Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has distinguished himself as one of the best prospects at his position in the 2026 NFL Draft class. The former Crimson Tide quarterback has often been mocked as the only other quarterback apart from Indiana Hoosiers star Fernando Mendoza with a first-round grade.
Simpson has been a polarizing figure throughout the pre-draft process due to his limited number of starts (15) in his college football career, which he spent primarily as a backup on teams led by both Nick Saban and Kalen DeBoer.
Ty Simpson Explains How Nick Saban’s Departure Helped His Development
Simpson backed up Jalen Milroe for two seasons in Tuscaloosa before finally taking over the Crimson Tide’s QB1 reins last year and showing off his talent during a tumultuous season for Alabama.
During Wednesday’s segment of “The Downs 2 Business Podcast,” Simpson revealed how Saban’s departure in January 2024 and DeBoer’s subsequent arrival benefited his growth at Alabama.
“Then Saban’s process of how he’s done things from how he prepares, how routine-oriented he is, that was really good for me,” Simpson said. “Then, when he left, it was good for me to understand somebody from another point of view. DeBoer came in and I saw it from an offensive side now.
“It was more like offensive drills and centered towards the quarterback more. It was almost like transferring without transferring, but it was so cool to see it from both sides because coach Saban’s the greatest of all time and then DeBoer comes in and he lit it up in Washington. I’ve been nothing but grateful for everything that Bama’s done for me.”
In DeBoer’s first season in charge, he brought Austin Mack from Washington; he and Simpson backed up Milroe. In his second season at the helm of the Crimson Tide, DeBoer selected Simpson as his QB1, and the talented prospect led Alabama to the SEC Championship Game and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Simpson Details Nick Saban’s Influence During His Recruitment
Simpson almost joined Tennessee in 2022. According to AL.com’s Nick Kelly, Simpson’s father, Jason Simpson, was close to becoming the Volunteers’ quarterbacks coach under former coach Jeremy Pruitt. Pruitt was fired due to recruitment violations, and Simpson committed to Saban’s Alabama.
During an appearance on “Jon Gruden’s QB Class” on Monday, Simpson revealed the influence Saban had that drew him to the Crimson Tide over his hometown Tennessee program.
“It was just something about the A, Coach Saban, the infrastructure there with the NFL,” Simpson said. “There wasn’t anything like it. I knew that as a ball guy, I was infatuated with football, I loved it so much and I wanted to go somewhere where I knew I could play with the best players and that it could prepare me for the NFL.”
In his sole season under center for the Crimson Tide, Simpson earned a PFSN College QB Impact score of 85.4 after registering 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions, while adding 93 rushing yards and two scores to boost his draft stock.
