Could Ty Simpson be Browns' QB answer in 2026 NFL Draft? Alabama's Kalen DeBoer weighs in
Simpson showed elite skills during his only season as the Crimson Tide's starter last fall
Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is one of the 2026 NFL Draft's most polarizing prospects, his hype level hitting a fever pitch ahead of his pro day after analyst Dan Orlovsky said he was better than projected No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
In his only season as the Crimson Tide starter, Simpson completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns with just five interceptions, numbers that paled in comparison to Mendoza's production en route to winning the Heisman. However, it's Simpson's IQ level and ceiling that make him a coveted first-round prospect.
During an appearance on a Cleveland-based radio show, Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer discussed why the Cleveland Browns would be smart to take Simpson with one of their two Day 1 selections.
"Even though he hasn't played a lot of starts, he's been around college football at a high level, and he's the son of a coach," DeBoer said Wednesday on The Ken Carman Show. "He's just done a great job. Last year, he really did an excellent job taking big steps forward, big chunks going from playing a little bit in the previous years to starting the season fast and making a lot of big plays for us.
"He understands the game. He understands not just the Xs and Os, but what the quarterback's job is.... we put a lot of his shoulders to check things. He gets it all. He did a great job managing the game and making big plays for us."
The 6-foot-1, 211-pound Simpson originally signed with Nick Saban as a 2022 five-star prospect. He lost multiple competitions in Tuscaloosa prior to winning the job last year. In 2025, he led the SEC in attempts (473) and completions (305), helping the Crimson Tide reach the College Football Playoff.
"He'll put his head down and go compete for a job from the get-go," DeBoer said. "He'll do it the right way. He'll respect everyone around him, but he'll attack the situation and be in the facility spending countless hours doing whatever he can to learn."
Browns 2026 QB situation
Recently-hired coach Todd Monken anticipates "open competition" for the starting job between Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and Deshaun Watson, three players under contract.
Sanders, a fifth-round pick in 2025, started Cleveland's final seven games last season, taking over after Gabriel — a fellow rookie — suffered a concussion in Week 11. Watson did not play in 2025 after rupturing his Achilles midway through the 2024 season and then tearing it again a few months later.
The Browns are enticed by Simpson's skill set, according to Cleveland.com, but it's unclear if they view him as a first-round asset.
Only one of CBS Sports' six most recent 2026 mock drafts projects the Browns to take a quarterback in the first round. Pete Prisco's latest slots Simpson to Cleveland at No. 24 overall, while two others have him going to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 29 and one to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21.
Simpson's personal ties to Monken are obvious. The former offensive coordinator at Georgia scouted Simpson before his initial verbal commitment to the Crimson Tide in 2021 and formed a bond with Simpson's father, Jason. The two also spent time at Southern Miss.
"I know (Monken) loves football, and I know that's what I love as well. Super smart guy," Simpson said at the NFL combine. "I remember him coming to my school (while he was) at Georgia. Him and my dad actually have a great relationship because he coached at Southern Miss for a little bit, and his pedigree with all the NFL teams he's been with, and what he did with Lamar (Jackson) and at Georgia, it's just super real. So, a lot of respect for him and the Browns organization. I think they've made a great hire."
