2026 NFL Draft: The Book on Alabama QB Ty Simpson

With the 2026 NFL Draft less than a month away, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has entered the debate as the most polarizing prospect in the class. After Simpson’s impressive throwing displays at the NFL Scouting Combine and Alabama Pro Day created a buzz in scouting circles, evaluators were eager to dig into the tape to determine if the consensus QB2 in the class was worthy of a first-round pick. Simpson, who totaled 3,567 passing yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2025, is a mechanical marvel with impeccable footwork and throwing mechanics that stand out on his tape. As the son of a college football coach with extensive offensive experience, Simpson operates like a clinician from the pocket, making his reads at breakneck speed before regularly throwing darts to open receivers. The combination of his high IQ and refined mechanics resulted in a torrid nine-game stretch in 2025 – a 66.8% passing rate with 21 touchdowns and one interception during that span – that had scouts buzzing about his prospects as a QB1. Leading a pro-style offense created by former NFL offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, Simpson showcased his management skills and big-play potential with his surgical dismantling of four ranked opponents – Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee. That scintillating streak piqued the interest of evaluators determined to find a potential QB1 in the 2026 or 2027 classes. Few expected Simpson, with another year of college eligibility and just 15 starts on his resume, to enter this year’s draft. But flashes of his spectacular run have sparked a debate between old-school evaluators and new-age scouts about the importance of traits, experience, production and projection for quarterback prospects. After studying Simpson’s 2025 season, here are my thoughts on the most polarizing player in the draft. This Advantage If you were coaching a young quarterback on how to play the position and had to show him demo tape, Simpson’s highlight tape would suffice. The 6-foot-1, 211-pounder is a talented technician with footwork and mechanics that coaches rave about when teaching new skills to young players. He complements his refined mechanics with a high football IQ, allowing him to quickly work on his reads until he finds an open receiver or the weak spot in coverage. Simpson’s turnaround speed and game-day urgency sets him apart from most young quarterbacks who are hesitant and uncertain in the pocket. He has mastered the art of playing quickly without hurrying or rushing through the process on post-snap reads. As a result, Simpson consistently plays on time, trusting his awareness and diagnostic skills to make anticipatory throws against various coverages. He shows a great understanding of his plan and the routes that should be available against defensive coverage or pressure. Additionally, he maintains global vision, which allows him to play in attack mode and exploit defense vulnerabilities at any time. Additionally, Simpson’s exceptional intangibles allow him to split coverage with surgical precision despite the lack of elite arm talent. Her arm strength is on a “plus” level, but she wouldn’t be considered a superpower on par with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen or Joe Burrow. Although it has been proven that you do not need a strong arm to succeed in the NFL, Simpson must win with superior timing, anticipation and ball placement rather than throwing fastballs past defenders. Coaches intrigued by Simpson will certainly want to incorporate the rhythmic throws and play-action concepts that accentuate his game. He consistently masters the strike zone with “catch, rock and throw” concepts with breaking routes attached to the progression, and he is equally effective on putbacks and deep takedowns thrown outside the numbers. With Simpson also able to layup throws on middle defenders after running play action simulations, offensive coordinators can open up the playbook with the Alabama product under center. Additionally, Simpson’s athleticism, motor skills and efficiency as a mobile playmaker shine on bootlegs and naked passes. He’s a credible dual threat with the potential to win first downs on trick scrimmages or locate throws toward the boundary. The Downside Despite the impressive resume and highlights Simpson compiled as a one-year starter, there are some concerns about his ability to flourish as a professional due to his inexperience (15 career starts), size and arm talent. The recent failures of Anthony Richardson (13 college starts), Dwayne Haskins (14) and Mitchell Trubisky (13), combined with the inability of Trey Lance (17) to crack an NFL starting lineup, make Simpson a high-risk prospect due to his limited reps. Additionally, skeptics will point to his late-season struggles, particularly against Auburn and Georgia (in the SEC Championship Game), as potential concerns about his ability to adapt to defensive adjustments. Defensive coordinators were able to copy the pressure schemes and coverage tricks that disrupted his rhythm in the opening game against Oklahoma, as evidenced by Simpson completing just 58.5 percent of his passes in his last five games with six touchdowns and three interceptions. With Simpson’s injuries also impacting his game, concerns over his size and durability are also major factors in his evaluation. As a slender quarterback, his late-season decline will raise questions about his ability to withstand hits and wear as a pro. [2026 NFL Draft Confidential: Unfiltered Scouting Takes On Top 5 QBs] Factor in his lack of elite arm talent, and there are plenty of red flags for evaluators to consider when breaking down Simpson. Opponents will point to his overhand vertical passes and soft throws between the numbers as potential concerns, especially as NFL defensive coordinators design game plans that force quarterbacks to make throws in the tight window. If Simpson is unable to punish opponents for their aggressive tactics, the offense will face a condensed field, making it more difficult to operate over a 17-game season. The verdict Simpson is the ultimate high-risk, high-reward candidate for this position. He dazzles as a pocket passer, with impeccable mechanics and a high IQ that will endear him to the league’s quarterback gurus. Offensive coordinators employing complex schemes relying on touch, timing and precision will fall in love with Simpson because of his ability to execute advanced concepts at the college level. His most ardent supporters around the league will see the Alabama star as a Brock Purdy-style playmaker. They’ll say Simpson could excel in an offense featuring an assortment of creative concepts designed to exploit defensive vulnerabilities through clever scheming and misdirection, including play-action plays and bootleg passes. Although his lack of experience will require a detailed development plan that could include a “redshirt” year to adapt and adjust to the professional game, Simpson’s skills could translate to him becoming a successful starter in the future. Due to the time required for his development and the risks associated with his inexperience and size, I would classify him as a second-round prospect (future starter), knowing that he has a high chance of becoming a franchise-caliber player.