Former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson remains one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft class. Simpson is widely considered a top-tier prospect in a draft class that is notably light on quarterback talent, often cited as the primary challenger to Indiana’s Heisman winner, Fernando Mendoza.
The choice between Simpson and Mendoza has become the defining debate of the pre-draft cycle. While Mendoza offers more starting experience and ideal physical traits, many analysts favor Simpson’s elite processing and “pro-ready” tape. Simpson’s draft stock has surged recently, as teams look beyond his limited resume to his high-ceiling potential as a franchise leader.
Todd McShay Reveals Ty Simpson Draft Stock Rise
During Monday’s segment of the “McShay Show,” draft analyst Todd McShay revealed that Simpson might be selected much higher than general public projections suggest. McShay noted that Simpson has been heavily linked to the Arizona Cardinals more than any other team in league circles.
“There is some information out there where if you’re ARI and you like Simpson, you may have to be aggressive. There might be a team closer to the Dan Orlovski viewpoint [QB1],” McShay said. McShay suggests team may be Rams.
Simpson’s lack of experience, having only 15 career starts, remains the primary red flag for scouts. However, in his single year as the full-time starter, Simpson led the Crimson Tide back to the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff, finishing the season with an 11-4 record. Analysts like McShay argue that while history suggests fewer than 20 starts is “risky,” Simpson’s intangibles make him the “outlier of outliers.”
Simpson Considered College Football Stay After $6.5 Million Offer
During Friday’s segment of the “See Ball, Get Ball” podcast, Simpson revealed that he seriously considered a mammoth $6.5 million NIL offer from the Miami Hurricanes to transfer for his senior season instead of declaring for the NFL Draft. He further detailed Nick Saban’s role in his final decision.
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“I talked to Coach Saban about this, and the things he was talking about were: ‘Do you want to play football in college, or do you want to play professionally? Take the money out of it, take the rounds out of it, what do you want to do next year?’” Simpson said. “And without a doubt and without hesitation, I said, ‘I want to play professional football.’ And he was like, ‘Well, there’s your answer.’”
Simpson redshirted his first season in Tuscaloosa in 2022 and served as Jalen Milroe’s backup in 2023 under Saban. After Saban’s retirement and the arrival of Kalen DeBoer, Simpson took over the starting role in 2025 and exploded onto the national scene.
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He finished his final collegiate season with 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and only five interceptions, adding 93 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. These stats earned him a PFSN College QB Impact score of 85.4, cementing his status as a projected first-round pick in this Thursday’s draft in Pittsburgh.
