$6.5 million QB reportedly struggles to find first-round grade ahead of NFL draft

A quarterback from a major college football program has been projected to fall out of the first round of the 2026 NFL draft.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) passes against the Indiana Hoosiers in the first half of the 2026 Rose Bowl | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 2026 NFL draft will be held from April 23 to April 25 adjacent to Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

A prominent discussion surrounding every NFL draft involves the quarterbacks likely to hear their names called on the first night. For several months, former Indiana starter and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza has been considered a clear-cut No. 1 overall pick for the Las Vegas Raiders.

However, the quarterback projections were muddied in January when Oregon starter Dante Moore decided to stay in college rather than declare for the NFL draft. Moore was considered the No. 2 quarterback on the board, something that would have virtually guaranteed him to go in the first three picks.

With Moore's decision, NFL teams have been scrambling to determine who the next best quarterbacks are in the 2026 NFL draft class. A name that has commonly appeared in first-round mock drafts after Moore's decision is former Alabama starter Ty Simpson.

With the 2026 Senior Bowl in the rearview mirror, Matt Miller of ESPN released a two-round mock draft on Monday. He projected Simpson to go to the New York Jets, but at No. 44 overall instead of No. 2 overall, which would knock Simpson to the middle of the second round.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) runs the ball in the Iron Bowl | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Simpson doesn't have a Round 1 grade on my board, and I couldn't find a single team that would give him one during conversations at the Senior Bowl," Miller wrote.

"But with four picks in the first two rounds, the Jets can afford to roll the dice on him as a second-rounder with starter upside. Simpson's lack of size and arm strength could ultimately push him down the board, but his poise and processing skills are NFL-level."

The 6-foot-2, 208-pounder spent all four of his college football seasons at Alabama, something that has grown uncommon in the era of the NCAA transfer portal. In his first three seasons with the Crimson Tide, Simpson appeared in 15 games and completed 29 of 50 pass attempts for 381 yards while rushing for 130 yards and three touchdowns.

2025 was Simpson's lone season as a starter at Alabama. He finished the season with 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions, guiding the Crimson Tide to its first SEC Championship and College Football Playoff appearances in two seasons. He was named to the All-SEC Second Team with Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss.

Miller did not project a quarterback to be selected between Mendoza and Simpson in his updated mock draft. He also did not have any quarterbacks coming off the board in the 20 picks after Simpson in his second round.

Alabama's Ty Simpson (15) celebrates following the College Football Playoff game against the Oklahoma Sooners | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images