Even though Fernando Mendoza is the sure-fire lock to be the first quarterback drafted on Thursday, the belief is that Ty Simpson will be the second one drafted.
Simpson had a productive 2025 season, his only season as a starting quarterback in college. For this reason, NFL Personnel Directors are concerned about his lack of playing time.
Concerns Emerge About Ty Simpson’s Experience Ahead of NFL Draft
After four seasons with the Crimson Tide, Simpson finally had his chance to take over as the starter during the 2025 college football season.
The redshirt junior completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. On the ground, he added an additional 93 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. In PFSN’s College Football Quarterback Impact Metric, he ranked as the 25th best quarterback with an impact score of 85.4 and a letter grade of B.
Simpson no doubt had a productive 2025 campaign, but there are concerns about the tape he compiled in college. Is one season of actual playing time enough to get an appropriate read on Simpson?
One NFL Personnel Director doesn’t think so. In regard to Simpson, they said the following:
“There are some things about (Alabama’s) Ty Simpson I appreciate, but the lack of experience and real starter traits is a concern… He needed to stay in college.”
On PFSN’s Big Board, the top four quarterbacks in the draft are Mendoza, Simpson, Garrett Nussmeier, and Cade Klubnik. Compared to Simpson’s 31 career games, Mendoza played in 36, Nussmeier played in 40, and Klubnik played the most out of the group with 49. However, the bulk of Simpson’s games only came last season, compared to the others who played meaningful games before their final year.
Where Will Ty Simpson Get Drafted?
Simpson will be the second quarterback taken in the draft, but where will that be? In PFSN’s Jacob Infante’s final mock draft, he predicts that the Arizona Cardinals will draft him after completing a trade with the Chicago Bears. Here’s what Infante says:
“To secure their quarterback of the future, the Cardinals give No. 34, No. 65, and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Bears for No. 25 and No. 129 in this year’s draft,” Infante wrote. “They have Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew on the roster, but neither of them project as a long-term starter.”
“Ty Simpson was only a one-year starter in college, but he’s pretty advanced given his limited playing time,” Infante added. “He identifies soft spots in zone coverage well and exploits them accordingly. He does a good job of finding the open man, and he’s an accurate thrower of the football.”
After Kyler Murray’s departure to the Minnesota Vikings and veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett holding out for a new contract, the move makes a lot of sense for Arizona. Despite the lack of tape, Infante expects the team won’t be swayed from taking Simpson in the first round.
