Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson was one of 16 prospects invited to attend the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. Simpson has been a polarizing prospect throughout the draft process after performances at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in February and at Alabama’s Pro Day on March 25.
Simpson has been predicted to be the second quarterback off the board after former Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza on draft night.
Kalen DeBoer Makes Ty Simpson Draft Statement
During an appearance on SportsCenter on Thursday, DeBoer praised Simpson’s talent, terming him as a first-round pick on draft night.
“I definitely believe he is (a first-round talent), … he’s made so many great plays, big plays and can distribute the ball wherever he needs to down the field,” DeBoer said. “(Simpson) has great football IQ, he’s a coach’s kid, he’s been around the game forever. But once he won the job, he really cut loose with the leadership qualities that he has, and it’s real, it’s genuine.
“He took our guys at times and really got them to rally around him. So many things on the field and off the field that just equate to a guy that you’d want in your program leading your team.”
In DeBoer’s first season in charge of the Crimson Tide, he installed Jalen Milroe as the team’s QB1 as Simpson settled for the backup position. Last season, Simpson was the QB1, leading Alabama back to the SEC Championship Game and a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff field.
The 2026 NFL Draft class has stood out due to a dearth of quarterback talent, with only Mendoza and Simpson receiving first-round projections. Simpson’s draft stock has see-sawed, with analysts unable to agree whether he will hear his name called in the first round.
Simpson Receives Positive Draft Assessment
Simpson was featured in ESPN draft analyst Jeremy Fowler’s ‘Most polarizing draft prospects’ piece on Wednesday. Fowler revealed the positive draft assessment that Simpson received from an AFC executive.
“I don’t think anything about him other than him being a one-year player is supremely polarizing,” an AFC executive said. “…He’s a good kid, a coach’s kid, had a lot of good production and success. Maybe not on the same tier as top guys, but he’s still a player.”
Last season, Simpson distinguished himself as a top quarterback, earning a PFSN College QB Impact score of 85.4 after tallying 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions, while adding 93 rushing yards and two scores for Alabama.
