Is Ty Simpson the next Kenny Pickett? With the draft bust on Pickett in 2022, fan chatter on social media suggests Simpson would be the same mistake all over again. NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah offered his opinion on the comparison.
“I like Ty Simpson more than Kenny Pickett,” Jeremiah said on The Rich Eisen Show .
The Steelers thought enough of Pickett to make him the 20th overall selection and the first quarterback picked in the 2022 NFL Draft. The question with Simpson isn’t so much if he is the second ranked quarterback in the class, but rather where he will be selected. The Steelers, or another team, may become enamored enough with Simpson to take him in the 20s or he may even fall to the second round.
Though Jeremiah likes Simpson as a prospect more than Pickett, he also offered some reason why Pittsburgh may end up passing on him altogether.
“He’s not the biggest guy, he’s not real imposing,” Jeremiah said. “I think they do really like Will Howard and I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to see what he can do. So I didn’t have the Steelers as a Ty Simpson team either.”
The Steelers’ decision at quarterback involves more moving pieces than simply deciding on a QB in the draft. The return of Aaron Rodgers remains a possibility. And they view Will Howard as having enough potential to publicly support him to the media. After a training camp injury kept him from even taking a preseason snap in 2025, Howard has received praise from within the organization but it’s unclear if Pittsburgh views him as a potential starter. What happens in the draft will go a long way towards showing Pittsburgh’s true feelings.
In his latest mock draft, Jeremiah has the Steelers selecting wide receiver Denzel Boston from Washington with their first round pick. He does not have Ty Simpson being selected in the first round.
According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, the Steelers have kept a close eye on Simpson all season.
Like any player, Simpson could have a strong pre-draft process that solidifies him as a first round pick. Jeremiah recently said he has the most to gain of any player during his pre-combine media call.
Some QB needy teams will turn to free agency and the trade market in an effort to find their guy. As the process plays out, the comparisons to 2022 may continue to heighten. If there’s one lesson that the Steelers can learn from the Kenny Pickett selection, it’s the danger of having tunnel vision for one player. It’s critical for Pittsburgh to make sure the player they select is the right fit, and not just the most convenient.
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