Ty Simpson predicted to have better career than Fernando Mendoza for Rams reason originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Los Angeles Rams pulled off the biggest stunner of NFL Draft weekend, taking Ty Simpson, the Alabama quarterback, in the first round at No. 13 overall.
He wasn’t even remotely close to going that high by many NFL insiders ahead of the draft, so this pick was truly shocking. The Rams were deservedly mocked for this pick, as in a win-now window, taking a backup QB doesn’t make much sense.
However, as Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report predicts, things might work out. Sobleski isn’t simply predicting that Simpson will be good, but that he will be better than Fernando Mendoza, the first overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders. But why?
“Simpson won’t be judged based on what he does early in his career, because it should be very little,” Sobleski writes. “However, he’s in the best possible situation to create long-term success and emerge as the best quarterback from this draft class.”
Even though Simpson might not work out right away, as he’s going to be behind Matthew Stafford for a period of time, Sobleski believes that Simpson going to the Rams is the reason why he will be better than Mendoza, who landed with the Raiders.
Why Ty Simpson will have a better career than Fernando Mendoza
While there are likely a ton of other factors at play, Sobleski’s reasoning for why Simpson could wind up being the better QB in the long-term than Mendoza is thanks to landing spot.
Las Vegas will have Tom Brady and Klint Kubiak to help Mendoza get started in the NFL, but the Rams have Sean McVay and a much better supporting cast around the QB than the Raiders do.
Brock Bowers is great, but outside of him, the Raiders don’t have much in terms of exciting receiver threats for the No. 1 overall QB.
MORE: Sean McVay reveals Rams did have Davante Adams trade talks this offseason
The Rams, meanwhile, could turn to Puka Nacua and a few fun young tight ends, along with the potential for Davante Adams to continue playing when Simpson takes over.
There’s also more trust in McVay versus Kubiak, and with the success of the Rams in recent years compared to the Raiders’ floundering, it’s easier to believe in the landing spot for a quarterback in Los Angeles versus Las Vegas.
Thanks to the Rams being Simpson’s landing spot, Sobleski is predicting Mendoza to finish behind the No. 13 overall pick at the end of their careers when it’s all said and done. It’s a bold prediction, but one that does have some legs to it if Simpson can stick in L.A.
More Rams news:
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