NFL Draft Insider Says Cardinals Make Perfect Sense for Ty Simpson

The Arizona Cardinals could find their next passer of the future.

Dec 19, 2025; Norman, OK, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) gestures prior to a game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family OK Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals have a massive decision coming in the 2026 NFL Draft, and if expectations come to fruition, they could potentially land their next franchise passer.

The Cardinals have been heavily connected to Alabama Crimson Tide QB Ty Simpson throughout the draft process, and after the departure of Kyler Murray, there's a massive void that needs to be filled.

Exactly how Simpson lands in the desert remains to be seen, though draft insider says the Cardinals make complete sense for his services:

“Arizona makes all the sense in the world to me,” Jeremiah said on The Pat McAfee Show (h/t PFSN). “If I could pinpoint one team, it’s Arizona. Now at [pick] three that coffee’s too rich. I cannot see that happening, but then they’re picking at the top of the second round. So if they want to come back into the bottom of the first round, it’d be a pick I could totally get behind.”

“So I like him, I think he’s got a chance to be a good player. It’s just, you know, that there are worrisome trends, and we can go all the way through them with Cam Newton being kind of the only guy, you know, since 2011, with under 17 starts, and Cam Newton’s a cyborg, like that’s not a normal human being.”

A big knock on Simpson as a prospect is his size (6-1) and limited experience (15 starts) at the college level. After Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Simpson's the highest-rated quarterback prospect in the draft.

The Cardinals have picks three and 34 to begin rounds one and two, respectively. While positions such as edge rusher and tackle are expected to be filled early, Simpson provides an intriguing option for Arizona.

General manager Monti Ossenfort is no stranger to moving up and down the draft board, doing so in all three prior drafts. It's again expected he'll explore ways to either move down from No. 3 or move up to No. 34.

Is Simpson worth it? That's the ultimate question Arizona decision-makers will have to ask themselves within the next few weeks.

And even if the answer is yes: Do the Cardinals take a massive swing and draft him at No. 3? How confident do they feel in waiting on Simpson to drop to the mid-to-late 20's for a trade-up? How expensive will it cost Ossenfort?

In due time, we'll find answers to all of the above.