The San Francisco 49ers did not make a pick during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. San Francisco executed a pair of trades down the board, moving out of the first round and gaining additional picks in the middle rounds. But the 49ers still have something to celebrate after the first round.
49ers general manager John Lynch could not contain his smile when asked about the Ty Simpson pick by the Rams.
“First of all, I think another team in our division they did get a player who is going to impact and I’m talking about Jeremiyah Love, fantastic player,” Lynch said per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. “Ty Simpson’s a good football player. There was a lot made as to where he would go and what teams would do. It probably surprised everybody. But one thing I’ve learned over the years is that with the quarterbacks, people will do those type of things. They certainly did, so we’ll see.”
Lynch was smiling again towards the end of his answer, too. But that time he was probably recalling his own aggressive quarterback move for Trey Lance in the 2021 NFL Draft.
LA certainly shocked the NFL world by using the 13th overall pick on the Alabama quarterback.
The Rams made a sound long-term investment with the pick, but it will not help them much during the 2026 season. That is likely why Lynch seemed so pleased by the pick.
Ultimately, it may take a long time before Simpson actually plays meaningful snaps in the NFL. Remember, Matthew Stafford had an MVP season in 2025.
But the 49ers are understandably relieved that the Rams did not add a player who will have an instant impact at another position.
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