Where Ty Simpson could land in the 2026 NFL Draft, including teams with multiple first-round picks
Simpson could be a first-round pick this spring. Here are five teams that could use his services
Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, who is widely expected to be selected No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, is unanimously considered the top quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. There is less consensus about who ranks second, but Alabama's Ty Simpson has the most support.
Simpson checks in second among quarterbacks in CBS Sports' prospect rankings, for example, and most mock drafts that have a second quarterback coming off the board in Round 1 slot him in that spot.
The 6-foot-1⅛, 211-pound Simpson played his entire college career at Alabama. In 2025, he led the SEC in attempts (473) and completions (305), throwing for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing an impressive 64.5% of his passes.
Simpson had several notable performances, including Alabama's road victory over Oklahoma in the first round of the College Football Playoff. He threw a pair of touchdown passes that night, including a 30-yard strike early in the second half that gave Alabama the lead for good.
While last season was impressive, Simpson still makes for a tough evaluation. Despite spending four years at Alabama, he was only a one-year starter and threw just 50 total passes during his first three seasons. Inexperienced quarterbacks are generally considered a risky bet for NFL teams, and those risks haven't paid off in recent years.
Simpson also had a season in which his performance swung wildly between two levels. In his first nine games, he went 198 of 296 (66.9%) for 2,461 yards (8.3 per attempt), with 21 touchdowns and just one interception. But in his final six games, he went 107 of 177 (60.5%) for 1,106 yards (6.2 per attempt), with seven touchdowns and four picks.
He dealt with an injury down the stretch and was eventually knocked out of the CFP quarterfinal against Indiana with another ailment, but the drastic split in his lone season as a starter complicates evaluating what he'll be at the next level.
Still, Simpson is likely to be in demand when the end of April arrives. He's probably going to be the second quarterback off the board, and if he's not, it won't be long before he's selected. With that in mind -- and with Alabama's pro day on Wednesday -- we wanted to take a look at a few potential landing spots for Simpson on draft day.
Cleveland Browns (Nos. 6 and 24)
The Browns have Deshaun Watson, Pro Bowler Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel on the roster, but that doesn't mean Cleveland won't explore the quarterback market this offseason. Simpson's father, Jason, is the head coach at UT Martin, and he's good friends with new Browns coach Todd Monken.
"My dad and coach Monken go way back. They talk often," Simpson said at the NFL Scouting Combine, via Cleveland.com. "He texted him when he got the job and they've texted a little bit (since), so if I had the opportunity to play for the Browns, it would be a dream come true."
The Browns have two first-round picks, so they could use their first on an offensive tackle and then circle back to quarterback.
Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 21)
The Steelers have one of the most unsettled quarterback situations in the NFL. Sure, they could bring Aaron Rodgers back for another year, but a) that doesn't seem like a particularly desirable outcome; and b) it wouldn't solve the issue long term. With Simpson widely considered the second-best quarterback in the class, Pittsburgh could be the team to take the plunge in the back half of the first round.
New York Jets (Nos. 16 and 33)
The reason for specifying the pick here is to make it clear the Jets likely wouldn't (and shouldn't) consider Simpson at No. 2 overall. While they just traded for Geno Smith, Simpson still makes sense as a long-term option. Smith is 35 and coming off a rocky season with the Raiders. If drafted by New York, Simpson could spend a year learning behind Smith before potentially taking over the offense.
Arizona Cardinals (No. 34)
A similar case applies to the Cardinals, who hold the third pick in the first round and the second pick in the second. With Kyler Murray now in Minnesota, Arizona is currently set to start Jacoby Brissett, who has built a solid career as a backup. Like Smith in New York, Brissett could give Simpson a year to develop, alongside fellow veteran Gardner Minshew, if Arizona goes that route.
Indianapolis Colts (No. 47)
This seems somewhat unlikely for two reasons. First, the Colts just signed Daniel Jones to a two-year extension. However, because Jones is only under contract through 2027, the door remains open for Indianapolis to stop Simpson's slide if he's still available at No. 47. He would give the Colts a backup plan in case Jones doesn't live up to the deal.
