But after landing on the West Coast and having his first meeting with his new head coach, the quarterback couldn’t contain his excitement for the future.
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“He’s got the juice,” Simpson said of McVay at the Rams’ temporary draft headquarters near SoFi Stadium. “That guy is a fireball guy. He loves the ball.”
When he donned a Rams hat and spoke to reporters Friday afternoon, Simpson had not yet met Matthew Stafford, the Rams’ starting quarterback for next season and possibly beyond, although he did receive a warm welcome message from Kelly Stafford, the MVP’s wife.
Simpson had nothing but praise and admiration for the 38-year-old quarterback whose film he watched closely at Alabama, making it clear he plans to learn, not threaten Stafford’s job.
McVay and the Rams are clearly on the same page, and McVay pointedly stated that the Rams are “Matthew’s team” right after drafting Simpson.
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“Matthew Stafford throws the ball with conviction and doesn’t care what happens,” Simpson said. “He could throw a pick on the previous drive, and he’ll come back and throw the same type of ball. That guy is a killer. As a quarterback, that’s the type of mentality you have to have. Being able to learn from him and learn how he does those things on a daily basis, I can’t wait to take it all in.”
The Rams made the most surprising pick of the first round on Thursday when they selected the 23-year-old Crimson Tide product, who started just 15 college games, the fourth-fewest by a first-round pick in the last quarter-century. Los Angeles kept its avid interest in Simpson mostly quiet before going against the widely held belief that they would add a top receiver or offensive tackle from their highest draft position in 10 years.
Instead, the Rams made a big bet on Simpson, the son of longtime UT Martin head coach Doug Simpson. He spent the last four years in Tuscaloosa before turning down big NIL offers to turn pro after just one season as a starter with the Tide.
That bet on himself definitely paid off for Simpson, who called it “a dream come true” to be “not only a first-round pick, but also in a great organization like the Los Angeles Rams with the best head coach in the league, the best quarterback in the league and the best-managed franchise in the league. It’s a perfect situation.”
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It’s too early to know if this huge risk will pay off for the Rams. While the pick was questionable for clear reasons with this team openly dedicated to maximizing its championship window while Stafford plays, the Rams’ interest in Simpson makes sense on some levels.
Simpson excelled in play-action at Alabama, and the Rams ran play-action at the highest rate in the NFL last season. He also threw just five interceptions in 523 pass attempts, the lowest rate in Crimson Tide history, while working on progressions and making decisions with an effectiveness that made him the second-best quarterback in this draft.
After attending the draft in Pittsburgh despite not knowing if he would be selected in the first round, Simpson flew to Los Angeles with his parents and siblings. Simpson already played in the area last January when Alabama lost the Rose Bowl to eventual national champion Indiana, and the Tide made its pregame walk-through at the indoor SoFi amid heavy rain on New Year’s Eve.
“So, ironically, it will be my home stadium,” Simpson said with a smile. “I guess I’m a redneck in Los Angeles, California, so we’ll see how it goes. I’m really excited to be here. This is a great place with great people. I can’t wait to get started.”
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL