TribLive is highlighting the top prospects leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. The three-day event is April 23-25.
Ty Simpson
Position: Quarterback
Height/weight: 6-foot-1/211 pounds
College: Alabama
Simpson might be the prospect drawing the widest range of opinions.
The 23-year-old is considered a first-round pick by most draft analysts, though some see him as a Day 2 talent. Either way, draft gurus universally have him as the second-best quarterback in this year’s class behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, the projected No. 1 pick.
Simpson’s best traits are his decision-making and accuracy. Simpson threw five interceptions in 473 pass attempts last season while tossing 29 touchdowns. He passed for 3,567 yards and completed 64% of his attempts, though that percentage dipped late in the season, possibly because of injury.
What Simpson doesn’t have in abundance is experience, having made only 15 college starts. He spent his first three seasons at Alabama as a backup.
Draft analyst Lance Zierlein described Simpson in his NFL.com bio as “above average as a processor and decision-maker” but considered his arm talent “average, which limits his success.”
Simpson reportedly suffered several injuries last season, including a broken rib in the CFP quarterfinal loss to Indiana. He also played through a severe case of gastritis late in the season, according to NFL Network.
Key stat
0.956 — The interception rate for Simpson, who set an Alabama record by throwing only five interceptions in 523 career attempts.
Did you know?
Simpson arrived at Alabama ranked second nationally among dual-threat high school quarterbacks in the 2022 recruiting class, according to ESPN. Only Clemson recruit Cade Klubnik was ahead of him.
On draft
Here is a look at where the top NFL Draft analysts rank Simpson among players at his position and prospects overall:
Draft expert — QBs/Overall
Mel Kiper Jr. — second/25th
Daniel Jeremiah — second/38th
Todd McShay — second/24th
Field Yates — second/29th
Quotable
“I thought he played a little bit small when he got in crowds in some of those games late in the year. I don’t know how much to attribute that to the injuries versus he got exposed a little bit.”
— NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah
