In Alabama’s Week 12 loss to Oklahoma, Ty Simpson had his worst game since the Crimson Tide’s Week 1 upset loss to Florida State. So, with such a small sample size for the draft-eligible first-year starter, his two-turnover performance could have massive repercussions on his draft stock.
In Nicholas Rome’s latest NFL Mock Draft on Saturday Blitz, Simpson, once considered a contender for the No. 1 overall pick, slid to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21, where he would replace future Hall of Famer and four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers.
The 41-year-old Rodgers is on a one-year contract in Pittsburgh. There was talk at the beginning of the season about the potential for him to re-up for another year with the Steelers, but his play has tailed off in recent weeks, which could have the Steelers desperate to find a long-term solution.
Or, the Steelers could select Simpson, who, despite his age, is inexperienced, and elect to sit him behind Rodgers, as Rome writes, “If the Steelers choose to roll with Rodgers again in 2026, it would be smart to pick a quarterback to learn behind him. Ty Simpson has shown a ton of promise this season, and he'd be best served by continuing to learn, especially behind a quarterback like Rodgers.”
2026 NFL mock: Ty Simpson goes No. 21 overall to Pittsburgh
Simpson still has two games in the regular season and potentially a long postseason run to rebuild his draft stock after Week 12. Regression hit him in a big way, as he had mostly avoided turnovers this season despite having the highest turnover-worthy play rate against the blitz in the SEC.
Brent Venables blitzed Simpson all game, and he didn’t have many answers for it. The interception was a great play by the defensive back, but the right decision from Simpson, who threw into the void left by a blitzer. Simpson’s fumble, though, was his sixth of the season, the biggest red flag on his resume as an NFL prospect.
Beyond the turnovers, Simpson also battled bouts of inaccuracy that stalled the Alabama offense. The lack of a run game in Tuscaloosa has put immense pressure on Simpson to carry the offense, and for the most part, he has, but with such a burden to bear, the redshirt junior needs to be precise, especially when he has a chance to hit explosive plays.
In Week 11, Simpson went 8-for-17 on throws over 10 yards downfield and had a few misses in big spots. This game will be one that NFL evaluators revisit if Simpson decides to declare. Without a ton of game film to reference, this is a clear low point for Simpson, and unless he bounces back in a big way, it could scare off the teams selecting at the top of the draft.