Ty Simpson wants to show he’s franchise QB at NFL combine

indianapolis-east alabama quarterback ty simpson Said at the NFL Combine on Friday that he’s ready to show NFL talent evaluators that he’s a “franchise quarterback.”

Simpson is the No. 25 overall player on ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.’s Big Board and the second-highest ranked quarterback behind him. Indiana‘S Fernando Mendoza (No. 1 overall player). Simpson was asked about his preparation to become an NFL starter at the Combine on Friday. He said he expressed confidence in his abilities to team personnel during interviews in Indianapolis.

“First of all, I think I’m ready, I’m a franchise quarterback,” Simpson said.

Simpson said he is healthy after dealing with some serious injuries to his lower back and elbow last season, including a broken rib. He plans to spend the day Saturday working out on-field workouts for quarterbacks. Mendoza is not expected to throw Saturday, so Simpson will be Kiper’s highest-ranked quarterback to participate in the combine workout.

“That’s why I decided to throw and why I’m excited about it,” Simpson said of his health.

He also talked about his significant weight loss at the end of the season – he went from about 210 pounds to more than 190 pounds, which some in the league attributed to a case of gastritis – and outlined his pre-combine diet to prepare for the combine and draft.

“A lot of eating, a lot of three meals, four meals a day,” Simpson said of his combine preparation. “A lot of shakes, just wake up in the morning, eat, drink chocolate milk, eat lunch, eat the right meals, add a shake to it, have dinner, eat, add a salad, just stick to that.”

He was a one-year starter for the Crimson Tide (11–4) and finished with 3,567 yards passing with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions. But Simpson threw 21 touchdown passes without an interception in his first eight games of the season and battled some problems, including injuries. He had seven touchdowns with five interceptions over the last six games in the second half of the season as well as the postseason.

Some scouts have pointed to some struggles in the SEC Championship Game, a 28–7 loss to Georgia when Simpson was 19-of-39 passing as well as a 38-3 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff when Simpson was 12-of-16 for 67 yards.

But Simpson said Friday that he has met with most teams who need a quarterback, including the Steelers, Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets. And when asked about the second half of last season, he was straightforward with scouts and coaches in his responses.

On his meeting with the Steelers, Simpson said, “I love Coach [Mike] McCarthy, I love the Steelers.” He said he hasn’t paid much attention to player rankings or quarterback rankings as the draft approaches.

“What matters is what happens on April 24 and 25,” Simpson said.