There’s been a lot of talk about Aaron Rodgers this offseason, and the Pittsburgh Steelers would probably be smart to bring him back. But whether comes back or not, he’s not their long-term answer at quarterback. Thus, there’s been plenty of speculation regarding the only quarterback likely to be available to the Steelers at the 21st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft: Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
Simpson only has one year of college starting experience, but he showed a lot of promise to start the year at Alabama. He leveled off as the season progressed, and Alabama ultimately crashed out of the College Football Playoff.
He’s a mixed bag, one who could boom or bust. And beat writer Ray Fittipaldo thinks there is too much risk involved for the Steelers to draft Simpson in the first round,
“I could be dead wrong, but I’ll say 1%. I just don’t see [them] taking another chance on a QB with questionable first-round talent. They cannot afford to make that mistake again especially with the 2027 class looking much more promising,” Fittipaldo wrote Tuesday in his chat with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
If Fittipaldo’s sentiment sounds familiar, it’s because the team was in a similar situation with Kenny Pickett. At the 20th overall pick in 2022, he was the best QB option for the Steelers, and they took a risk. It clearly didn’t pay off. And Ty Simpson also has some traits that make him a questionable first-round talent, as Fittipaldo describes him.
Some of the bigger concerns include problems with pressure up the middle. He’s not especially agile, and he tends to stare down receivers. These are all things that can be improved, but they also plague plenty of young quarterbacks around the league.
Yet, there is a lot to like with Simpson. He deals with pressure well when it’s coming off the edge, processes things quickly both before and after the snap, and is a very accurate passer. However, are the risks worth it at the 21st overall pick?
With two months between now and the draft, Simpson’s stock could change plenty. Maybe he falls into the second round where the Steelers could trade up and draft him. Or he slides a little later in the first round, and the Steelers trade back a few spots and take him. Maybe his stock skyrockets, and he doesn’t even make it to 21.
Either way, there are some reasons against picking Ty Simpson. He could become a good quarterback, but the Steelers have plenty of other needs. And if Rodgers returns, there’s already one young quarterback he can mentor in Will Howard. For now, Fittipaldo is anything but confident in Simpson’s chances of landing in Pittsburgh.
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