Rams Draft Alabama Buddies for Instant Chemistry

0:00On April 30th, the Los Angeles Rams have cracked a smart playbook move by drafting rookies who already know each other from college. Back in 2023, General Manager Les Sneed grabbed outside linebacker Byron Young in defensive lineman Kobe Turner from Tennessee by Chance and those two click-wike brothers right away. Fast forward to 2024 and the team doubled down on purpose, picking outside linebacker Jared Verse and defensive lineman Braden Fiske, close buddies from Florida State. Now in 2026, they're added again with quarterback Ty Simpson and nose tackle Tim Keenan III, both straight out of Alabama. This isn't some lucky break anymore. It's a calculated strategy to build instant chemistry on a squad full of vets. Rookies hit the NFL like a whirlwind, leaving behind college fame for a sink or swim grind in a new city, with fresh coaches and rules. Having a built-in friend from the same program eases that shock, boost confidence and helps them grind through the early doubts.

1:02Expectations stay low for Simpson and Keenan this season, since neither will see much action right away. They'll earn respect the hard way in training camp and practices, leaning on that Alabama bond, while vets mentor from the sidelines. If this pairing pays off like the others, the Rams could be stacking young talent for years, turning those bottom rung spots into franchise.