One NFL draft prospect generating significant buzz is Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, whose stock has reportedly risen back into the first round over the past couple of days.
A number of teams could be open to drafting Simpson, but Draft Analyst Mel Kiper Jr. says one team that doesn’t need to do research on the player is the Cleveland Browns. According to Kiper, the Browns already have a better option in Shedeur Sanders.
Mel Kiper Jr. Praises Shedeur Sanders Over Ty Simpson
Earlier this morning, Kiper had the following to say about Sanders and Simpson:
🔥 Shedeur. Mel Kiper Kills Browns Narrative on Ty Simpson 💛😂
“The Browns don’t have to worry about Ty Simpson. They got a better QB in Shedeur Sanders than Ty” https://t.co/xvmOAg7P1C pic.twitter.com/AoOs8Yjona
— JaKi 🇺🇸 (@JaKiTruth) March 26, 2026
“The Jets have to be figuring out Ty Simpson, the Steelers have to figure out Ty Simpson, and now certainly Arizona does if they want to try to trade back in and get him… the Browns don’t have to worry about Ty Simpson, they got a better quarterback than Ty Simpson in Shedeur Sanders, don’t go there.”
In eight games during the 2025 season, Sanders completed 56.6% of his passes for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns with 10 interceptions. Additionally, he ran for 169 yards and one touchdown on 21 attempts. Despite the performance, he was named a Pro Bowler after replacing other quarterbacks who did not participate. In PFSN’s NFL Quarterback Impact Metric, Sanders ranked 46th out of all quarterbacks, making him the third-worst qualified player. He finished the season with an impact score of 56.9, equating to a letter grade of F.
Comparatively, Simpson played in 15 games during 2025, completing 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns while throwing only five interceptions. Despite not being a rushing quarterback, he ran for 93 yards and two touchdowns on 90 attempts. In PFSN’s College Football Quarterback Impact Metric, Simpson ranked as the 25th-best quarterback in the country with an impact score of 85.4 and a letter grade of B.
Why Kiper Jr. Prefers Shedeur Sanders Over Simpson
Kiper is right to say the Browns shouldn’t worry about Simpson, but it isn’t because Sanders is better than the Alabama quarterback. Rather, the quarterback room is so crowded between Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, and Deshaun Watson that it does not make sense for Cleveland to take a quarterback this year.
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The team needs an actual plan in place, whether that is weighing the two sophomore quarterbacks, Gabriel and Sanders, or relying on Watson, their $230 million veteran. Even though Simpson has not appeared in NFL games like Sanders has, calling the Cleveland quarterback better is an interesting stance.
