NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky stirred controversy recently when he named Alabama star Ty Simpson as the best quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft instead of Fernando Mendoza. With draft day on April 23 quickly approaching, debates are naturally circulating as to who is the better player at each position, especially quarterback.
While many people see Mendoza as the No. 1 prospect, Orlovsky turned heads when he placed the Heisman Trophy winner behind Simpson.
Dan Orlovsky Denies That CAA Affiliation Influenced Ty Simpson Draft Ranking
Orlovsky and Simpson are both affiliated with Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Critics claim this connection is the primary reason why the analyst backed the Crimson Tide quarterback as the best in this draft class.
Given that Mendoza is a consensus No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, Orlovsky’s decision to list him behind Simpson prompted many to look for an “ulterior motive,” which highlighted their shared association with CAA.
Detractors believe Orlovsky might be paid by the agency to hype up Simpson so the draft prospect could make more money to start his career, therefore making the agency more money as well.
The analyst appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show,” where he denied having any ulterior motive for calling Simpson the best signal-caller in this class.
“The comment about how everyone on earth thinks Fernando Mendoza is QB1, that’s not true – I can factually tell you that’s not a real thing,” Orlovsky asserted.
Dan Orlovsky responds to claims that he prefers Ty Simpson to Fernando Mendoza because of his CAA affiliation.
“There’s no ulterior motive behind this”pic.twitter.com/S5Eh4igxSa
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 24, 2026
He squashed rumors connecting his opinion to CAA by explaining the dynamic between clients and agents. “The [CAA] agents work for us – not the other way around, just so everybody knows,” he said. “They’re employed by us. Respectfully, that’s how the business model works. CAA is a very big agency. They have a lot of people. That’s all I’ll say on that.”
Host Pat McAfee backed Orlovsky, stating it is unfair to judge the analyst’s take based on the agency that represents him. McAfee added that, given how strongly Orlovsky is hyping Simpson (ranked 38 spots behind Mendoza by PFSN), people might naturally infer an ulterior motive involving money.
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The analyst finally argued that his status is not strong enough for CAA to use him in such a way. “There is no motive behind this,” he concluded. “There is no ulterior motive.”
Whether more information on the controversy surfaces remains to be seen. The 2026 NFL Draft is exactly 29 days away, and debates will undoubtedly continue to swirl about which players will be selected and where they will land.
