It no longer appears to be in question whether Ty Simpson will be selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but simply how high he will ultimately go.
Simpson's stock has steadily been on the rise in the pre-draft process after an impressive performance at the NFL Combine followed by a strong Alabama Pro Day.
Once considered a fringe first-rounder, the Alabama product is beginning to look like a real threat to jump into the Top 10. Or perhaps even higher.
In a new mock draft on NFL.com, Charles Davis has Simpson making an aggressive move upward, landing all the way at No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals. On Simpson landing with Arizona, Davis writes:
"Last year, I opined in one of my early mocks that Jaxson Dart would go to the Giants with the third overall pick, but I didn't stick with the pairing as the process unfolded. Dart, of course, ultimately ended up with New York after Big Blue traded back into the first round and selected the quarterback at No. 25. This year, I think Simpson ends up with the Cardinals, even if this is not the spot where they pick him."
Ty Simpson goes No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals in new mock draft
Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is almost certainly going No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, but it's no longer crazy to say that the draft starts at No. 2 for Simpson.
The New York Jets hold the No. 2 pick, and they've seemed to covet Simpson during this entire process. Simpson has a private workout scheduled with the Jets on Friday, and had dinner with the entire organizational brass on Thursday night beforehand. New York is serious about Simpson, and they hold the No. 2 and No. 16 pick in the first round.
Simpson to the Jets at No. 16 has been a popular pick, but it would be a gamble to wait at this point.
Because the Cardinals are in the QB market now, too, after moving on from former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray. With Arizona lurking at No. 3, perhaps the Jets aren't going to be willing to wait on Simpson.
Teams like the Browns (No. 6) and Dolphins (No. 11) are also threats to snag Simpson before the Jets pick again at No. 16.
With his stock on the rise, it wouldn't be a surprise to see a team try to make an aggressive move up the draft board in order to land the former Crimson Tide standout.