The 2026 NFL Draft class at quarterback has been upended over the first month of the 2025 college football season, with some of the biggest names in the group falling off the radar, while others have seemingly come out of nowhere to establish themselves as potential first-round prospects.
After a strong start to his first year as a full-time starter, Alabama's Ty Simpson has officially entered the chat.
Simpson spent three years on the bench for the Crimson Tide, waiting for his opportunity to shine. Now that he's gotten his chance, Simpson is making the most of it, leading Bama to some big wins, and showing off the kind of skill set NFL scouts are always looking for at the game's most important position.
His latest performance was another gem, as Simpson completed 23 of his 31 pass attempts for 340 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 30-14 win over a previously undefeated Vanderbilt team that was ranked No. 16 in the country.
Simpson continues to display all of the most important mental and physical traits that carry franchise QB potential at the next level, as Dane Brugler of The Athletic pointed out during Saturday's game:
Simpson might not move the needle in the 40-yard dash like some of the other quarterback prospects in this class, but his ability to stay calm under pressure, avoid would-be tacklers (both in the pocket and out in space), and keep his focus downfield in order to create big plays was on display once again against the Commodores:
One of the biggest plays of the day came just before the half, when Simpson delivered this perfect hole shot to Germie Bernard to give the Tide a critical touchdown with just seconds remaining before the break:
Listed at 6-2, 208 pounds, Simpson isn't the biggest quarterback in the class either, but he's still plenty north of any "undersized" label. He's not afraid to stand in the pocket and face oncoming pressure, and his ability to hit every throw to all levels of the field isn't impacted by any height concerns.
Simpson did throw an interception Saturday, but it was finally his first turnover of the season, showing a valuable ability to take care of the football while also creating plenty of big plays down the field.
While the likes of Texas' Arch Manning , Clemson's Cade Klubnik and Penn State's Drew Allar falling out of the first-round conversation after lackluster starts to the 2025 season, and others like South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier struggling to consistently string together dominant performances on a weekly basis, the door has been left open for someone to emerge and snatch the QB1 title for themselves in the 2026 class.
While Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Oregon's Dante Moore are also climbing up the draft board, Simpson is joining them as another talented quarterback making the most of his opportunity to impress NFL scouts so far this season.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
