Height: 6-2

Weight: 208

Year: RS Junior

Pro Comparison: Mac Jones

2026 NFL Combine Results

Pros of Ty Simpson

• Possesses notable arm talent; ability to change arm speeds and layer the football to multiple levels of the field
• Showcases outstanding toughness inside of the pocket; nails while navigating pressure
• When in rhythm, Simpson showcases good accuracy to the short-intermediate levels of the field
• With limited experience, Simpson still possesses some uptapped upside to work with and developmental possibilities
• Simpson showcased resolve and mental toughness while working through up and down play during the 2025 season; has confidence as a competitor

Cons of Ty Simpson

• Physical stature creates limitations inside of the pocket; limited growth potential
• Far too inconsistent from an accuracy perspective; throwing base can become compromised when working against pressure
• Simpson has durability concerns due to underwhelming physical stature; biggest strength (nails against pressure) could be his biggest issue
• Limited experience is notable; needs time working against different pressure looks and coverage variations

Background 

Simpson prepped at Martin (Tenn.) Westview, and was considered to be one of the top quarterbacks in the 2022 recruiting class. He finished ranked as a five-star, the No. 26 overall player, the No. 3 quarterback, and the No. 2 player in the state of Tennessee in the 2022 class, according to the 247 Sports Composite ranking. Simpson chose the Crimson Tide over a long list of impressive offers, including Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, LSU, Michigan, Oregon, Florida, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Penn State, Texas A&M, Clemson, Florida State, Indiana, USC, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, NC State, Louisville, Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Arizona State, Auburn, Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Baylor, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Kansas, UNC, West Virginia, and Duke, among others.   

After serving as a backup for three seasons, Simpson took over as the starting quarterback for Alabama ahead of the 2025 college football season. In the 15 games that Simpson started, he managed to throw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns. Simpson also rushed for 93 yards and two more scores, while completing 64 percent of his passes and throwing just five interceptions. He set the Alabama career record for lowest interception percentage at 0.956. Was named to the All-SEC Second Team by the Associated Press. Simpson chose to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft class despite having one year of eligibility remaining. 

Simpson was born on December 21, 2002, and will turn 24 during his rookie season. His father, Jason Simpson, is the head football coach at UT Martin. He is the longest-tenured head coach in the Ohio Valley Conference after just finishing up his 20th season, holding a 130-98 overall record. His younger brother, Graham Simpson, is a notable quarterback in the 2028 recruiting class. 

Player Evaluation

Simpson hit a stretch of the 2025 season where he looked like he could be a top-5 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft class. When Simpson gets into rhythm, he has long stretches of impressive throws and arguably better than any quarterback in the class. While his overall arm strength is on the average-good level for NFL standards, Simpson makes some beautifully layered throws to create chunk plays to the intermediate and deep sections of the field. Simpson clearly understands how to change arm speed, demonstrating some outstanding touch when working down the field. He is sturdy inside the pocket, showing fearlessness when working against pressure. Simpson has delivered some high-level throws with pressure in his face, showing great toughness to stick in there even while taking a shot. 

With only 15 starts under his belt, Simpson is going to have to fight the battle against history. There is a very troubling track record of one-year starters on the college level who failed miserably on the NFL level. It doesn’t mean that Simpson can’t be successful, but history does say that he would be an outlier. Experience matters at the quarterback position, and Simpson doesn’t have a ton of it to lean on. Simpson’s smaller frame is arguably the most troubling part of his game, which has already caused him issues in terms of durability. As a pure pocket quarterback, his ability to hold up working against pressure is a bit troubling. Simpson is much too streaky of a passer right now, seeing his accuracy come and go from drive to drive. There is too much evidence of inconsistency with accuracy and being a sprayer of a passer at times. He is a quarterback that needs experience, but it will be tricky to gain some early in his NFL career without compromising his confidence.

While Simpson has a solid floor of arm talent and toughness, his lack of experience could limit his upside to make an impact early. His cleanest projection is as an upper level backup option with some developmental upside as a spot-below average starter down the road.

A to Z Rankings 

A to Z Big Board Ranking: 21st overall, QB3

A to Z Draft Grade: 8.71/10.00

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