Rams 2026 draft prediction lands 33-TD Matthew Stafford successor

The Los Angeles Rams must begin looking ahead to life after quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Though the veteran had the best year of his career in 2025 and could be the NFL MVP, Stafford is 37 years old and may call it a career this offseason.

Even if Stafford returns in 2026, it would be wise for Los Angeles to start thinking about a succession plan. That's why NFL.com's Lance Zierlein predicts the Rams will select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 29 overall pick in April's draft.

Here is what Zierlein had to say about Simpson:

"Simpson trailed off over the latter portion of the season, but there were more than enough flashes in 2025 to warrant consideration in this spot."

With just one year of starting experience in college, Simpson isn't ready to be a starting signal-caller in the NFL.

However, he did have a solid 2025 campaign at Alabama, tossing 28 touchdowns to five interceptions with a 64.5% completion rate. Simpson also added two scores on the ground.

Selecting Simpson and having him sit behind Stafford to develop for a season, or even longer, would be a savvy move by Rams general manager Les Snead. Stafford is the perfect mentor for the talented pocket who will do a nice job preparing Simpson to eventually take over in Los Angeles.

The Rams could look to address a need with their first-round pick in this year's draft, but taking Simpson to secure the quarterback position for the future would also be a logical choice.

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