a big domino in 2026 nfl draft Alabama quarterback took a fall on Wednesday ty simpson Announcement for upcoming draftWhich will start in Pittsburgh on April 23. Simpson had a stellar junior season with the Crimson Tide, helping Alabama lead Alabama by throwing for 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdown passes and five interceptions. College Football Playoff Quarterfinals,
Now that he’s in the draft, where does Simpson fit among the 2026 quarterback prospects? Is he the next QB after Indiana? Fernando Mendoza and oregon’s dante moore (Assuming they declare)? Where could he put Simpson in the classroom? And what kind of impact the Simpson decision will have on Alabama; Who could be the next signal-caller for the Crimson Tide?
ESPN NFL Draft experts Jordan Reed and Matt Miller answered questions about Simpson’s fit in the NFL, while senior college football reporter Adam Rittenberg discussed the next steps for the Crimson Tide and head coach Kalen DeBoer.
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strength, weakness , draft stock
Next Steps for Alabama
What are Simpson’s greatest strengths and weaknesses?
Reed: Despite only 15 college starts, the 6-foot-2, 208-pound Simpson is already operating like a veteran at the line of scrimmage. Because of his ability to quickly diagnose coverages, fronts and blitzes, he was given a lot of pre-snap freedom to create audibles at the line of scrimmage at Alabama and make changes to the safety. He also showed an advanced understanding of where his hot spots were.
Simpson’s arm strength is slightly above average, allowing him to comfortably attack and operate in the short and intermediate areas of the field. And he’s at his best when he’s able to utilize play-action, thanks to his comfort in showing his back to the line of scrimmage and then quickly resetting his eyes to survey the defense.
Simpson is an interesting assessment. On one hand, he has a smaller starting sample size than most quarterbacks entering the draft. On the other hand, he is 23 years old and spent four years at Alabama. Every evaluator I’ve talked to has given second-day grades on Simpson, who has had an up-and-down season in which he’s struggled with the Tide. Season-opening lossSeptember and October were strong followed by a fair amount of inconsistency. He needs to develop better deep accuracy, which was hit-or-miss all season. Simpson has a slim body and features that stand out to the cast around her.
Opinions are mixed, as evaluators are unsure whether he is a franchise quarterback who can lead the team to wins or someone who needs a lot of support around him to succeed.
When could he be drafted, and what does Simpson’s announcement mean for the QB class as a whole?
Miller: Due to his lack of starting experience, the predraft process will be extremely important for Simpson. Without weighing the impact of future interviews and predraft workouts, Simpson looks like a first-round talent on tape and is currently ranked as my No. 3 quarterback behind Mendoza and Moore. Once he gets in front of teams and shows his ability, he could easily move up from being a late pick in the first round, but his lack of starts (25 is considered a baseline for success by many NFL scouts) could cause him to fall behind in the second round.
Teams in the mid to late first round with quarterback needs could move up Simpson’s draft position, a dynamic we see in almost every draft cycle. There are franchises worth watching in that part of the draft pittsburgh steelers, Los Angeles Rams And cleveland brownswho have jacksonville jaguarsFirst round pick based on draft-day trade He made it last April. Ram is a particularly interesting fit, as Matthew StaffordThe presence of Will Simpson will allow him to sit and learn for at least a year before earning a starting position.
Adding Simpson in this draft would potentially add a third quarterback to the mix in the first round, but he will need to win over teams on the whiteboard and in meetings to solidify that position.
Now what for Alabama? What is the Crimson Tide’s plan under center?
Rittenberg: Alabama is preparing for Simpson’s possible departure. Although a portal quarterback is never off the table, Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb will likely look for Simpson’s replacement internally.
Austin Mackwho followed DeBoer and staff from Washington to Alabama early 2024Has been a reserve the past two seasons, completing 35 career pass attempts for 228 passing yards and two touchdowns with the Tide. He replaced the injured Simpson in alabama Rose Bowl defeat For Indiana. Mack will be a redshirt junior next season.
However, the new person keylon russell Will likely enter the offseason as a favorite to start in 2026. Russell was No. 2 overall recruit in the 2025 class and committed to SMU before arriving at Alabama change his vow The summer before National Signing Day. A dynamic dual threat from Duncanville, Texas, Russell completed 11 of 15 passes for 143 passing yards and two touchdowns in just two games this season. Quarterback recruits of Russell’s caliber typically don’t wait multiple seasons to start, so he’s likely to get first-round success as Simpson’s successor.
