There weren’t many more thrilled to see the Rams stunningly pick Ty Simpson during the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday than Dan Orlovsky.
The ESPN analyst, who took plenty of heat this month for touting the Alabama prospect as “the best quarterback in this class,” let out a big celebration when Los Angeles surprisingly took the signal-caller with the No. 13 overall pick.
While live on-air in Pittsburgh with Pat McAfee, Orlovsky jumped up from his chair and screamed, “Fudge yes, dude.”
“Gosh,” he added as he leaned on McAfee’s desk. “That makes me feel good, dude.”
Orlovsky fully professed his love for Simpson on March 24, when he said on ESPN’s “Get Up” that he believed the Tide QB was better than Fernando Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner and now the No.1 overall pick to the Raiders.
“I think when we look at the body of work and what was asked of these two quarterbacks, you have to start with the question, who needed to do more to carry their football team to play well? Ty Simpson and it’s not close between those two quarterbacks,” Orlovsky said.
Orlovsky was widely panned for the take — with even McAfee ribbing the former Lions quarterback over the opinion on one of his shows.
However, Orlovsky clearly felt he was vindicated after Sean McVay took Simpson around 20 spots ahead of where most draft pundits believed he’d end up.
