$2.1 million star QB predicted to replace Aaron Rodgers in NFL Draft mock

One of college football's biggest name quarterbacks could be in line to take the helm at a historic NFL franchise according to a new mock draft.

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

One of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks could be on the move again this offseason and one of college football’s biggest name signal callers could be the man to replace him someday, according to a new mock draft for 2026.

Amid the major changes taking place inside the Pittsburgh Steelers organization after the exit of head coach Mike Tomlin, the franchise will be in the market for a long-term answer at quarterback and Alabama’s outgoing star has been projected to take over.

Who gets the nod?

Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson was listed as the potential selection for the Steelers in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, according to the latest mock revealed by Pro Football Focus.

“The Steelers haven’t had a true franchise quarterback since prime Ben Roethlisberger and would be wise to take a shot on Simpson to sit behind Aaron Rodgers,” PFF analyst Max Chadwick noted in his mock projection.

He added: “His 30 big-time throws are tied for the most among all quarterbacks in college football this season.”

Big-time throws are the name given by Pro Football Focus analysts for those passes that exemplify ideal ball placement, timing, and execution, usually in deeper or tighter windows, facing serious pressure, and converting low-probability situations into scores.

What he did on the field

Simpson was originally a member of Alabama’s recruiting class back in 2022 and elected to remain with the program and wait his turn to run the offense as the starter rather than enter the transfer portal.

Alabama liked what they saw when he finally took the reins after Jalen Milroe’s departure to the NFL, as he threw for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions while completing 64.5 percent of his pass attempts this past season.

Simpson was a highly-regarded player in the NIL market this season, too, placing 20th nationally in college football with a $2.1 million valuation, according to the On3 national player rankings.

Insiders revealed that the Alabama star was offered multiple seven-figure deals to stay in school next season, including one that reached $3.5 million, but he ultimately stuck with his draft plans.

What we think of Simpson

College Football HQ draft analyst Nick Merriam projects that Ty Simpson will eventually be a Day 2 selection at the NFL Draft this spring.

“There’s a solid rhythm to his game. He has a feel for the moment. Rarely did he make big mistakes in bad spots this season. He mitigates disaster on plays that don’t develop properly, and he takes advantage of the plays that do,” Merriam said in his assessment of Simpson.

“In the NFL, many smaller quarterbacks have to throw blind for most of their careers. This will be no different for Simpson. Having made throws from the pocket in the face of pressure, he at least has a feel for it. 

“Many younger short quarterbacks use their pocket movement to manipulate their way to better vision. Simpson hasn’t particularly relied on this.”

Mel Kiper shows concern

Veteran NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. likes what he has seen from Simpson given what the quarterback was dealing with, but raised alarm bells around experience and was concerned about the relative lack of help from his teammates in truly exploiting his talent.

“Ty Simpson was having a really good year. The offensive line let him down. He had no running game. And Ryan Williams didn’t have the year we expected at wide receiver... He didn’t get a lot of help,” Kiper said on ESPN of Simpson’s situation.

“Only 23 years of age, but only 15 starts. That’s a risky, dangerous number coming into the NFL when looking at the history of guys with that number of those starts. Most of those guys were disappointments... 15 starts, for me, is not enough.”

(PFF)