Rams' Gamble on Simpson, Cards' Beck: NFC West Showdown

0:00On April 25, Rams fans lit up social media roasting the pick of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at number 13 overall. But here's the twist, nobody was talking about. Their general manager, Lest Sneed, knew Arizona Cardinal's coach, Michael LaFloor, had eyes on the rookie too. Meanwhile, the Cardinals held picks at number 3, 34, and 65, while the Rams had nothing between 13 and 61. Experts say if LA hadn't grabbed Simpson Arizona, likely jumps him at 34. Instead, after missing out, they waited till 65 to snag Georgia transfer Carson Beck. Fans hammered the Rams for reaching on Simpson. But the real story is how the talent at quarterback dropped sharp after him. That's why the cards felt good about Beck in round 3. He was the top option left for a team desperate at the position. Beck's path wasn't smooth, he lost the starting gig at Georgia to Rams' backup Stets and Bennett, then finally clicked a Miami system.

1:00Still, most teams saw him as a day 3 guy at best, forcing Arizona to pivot after Sneed's move. Nobody predicts the future in this league, especially in the brutal NFC West. Beck's got a steep climb to earn snaps against that division heat. But if he balls out, it'll quiet all the doubters quick.