Perhaps it's still preemptive to call Ty Simspon a first-round lock in next month's NFL Draft, but it sure feels that way.
Simpson's stock has been steadily on the rise in the pre-draft process, and he climbed all the way to No. 3 overall in a recent mock draft on NFL.com.
It no longer really feels like an if when it comes to Simpson and the first round, but more of a when and where. Will it be the Top 10? Will a team trade back into the later stages of the first round to grab him if he unexpectedly begins to fall?
While most experts appear to have accepted Simpson as a first-round pick, that doesn't include ESPN's Matt Miller, who released a full seven-round mock draft on Monday.
In it, Miller has Simpson as the first pick...of the 2nd round. Miller projects Simpson to be selected with the 33rd overall pick by the New York Jets, one of the most popular landing spots for the Alabama QB.
In his explanation of the pick, Miller wrote the following:
"There could be calls for the Jets to trade up into Round 1 to secure a fifth-year option on Simpson, but trading away picks in the 2027 draft, which is expected to be the most talent-rich in recent history, wouldn't be smart. New York can take him here, allow him a year to develop behind Geno Smith, then evaluate his future. Simpson is a talented distributor who is accurate in a clean pocket but struggled down the stretch. His questionable decision-making could drop him to Round 2."
Matt Miller projects Ty Simpson to fall into the 2nd Round in latest NFL Mock Draft
There are plenty of legitimate questions about Simpson, but questionable decision-making? Where did that come from? That's the kind of line that makes me wonder if Miller has done any real research into Simpson or if he's just buying into a clip or two he's seen float around social media.
Simpson's decision-making was pretty darn sound for a first-year starting QB for the Crimson Tide this past season. He only threw five interceptions, and that was despite having a supporting cast that consistently let him down with protection mishaps, dropped passes, and no running game to lean on.
Simpson to the Jets has gained steam recently, but if New York wants to take the Tide product, they'd better not wait until the 2nd round to do so. They'd better pull the trigger by their 16th pick at the latest.
Because regardless of what Miller seems to believe, Simpson won't be available when the second day of the draft gets underway.