2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Alabama QB Ty Simpson

From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Alabama QB Ty Simpson.

15/QB TY SIMPSON – 6’2 208 POUNDS. (REDSHIRT JUNIOR)

MEASUREMENTS

Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Ty Simpson 6’2/208 N/A N/A N/A
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
N/A N/A N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A N/A N/A

THE GOOD

– Excels in working through his pre- and post-snap reads
– Mental processing to work through multiple progressions consistently
– Wants to work over the middle of the field as much as possible
– Doesn’t settle for checkdowns and screens when his first read isn’t open
– Able to rotate his hips and plant to throw quickly
– Compact release on most of his throws and shows good upper body mechanics
– Sets his base well to drive through the ball
– Quick release with plenty of velocity on short-intermediate throws
– Stands in the pocket and delivers throws with pressure in his face
– Good anticipation on comebacks and curls
– Really impressive anticipation on intermediate routes, especially backside digs
– Can hit the sideline throws with zip and accuracy
– Layers the ball well between the second and third levels
– Nice touch on back-shoulder and red zone fade throws
– Can escape pressure with his feet when he has to
– Really nice play action game and comfortable throwing on the move
– Doesn’t put the ball in harm’s way as a thrower often
– Promising production for a guy with just 15 starts

THE BAD

– Frequently retreating from the pocket with pressure
– Doesn’t step up in the pocket enough to extend the play
– Holds the ball too long on non-schemed throws
– Has to learn to throw the ball out-of-bounds instead of taking a sack
– Lean frame that took a lot of damage on dropbacks
– Doesn’t protect himself consistently
– Attempts to create something from nothing, leading to turnover-worthy plays
– Needs to make quicker decisions when under pressure
– 10 passes batted at the line of scrimmage
– Seven fumbles lost, showing he has to protect the ball better
– Doesn’t utilize pump fakes often to move or freeze defenders
– Lacks the arm strength to make accurate deep passes consistently
– Inconsistent leading receivers on vertical routes over 30 yards
– Occasionally overestimates athleticism
– Significant receiver drops and inconsistent offensive line play muddies the blame pie
– Lack of starting experience
– Multiple injuries obtained this year that could have impacted his play for the last 5 games

STATS

– 15 career starts (all in 2025) and played in 31 total games
– 2025: 3,567 yds., 64.5% comp., 28 TD’s, 5 INT’s, 90 rushing attempts for 93 yds. (2 TD’s)
– 75% adjusted completion (30 drops by receivers), 6.0 BTT (big-time throw) %, 3.0% TWP (Turnover-Worthy Plays), 10 batted passes according to PFF stats
– 30 sacks taken, 18.3 % pressure-to-sack (164 pressures), 2.95 TTT (Time-to-Throw), 11 passes thrown away
– 237.8 YPG, 145.2 passer rating, 7.5 YPA, 8.25 AY/A according to Sports Reference stats

INJURY HISTORY

– 2025: Dealt with elbow bursitis, gastritis, and had a lingering lower back injury
– 2025: Suffered a cracked rib in the Rose Bowl game against Indiana

BACKGROUND:

– Born on 12/21/2002 (23 years old)
– Grew up in Martin, TN, where he attended Westview H.S.
– 2025 2nd Team All-SEC
– Team captain for the 2025 season
– Started all 15 games for the Crimson Tide
– 2024 played in 6 games with 25 passing attempts
– 2023 played in 6 games with 20 passing attempts (team won national championship)
– As a freshman, he played in 4 games as a freshman with 5 passing attempts
– Committed to Alabama as an early-enrollee in Jan. 2022
– Five-star recruit coming out of H.S. according to 247Sports
– 2022 named the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year
– Westview won the 2A Tennessee State Championship
– 2,827 yds., 41 TD’s, 3 INT’s, 92 carries for 862 yards (9 TD’s) in his senior year
– His father, Jason Simpson, has been the head coach for the UT Martin Seahawks since 2006
– Enjoys hunting, fishing, grilling, and building LEGO’s

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Ty Simpson came into the 2025-2026 college football season with no starts. In fact, he had only a few instances of coming in when other quarterbacks were taken out in previous years for Alabama. He bided his time and waited behind others before it was his turn this year to take the helm. Simpson had a productive year, and he helped lead his team to the College Football Playoff. They ultimately lost to the eventual national champion, Indiana.

There was a lot of mystery around whether he would go back to school for another year, enter the transfer portal, or become draft-eligible. He ultimately decided to declare for the NFL draft. This past season was a mixed bag of real flash-in-the-pan moments for him. You can see the captivating potential that he showed early on, and equally, some hard-to-watch concerns that surfaced toward the latter part of the season.

Simpson’s best attribute as a thrower is his accuracy to so many different parts of the field. He consistently places the ball in an area that only his receiver can make the catch. He does a great job leading them and giving them room to run after the catch. Simpson really suffered this past season from his pass catchers dropping a lot of passes (30, tied for third most in the country).

His accuracy on all throws was ranked in the top 20-30 quarterbacks with at least 50 percent of their team’s attempts in the Power Four, according to PFF. He was particularly excellent at making tight-window intermediate (10-19 yds.) throws and wasn’t afraid to push the ball down the field. Watch his arm confidence against Missouri. He had the checkdown for the first down in front of him, but instead opted for the much more difficult throw when he had a clean pocket.

CONCLUSION

Ty Simpson has a lot of upside and promise to be a potential NFL starting quarterback. I love his ability to make a lot of high-level throws and give receivers good ball placement to make plays. His mental processing ability, whether it’s pre-snap or post-snap, was impressive for most of the season. He has a quick release, good velocity on his throws, and didn’t put the ball in harm’s way, often avoiding interceptions. Simpson has adequate foot speed to escape pressure, extend plays, and have quarterback-designed runs called sparingly for him.

With many strengths, he has just as many concerns and unanswered questions. The lack of starting experience, difficulty handling pressure, lack of arm strength on deep throws, and the litany of injuries he dealt with just in one season. It’s fair to wonder if he should have gone back for another year to get more experience, but he chose to enter the 2026 draft instead.

It’s abundantly clear that the Pittsburgh Steelers need a franchise quarterback for their future. With a new coaching staff led by Mike McCarthy now set to take over as head coach, it’s difficult to tell what they may or may not be looking for in that position. Simpson presents with many traits that McCarthy may be intrigued by, coming from his background. The concerns will have to be delved into more during the pre-draft process. Teams must also determine how much development he still may need before he’s ready to play.

With only one starting season under consideration, it’s difficult to find direct resemblances for Simpson. My NFL comparisons from a playing style and build for him would be a Marc Bulger ceiling if a lot of things come together, and a Jimmy Garoppolo floor as an above-average backup quarterback that could come in and be a capable starter when necessary.

NFL Projection: Late Day 1-Early Day 2
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 8.4 (Long-Term Starter)
Grade Range: 7.6-8.9
Games Watched: 2025 at Missouri, 2025 at South Carolina, 2025 vs. Oklahoma, 2025 vs. Georgia