The Raiders Have No Business Drafting Ty Simpson

The Las Vegas Raiders have the first overall pick. Here's why selecting Ty Simpson isn't an option.

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) runs against the Indiana Hoosiers in the first half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders are a franchise that has a lot of pressure to perform in the draft. Even with all of the improvements they've made in free agency, it won't matter if they don't fill in their most important position through the draft.

All Klint Kubiak needs is a good quarterback for this accelerated rebuild to be on its way, and they have the cream of the crop at their disposal with the first overall pick. Thanks to Dan Orlovsky, Ty Simpson has begun to gain hype as a first-round quarterback prospect. Here's why the Raiders can't allow that to influence their decision.

Not So Difficult Decision

“I think Ty Simpson is the best quarterback in this class.”

—@danorlovsky7 makes a strong claim ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Kgj0Z9Rgtc

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 23, 2026

Fernando Mendoza is clearly the best quarterback in this draft class, and there really doesn't need to be a debate about it. Simpson has one year of consistent production and a history of littered injuries. Meanwhile, Mendoza has thrown for over 1,700 yards in all three of his seasons playing in college.

Mendoza has a bigger arm, was more accurate than Simpson in his best season, and showed up under the brightest lights. Mendoza led the Indiana Hoosiers to a perfect season where they won the National Championship. In that game, he had a marquee moment where he put his body on the line and ran in for a tough game-sealing touchdown run.

Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (QB17) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In comparison, Simpson was 5 - 3 against ranked opponents in his best season. In their head-to-head matchup in the Rose Bowl, Simpson completed 12 passes for 67 yards. There's nothing impressive or funny about that stat line, especially when Mendoza had a higher completion percentage, more yards, and three touchdowns!

I don't even think Mendoza is the most impressive quarterback prospect, but this comparison is so bad because it isn't like Simpson excels at what Mendoza fails at. Mendoza's biggest red flag as a prospect is that he played in a system with wide receivers who excelled at contested catches, and he isn't particularly mobile.

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (QB11) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Mendoza isn't a playmaker, but neither is Simpson. His accuracy plummeted over his last four games, and while he can climb the pocket when he needs to, he tends to hold on to the ball for too long. Mendoza is clearly the top quarterback, and John Spytek cannot be the one who takes a shot on Simpson.

Mendoza has all the tools to be their franchise quarterback, and Simpson is clearly lacking some integral traits to take their offense to that next level.