Ty Simpson officially turns down reported mega-deal to enter the Transfer Portal

The last two offseasons, Miami has been able to pry its quarterback away from the NFL Draft with a massive NIL deal. The Hurricanes did it with Cam Ward and made him the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Then, they got Carson Beck to renege on his draft declaration, and now he has the Canes on the cusp of the national championship. Ty Simpson, however, couldn’t be swayed. 

Miami reportedly offered Simpson $6.5 million to drop out of the 2026 NFL Draft and enter the Transfer Portal to come to Coral Gables. Tennessee was also reportedly involved, trying to get Simpson to play his final year of college football in his home state. 

Both those efforts officially amounted to nothing on Tuesday when Simpson signed the official paperwork to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, according to BamaOnLine’s Charlie Potter. 

Ty Simpson signs the paperwork to officially enter the 2026 NFL Draft

According to Simpson’s father, Jason, UT Martin head coach, Ty received a first-round grade from every NFL general manager they contacted before he made his initial announcement to leave Alabama for the pros. Simpson is widely regarded as QB3 in the 2026 class, behind Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore. Moore, however, has yet to announce whether he is leaving for the NFL or returning to Eugene. 

Though Oregon has already signed Dylan Raiola in the transfer portal, a former five-star and Nebraska transfer, it’s possible that the 20-year-old Moore heads back to school. If he does, that further entrenches Simpson’s place as a potential first-rounder and the likely QB2 behind Mendoza, who is presumed to be the No. 1 overall pick, which is held by the Las Vegas Raiders.

While he has displayed first-round talent in his lone year as Alabama’s starting QB, Simpson is taking a significant risk entering the draft and turning down over $6 million for one year of college football. If he is a first-rounder, it will likely pay off. 

Last year, Jaxson Dart, the 25th overall pick in last year’s draft, signed a four-year contract with $17 million guaranteed, and as a first-rounder, his deal carries a fifth-year option. Tyler Shough, though, the 40th overall pick of the New Orleans Saints, signed a four-year contract with $10 million guaranteed and a $4.5 million signing bonus. 

As for the possibility of Simpson returning to Alabama, it never seemed as though that was in the cards. While he played about as well as anybody could have expected in 2025, Kalen DeBoer was ready to move on to either Austin Mack, who followed him from Washington and has sat behind Jalen Milroe and Simpson, or 2025 five-star Keelon Russell. Had Simpson returned, both likely would have entered the transfer portal.