Rams surprise with Ty Simpson pick, Giants score high grades in first round

The Rams turned Round 1 into a referendum on quarterback risk, taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in a move that landed as one of the night’s biggest surprises. ESPN called the choice a stunner, and NFL.com noted that few expected Simpson to come off the board in the top half of the first round. In a draft that repeatedly tested how aggressively teams should chase a future answer at quarterback, Los Angeles chose to force the issue.

Sean McVay tried to steady the room after the pick by putting the present in front of the future. “This is Matthew’s team,” McVay said, referring to Matthew Stafford, who is 38, won NFL MVP in 2025 and has not said how long he intends to keep playing. That context made the selection even more striking: the Rams spent premium draft capital on a quarterback while still publicly anchoring themselves to Stafford’s leadership and production. It was the kind of move that says as much about organizational timelines as it does about talent evaluation.

The Giants, by contrast, earned strong marks for a first round that looked built on discipline rather than gamble. New York opened with Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5, then followed with Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa at No. 10, attacking both sides of the ball with two players who fit clear roster needs. ESPN reported that the Giants had Reese ranked as their top non-quarterback and Mauigoa as fourth on their board, a sign that the front office stayed close to its own valuations instead of chasing the board’s flashiest options.

That contrast defined much of Thursday night in Pittsburgh, where the Cardinals took Jeremiyah Love at No. 3, the Chiefs traded up to No. 6 for Mansoor Delane and the Cowboys moved up to No. 11 for Caleb Downs. The draft tracker showed Simpson at No. 13 and the Giants’ two picks at Nos. 5 and 10, underscoring how quickly the first round veered from consensus. By the time the draft moved into Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday, April 24, 2026, the opening night had already drawn a sharp line between clubs willing to gamble on quarterback upside and those content to build with more measured precision.