2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Ty Simpson, Quarterback, Alabama

The scouting reports keep on rolling, as in this one, we take a look at Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. This was a rollercoaster season for the Alabama quarterback, as mid-season, he was being mocked at the number one overall pick.

A rough end to the Crimson Tide season seems to have cooled those opinions, but is he still among the top quarterbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft? Let’s talk about it.

Simpson, a former five-star prospect out of Westview High School in Martin, Tennessee, won a state championship in his senior year with offers from Clemson, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and others before landing at Alabama back in 2022. He would sit for three years before getting his shot this season, where he would throw for 3,567 yards, a 28/5 TD/INT ratio, and a 64.5% completion percentage.

The Alabama offense this season utilized motion quite a bit, which allowed Ty Simpson to break down defenses pre-snap. Quick at the line to make adjustments for blocking and routes. He has a quick throwing motion and release, which allows him to fire balls off quickly in the face of defenders. Short yardage throws are a plus, as he cand eliver an accurate ball in between the hashes. Fine enough pocket awareness, doesn’t take needless sacks.

Now we get to where some feathers might get ruffled…

I don’t understand the Ty Simpson hype. He doesn’t have any physical tools that will translate to the next level. He can scramble, but will likely run in the 4.7 range. Arm strength is above average at best, and it shows on tape, as his deep-ball accuracy is significantly lacking. Not sure his frame can withstand a beating in the NFL, since he struggled with this in college, fumbling in 5 (!) straight games. Media members were quick to judge Oregon’s Dante Moore for his sample size, but failed to mention that Simpson has 15 career starts.

Simpson was horrible to close out the year. In his last six games, his completion percentage plummeted to 57%, and he averaged just 158 yards per game. He was horrendous in the SEC Championship game against Georgia, completing just 48.7% of his passes and throwing for 212 yards on 39 attempts. In the College Football Semi-Final against Indiaia was arguably worse, throwing for just 67 yards on 16 attempts.

The grade on Ty Simpson is going to be significantly worse than the national media, and that’s ok. Sometimes you have to go against the grain and have your own opinion instead of parroting what others say.

Simpson comes in with a fifth-round grade and is not someone I would draft to be my starting quarterback in the NFL. However, some NFL GMs will talk themselves into burning a first-round pick on him and regret it three years later.