Ty Simpson was offered a hefty money to return to college football for the 2026 season, but he turned it down as he didn’t want to walk away from Alabama. He has already entered the 2026 NFL Draft, but recent projections haven’t been particularly favorable.
Ty Simpson Linked to Potential GM Turmoil as First-Round Status Wavers
Simpson departed Alabama as one of the most efficient passers in the program’s history. Despite this, former LSU standout Breiden Fehoko remains skeptical of the former Alabama QB’s NFL potential and even issued a warning to whichever team drafts him.
“I can guarantee you whatever team drafts Ty Simpson that GM gets fired within 2 years,” Fehoko tweeted.
Simpson is regarded as the top QB2 prospect in this draft class, as he is facing little real competition for that slot. He threw only five interceptions across 523 attempts in 2025, setting the Alabama record for lowest interception percentage (0.956). He finished the season as the No. 25 nationally in the PFSN College Football QB Impact Metric with an 85.4 score.
However, Simpson has a comparatively thin playing profile as he has just 15 college starts. He had attempted just 51 passes in three years at Alabama before last season. Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic spoke on Monday that some scouts question whether the ex-Alabama QB is “ready to lead an NFL offense next season.”
He also mentioned that Simpson’s arm strength may not be sufficient to escape pressure like some of his peers in the draft class.
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On a recent episode of “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd also referenced NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who believes former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the only signal-caller in this class worthy of a first-round selection.
“He’s my 40th player, you know, as we are in the process right now, which I wouldn’t look I somebody wants to take him with the 25th pick,” Jeremiah said of Simpson. “That’s not that out of the realm of possibility. And I would think that’s not really a reach.
“He’s mechanically sound. He throws a nice ball. He’s got touch and accuracy, but when bodies get around him, I thought there’s times he plays a little small. And then the guy’s only started 15 games, and he’s been beat up. So those are the negative sides of it.”
If Simpson falls in the draft, it could mark the first time in nearly two decades that an Alabama player goes unselected in the first round. However, NFL teams desperate for a potential franchise QB could push him up the board.
