Throughout the pre-draft process, the Los Angeles Rams were linked to Ty Simpson. Whether it was Louis Riddick saying early on that they liked him or Todd McShay predicting they’d pick him in a mock draft, the connections were there.
The Rams did a pretty good job keeping things in-house, though – as they usually do.
After being picked by the Rams at No. 13, Simpson told reporters in his press conference that he “really had no clue” they were going to take him. That’s probably because he’s had minimal contact with the team, only talking to some scouts.
He said Thursday night was the first time he’s ever spoken to Les Snead.
“This was my first time talking to Les tonight,” he said. “It was something that was super surreal. I know my dad had spoken with him briefly, but this was my first contact and it was cool. I’m looking forward to meeting him and getting to know Coach.”
Furthermore, Simpson said on SiriusXM radio that he’s never met Sean McVay. That’s less unusual considering the Rams coach doesn’t travel to any pre-draft festivities like the combine or Senior Bowl.
However, it’s still strange that his “really brief” contact with the team was limited to meeting “with some scouts in Alabama and that was really it.”
Ty Simpson just said on @SiriusXMNFL that he’s never met Sean McVay.
— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) April 24, 2026
Simpson called McVay a “quarterback genius” and is obviously extremely excited to get going with his new head coach, but McVay didn’t exactly seem overjoyed about the selection in his post-draft press conference.
He was noticeably stoic and his demeanor during that presser was abnormal for the energetic coach, which some have taken to be an indication that this was Snead’s pick and not his. But even with minimal contact during the pre-draft process, the Rams felt strongly enough about taking a player who could be their next franchise QB.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Ty Simpson never met Sean McVay, didn’t talk to Les Snead before draft