the reigning NFL MVP.
It was a masterful smokescreen by the Rams brass, who had increasingly been linked to USC wideout Makai Lemon. Earlier in the week, McVay discussed the possibility of drafting a quarterback in the first round with USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon.
"I think the first thing is you got to make sure that you really like the player, regardless of what the position is," McVay said. "You don't ever want to overreach for a need, hypothetically. The quarterback position is really important, as are a lot of ones.
"We could talk for days about that. But number one, it always goes back to who's the person? What's their skill set, and what's the vision we have for them?"
The Rams front office clearly felt good enough about Simpson to draft him, to the point where ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that they called Stafford earlier on Thursday to give him a heads up. But was it the right move? Here's how I grade the Rams after Day 1:
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, IndianaThe first round of the 2026 NFL Draft brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns) − CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
Washington Commanders − LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
New Orleans Saints − WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs) − OL Spencer Fano, Utah
Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals) − OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins) − S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys) − OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) − QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
Tampa Bay Buccaneers − DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) − TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Philadelphia Eagles (from Green Bay Packers via Cowboys) − WR Makai Lemon, USC
Pittsburgh Steelers − OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
Los Angeles Chargers − DE/OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)
Cowboys (from Eagles) − DE Malachi Lawrence, Central Florida