The Las Vegas Raiders will select Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza with the first-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but Alabama QB Ty Simpson will likely be the next passer off the board. A former five-star recruit, Simpson finished his Junior season completing 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions. This was Simpson’s first extended stretch of action, and it was good enough to elevate him into the first round of most mock drafts.
Simpson may not have the elite physical measurements of guys like Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, but the Alabama product plays with sound fundamentals and has an NFL-caliber arm. While he may lack MVP upside, he has the makings of a franchise quarterback and could be an above-average starter for years to come if everything breaks well. A player like him won’t go off the board in the top-10, but he will likely go off the board in the back of the first round. Whether it’s a playoff team looking for its next quarterback or an organization trading back into the first round, the following three teams could use a player like Simpson on the roster.
Top 3 NFL Draft Fits For Alabama QB Ty Simpson, Ranked
3. New York Jets
Everything that could go wrong with the 2025 New York Jets, did go wrong. The Justin Fields gamble did not pay off, the offense struggled to find reliable playmakers, and the defense didn’t record a single interception. Head coach Aaron Glenn has his work cut out for him in 2026, but that shouldn’t stop them from considering Ty Simpson. Geno Smith is a fine bridge quarterback, but he’s not a long-term solution by any stretch of the imagination. The only reason the Jets are this low on the list is that Glenn probably won’t keep his job if the Jets do not improve, so he’s more likely to select players that can help right out of the gate, rather than going with a player who, ideally, won’t play a snap in 2026.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t had a true franchise quarterback on the roster since Ben Roethlisberger injured his arm in 2019. Aaron Rodgers may or may not return in 2026, but even if the four-time NFL MVP suits up for another season, this team needs to get younger at the game’s most important position. Say what you will about new head coach Mike McCarthy, but he has a strong track record of developing quarterbacks. The Steelers own the 21st-overall pick in the draft, which is the perfect place to select a potential franchise quarterback like Ty Simpson.
1. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have arguably the league’s most depressing quarterback room in Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew. While both veterans are adequate journeymen, they offer no long-term upside at the position. Ty Simpson may or may not be ready to start as a rookie, which makes Arizona a perfect landing spot. Brissett is more than capable of keeping the ship afloat if he needs to spend extended time under center, but he’s not so good that he’d keep Simpson on the bench if the NFL Draft hopeful proves capable of handling starting duties.
