Ty Simpson is a quarterback and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who played his collegiate career at the University of Alabama. A native of Martin, Tennessee, Simpson was a five-star recruit and the Tennessee Gatorade Football Player of the Year who committed to Nick Saban at Alabama, where he redshirted as a freshman and spent the next two seasons developing as the backup behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe. He finally earned the starting role in 2025 and delivered a breakthrough season as the Crimson Tide's full-time starter, completing 64.5 percent of his passes for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns against just five interceptions, leading Alabama to the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff quarterfinals while earning Second Team All-SEC honors. His father, Jason Simpson, is a former Mississippi State quarterback who has served as the head coach at UT Martin, giving him deep football bloodlines and a thorough understanding of the position from an early age. Simpson appeared in 15 games in 2025 before being removed in the second half of the Rose Bowl loss to Indiana with a rib injury.
Measured at approximately 6-2 and 208 pounds, Simpson is slightly undersized by traditional NFL standards but carries clean mechanics and a quick, compact release that generates good velocity on throws over the middle of the field, where he posted a grade in the second-best range among draft-eligible quarterbacks. He is at his best operating in rhythm from a clean pocket, where his pre-snap recognition and willingness to attack zone coverage with timing throws translate directly to the professional level. The areas that evaluators have identified for growth include deep ball consistency, on-time anticipation throws to the wide side of the field, and the ability to sustain performance under pressure without forcing tight-window decisions that result in turnover-worthy plays, a tendency that became more pronounced late in the season. Simpson spent four years in Alabama's quarterback room behind NFL talents and brings the kind of studied football preparation that translates well to a professional environment. He projects as the second quarterback selected in the class, with a range from the late first round through early second, and is viewed as a high-floor pocket passer with developmental starter upside.
