Aside from Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, there may not be a surefire first-round quarterback in this year’s draft class. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is widely considered the second-best signal-caller available, but he is a polarizing prospect who made a meager 15 starts in college. Opinions vary on how high Simpson will go in the draft.
[RELATED: Ty Simpson’s Prospect Profile]
The top half of the first round may be a possibility for the 6-foot-1, 211-pound Simpson. There is also a chance he will last until Day 2, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN hears. That would be especially unfortunate for Simpson, who will attend the draft expecting to hear his name called in Round 1. Nevertheless, there are enough scouts with second-round grades on Simpson to make dropping out of the first round a possibility, according to Fowler.
Meanwhile, one general manager told Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom that Simpson could even last into Round 3. On whether Simpson is a lock to go in the second round, the GM said to La Canfora: “A lock … I wouldn’t say a lock.”
It is unknown how many high-level decision makers have similar opinions, though it would be a major twist for Simpson to plummet out of the first two rounds. If enough teams would rather wait for what should be a deeper QB class in 2027, perhaps a free-fall will occur.
Owners of two first-rounders (Nos. 6 and 24) and in need of a long-term answer under center, the Browns are a popular pick for Simpson in mock drafts (via Grinding the Mocks). Cleveland has held a “30” visit with Simpson, but it does not consider him a first-round target, Zac Jackson of The Athletic relays. With no shortage of pressing needs (Jackson points to the offensive line and wide receiver), the Browns are expected to turn their attention elsewhere in the opening round. They are more likely to draft a passer in the middle rounds, per Jackson, which could set the stage for Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson or Dillon Gabriel to open 2026 as their starter.
A year after his own draft stock nosedived, Sanders is the early frontrunner to start for the Browns next season. Many predicted Sanders would go in the first round in 2025, but he fell all the way to the fifth (No. 144 overall). Five QBs, including Gabriel, exited the board before Sanders. Simpson will hope to avoid a similar fate this year.
Round 3 at best
I also believe he’ll be a 3rd round pick. Pittsburgh. Arizona. LA Rams. Maybe Jets late 2nd.
What is this sorry attempt at a psy op?
QBs always go earlier than you think their talent suggests. You know this.
Will Levis fell to the second. It happens.
Round three talent if not further off in a better draft of QBs but will be taken early in round two because someone is desperate enough to roll the dice. Reminds me of when the Jets drafted Gino in the second round. I could see that happening again.
Geno was the best QB in that draft and he still went almost 20 picks after EJ Manuel.
Well he should
LaConfora as a source makes the article unreliable
Both Homer and Bart are projected to be UDFA’s.
He will be drafted ahead of where Shedeur did that’s for sure. At least Ty isn’t a d bag.
When the headline is the player could drop out of the first round all of a sudden, then it’s a lock he’s going mid first after some trading.
Jets will trade back and draft him in the 30s
They may not need to do that if they want him except if they want the fifth round option. They could send a fifth to Seattle to move up one spot.
They may not need to do that if they want him except if they want the fifth year option. They could send a fifth to Seattle to move up one spot.
This is all speculative. I can remember people saying that Caleb Williams wasn’t a lock for the first overall pick, especially after what I would personally consider to be a terrible pro day and a refusal to even participate in the combine but it was evident, Chicago wasn’t passing up on Caleb. Why? Well in hindsight, the man admits he had all this collegiate success, and didn’t even watch tape or know how to…so he had immense success amongst all of his peers while being at a professional disadvantage in comparison to them. That’s Ty Simpson. He excelled amongst many of his peers while never even having played the position. That’s hard to fathom. I don’t care what his down the stretch looked like, he showed such talent when he did not YET know all the things he could know, and without having all the years of practice, training, situational learning, coaching, and everything else that these other potential nfl quarterbacks have already gotten…what happens when Ty actually gets some of these things?!! That’s why he is worth a first or second round pick and I’m fine if McCarthy decided no on him because I trust Mike, but someone has got to be piecing this same line of thinking together and preparing to draft him, I don’t believe he is going later than two and I almost doubt sincerely he makes it out of the first because of the first round benefits, namely the fifth year option when it is going to take some time to develop a quarterback. I believe at the very least someone trades back into round one for him solely for the fifth year option availability.
I can see the AZ Cardinals if they don’t get Bailey at # 3 I could see them maybe trading down a few spots in order to get a couple extra picks and trading then back into the first round for Ty Simpson. Especially hearing that the Rams may have some serious interest in Simpson.
Teams have gotten burned too many times by small sample size QB’s.