New angle of a Ty Simpson touchdown in the Iron Bowl is nothing short of absurd

Ty Simpson may have already played in the only Iron Bowl of his career at Alabama, but he gave Crimson Tide fans a lifetime of memorable moments. At the top of the list is his game-winning touchdown throw to Isaiah Horton on fourth-and-2 in the fourth quarter, but the potential 2026 first-round pick had another play that NFL evaluators will spend the next few months drooling over. 

At the top of that list is also a touchdown toss to Horton, though one much earlier in the game. Facing all-out pressure in the red zone, Simpson has a free rusher shooting through the B-gap as his running back gets blown up, and his right tackle allows pressure off the edge. Simpson, who has been elite at negotiating pressure and managing the pocket all season, backpedals to buy time, knows he has a one-on-one in the back of the end zone, and lofts a perfect fadeaway from the 20-yard line to Horton for six points. 

Ty Simpson’s big-time throws make him an irresistible NFL prospect

While Ty Simpson likely won’t be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft with just one year of starting experience under his belt, if he does choose to leave Tuscaloosa and forgo his final year of eligibility, there’s no way he’ll fall out of the first round. 

Beyond just the lack of starting experience, which is typically a red flag for NFL evaluators who favor large sample sizes when making franchise-altering decisions, Simpson has been streaky to close the regular season and has dealt with an underrated fumbling problem that cost the Crimson Tide against Oklahoma. Still, there are just too many throws like that one in the Iron Bowl that prove he can hang at the next level. 

The combination of arm strength, touch, and accuracy that Simpson displayed on that throw, with impossibly difficult footwork, is the type of problem-solving that quarterbacks have to do to elevate offenses in the NFL. There are more than a few quarterbacks who possess the arm strength and athleticism to pull it off, but the list of players who have the composure to keep their eyes downfield under that level of duress isn’t long. Then, there’s the willingness to take a big hit to make a play, which Simpson displayed from Week 1. 

Coming into the season, the expectation was that if Simpson was simply a game manager, it would be enough for Alabama to make the College Football Playoff. Well, he’s been an excellent one, handling a huge responsibility at the line of scrimmage, changing plays and protections like a multi-year starter. However, with Alabama’s lack of a run game, he’s had to be a post-snap problem-solver too, and that’s what this throw shows, and that’s why Alabama will likely be replacing its starting quarterback this offseason.