Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore have cemented themselves as first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, likely No. 1 and 2 overall. Beyond that, though, the quarterback class is shrouded in uncertainty. That is, unless the feedback that Ty Simpson and his father, Jason, the UT-Martin head coach, got from the NFL is true.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, as Simpson weighed his future after a strong redshirt junior season, his first as a starter in his fourth year at Alabama, Jason Simpson contacted multiple NFL general managers, and every one gave his son a first-round grade. Evidently, that was the push Ty needed to enter the draft and forgo his final season of college eligibility.
Here’s the @espn story on Ty Simpson to the NFL Draft. Simpson's father, UT-Martin football coach Jason Simpson, said his son received first-round grades from every NFL general manager they contacted.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 7, 2026
"Nobody said second round.” https://t.co/DWwJ4RQLrW
Ty Simpson receives 1st round grade from every NFL GM his father, Jason, contacted
Heading into the season, the 2026 QB class appeared to be loaded. Penn State’s Drew Allar, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier were all returning for their senior seasons with major NFL intrigue. None had a strong enough season to be considered a first-round selection, and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, who was widely viewed as the top underclassmen decided to return for his senior year after that momentum waned.
Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, and Moore, who will square off with Mendoza’s Hoosiers in the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal on Friday night, emerged to give the class of surefire early selections, but without much competition behind them, Simpson is likely the clear QB3.
Whether that distinction will land him in the first round, especially with just 15 collegiate starts under his belt and beginning the pre-draft process nursing multiple injuries that ailed himd own the stretch, is yet to be seen. But what is clear is that the league needed Simpson in this draft.
There are certainly more than two NFL general managers who need young quarterbacks on their roster. That’s not only in the hopes of striking gold with a franchise QB, but also to buy time because a young quarterback is like a lottery ticket for executives and coaches on the hot seat.
Whether or not Simpson is a true first-rounder, the more young quarterbacks in the draft, the better as far as the NFL is concerned, even if that risks stunting the development of a player like Simpson, who hasn’t seen much live action since he left high school as a five-star in the 2022 high school class.
Without a depth of game type for evaluators to lean on, Simpson will need to impress through the pre-draft process, and if he does, Thamel’s report will look prescient come late April. If he doesn’t, Simpson may regret not coming back to school for a big payday and a chance to improve his draft stock.