Tonight is the start of the 2026 NFL Draft on ESPN, and one player who might have his name called in the first round is Ty Simpson.
The Alabama quarterback is expected to be the second quarterback taken in the draft after Fernando Mendoza. Before the draft, he had the chance to shine on the red carpet.
Ty Simpson Shines on 2026 NFL Draft Red Carpet
Simpson is coming into the league as a redshirt junior who spent all four years of his collegiate career at the University of Alabama. However, he wasn’t actually the team’s starter until 2025.
In his senior season, Simpson completed 64.5% of passes for 3567 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He added another 93 rushing yards and two touchdowns as well. 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 had a productive 2025 campaign, but there is still plenty of concern over the tape he compiled in college. Is one season of playing time enough to get an accurate read on Simpson? One NFL Personnel Director said, “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.”
Alas, Simpson is still expected to be drafted early, either in the late first round or early second round. So, he took to the NFL Draft red carpet with his family.
Even with the lack of design in his jacket suit lining, as other prospects had, he still showed off his draft day outfit:
In PFSN’s Jacob Infante’s final mock draft, he predicts the Cardinals to trade back into the first with the Chicago Bears to draft Simpson. Here’s what he had to say:
“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. 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. 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.”
Will Simpson hear his name called tonight, or will he have to wait until the second round tomorrow night?
