Rams' Ty Simpson says he had 'secret' meetings with Sean McVay leading up to shocking draft selection

The Los Angeles Rams were capable to astonishment the NFL satellite connected Thursday nighttime with their enactment of Alabama backmost Ty Simpson due to the fact that of immoderate "secret" pre-draft meetings.

Simpson, 23, said the Rams wanted to propulsion different teams disconnected their scent by keeping the meetings quiet.

"I had immoderate concealed meetings with manager (Sean) McVay, and I conscionable was trying to beryllium connected publication and bash what everybody told maine and not to archer anybody," Simpson said during a caller interrogation with ESPN Radio.

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Ty Simpson of Alabama celebrates aft being selected arsenic the 13th wide prime by the Los Angeles Rams during the archetypal circular of the 2026 NFL Draft astatine Acrisure Stadium successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, connected April 23, 2026. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Simpson said helium knew the Rams were interested, but wanted to support it discreet.

"We tried to support this nether wraps arsenic agelong arsenic we could," Simpson said. "It was thing to wherever I knew they were interested, but they wanted to marque it backstage and didn’t privation radical to cognize that they were interested."

The Tennessee autochthonal compared talking with Rams caput manager Sean McVay during the "secret meeting" to being similar a kid a candy shop, raving astir his caller situation.

"It was great, we met astatine the installation and it was thing to wherever we conscionable talked for hours and hours, it was conscionable football. It was conscionable consecutive football, and it was similar a kid successful a candy store. Me and him are sitting there, we’re conscionable going backmost and forth. You tin archer the obsession helium has for the crippled and you tin archer the emotion helium has for backmost play," Simpson said.

"It’s thing that I admit and it’s thing that I bask due to the fact that I truly bask playing the presumption and worth the position. So, being with him and getting to cognize him and seeing a small spot of however I would get coached if I was fortunate capable to spell determination was something. I couldn’t person asked for a amended situation."

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Ty Simpson of the Alabama Crimson Tide warms up earlier the College Football Playoff quarterfinal crippled against the Indiana Hoosiers astatine Rose Bowl Stadium successful Pasadena, Calif., connected Jan. 1, 2026. (CFP/Getty Images)

The enactment of Simpson was truthful astonishing due to the fact that the Rams are successful win-now mode. While the Rams mightiness beryllium getting up by drafting their backmost of the future, the No. 13 wide prime could person been utilized connected a subordinate astatine a antithetic presumption who could interaction the squad this season.

Matthew Stafford played immoderate of the champion shot of his vocation successful his 17th season, winning his archetypal MVP past twelvemonth with the Rams. However, the 38-year-old backmost lone announced helium was returning for different play erstwhile helium capped his MVP code with the news.

With Stafford’s aboriginal seemingly uncertain aft adjacent season, the Rams got a leap connected their heir evident successful Simpson.

McVay said during a property league connected Friday that helium is excited for Simpson to larn from Stafford.

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Los Angeles Rams caput manager Sean McVay walks connected the tract astatine Lumen Field aft the 2026 NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks successful Seattle, Washington, connected Jan. 25, 2026. (Kevin Ng/Imagn Images)

"I’m excited to beryllium capable to adhd Ty. What a blessing it is for him to beryllium capable to larn from Matthew and to beryllium capable to travel into this ambiance and environment. Whenever that clip comes for him to get an accidental to beryllium Matthew’s successor volition beryllium connected Matthew’s terms. I deliberation that’s truly what the important happening was. I didn’t privation that to ever beryllium misunderstood portion not minimizing the excitement for Ty and the buy-in," McVay said.

"Les and his radical truly liked him. As soon arsenic we started truly studying him, determination was a assemblage of work, similar I talked about, that was a good, amusive evaluation. A batch of the concepts that we would activate. The feline is simply a shot junkie and plays with the timing and rhythm. You tin spot that he’s a coach’s son. His travel is simply a amusive 1 that he’s been through."

OutKick's Clay Travis said Simpson would beryllium the cleanable acceptable for the Rams earlier the NFL Draft began past week.

Simpson started conscionable 1 play with Alabama, his last 1 successful 2025. In 15 games, helium completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.

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