Ty Simpson’s performance in the Rose Bowl will be a major domino that impacts his future at Alabama, and the 2026 NFL Draft
Ty Simpson’s performance in the Rose Bowl against Indiana can drastically change the outcome of the 2026 NFL Draft and the future of Alabama’s quarterback room.
The Alabama Crimson Tide is still fighting for a National Championship after beating the Oklahoma Sooners, but there are also plenty of individual rewards at stake the rest of the way.
A win against the Indiana Hoosiers will be a huge shakeup in the College Football Playoff, with them being the No. 1 seed, and Alabama barely making it. Depending on the outcome, it could also drastically shift the 2026 NFL Draft if quarterback Ty Simpson has another strong performance to save his draft stock.
Ty Simpson’s draft stock was saved after a huge comeback win against Oklahoma
Simpson was considered a first-round lock just over a month ago, but a rough ending to the season had people assuming he would return to college to continue his development. Well, that was until he sparked a comeback against the Sooners with some big-time throws that reminded everyone of why he could be a first-round pick again. I asked fellow A to Z Sports Alabama and NFL Draft writer Rob Gregson about Simspson’s current draft stock and how it can go up even more.
“There is no doubt that Ty Simpson helped his draft stock with his performance against the Sooners last week. Heading into the game, Simpson was playing his worst football at the most inopportune time. After Alabama went down 17-0, many had sweeping changes coming to the Tide, including a potential transfer from Simpson. Now, Simpson is a strong performance in the Rose Bowl away from being back in the first round, much less draft conversation. You saw the accuracy, anticipation, timing, and rhythm that made him a Heisman hopeful all return against the Sooners. If that Simpson shows up on New Year’s Day against Indiana, you can expect the Tide to keep rolling, and Simpson’s stock to keep rising.” – Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports Alabama
How Ty Simpson’s decision could change everything
First, Simpson’s decision to declare or stay will heavily impact the future at Alabama and could shake up the quarterback room. Would Simpson stay at Alabama and make Keelon Russell sit for one more year, and would Russell even be ok with that? Losing Russell would be devastating and could cause Simpson to hit the portal and put Alabama in a really tough position.
Then comes the 2026 NFL Draft in April. There are a handful of teams that are looking for their next franchise quarterback, and unfortunately, the supply will not meet the demand. Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore are the only two quarterbacks projected to go early in the first round if they both declare, which means Simpson could be a hot commodity if he plays well against Indiana. Simpson is a major domino that can cause a lot of others to fall, and it all rides on his performance in the Rose Bowl.
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