Former Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson, the consensus second-ranked quarterback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft class, visited the Cleveland Browns on Thursday. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the visit, noting that Simpson is coming off a strong showing at the NFL Combine and that Cleveland holds both the sixth and 24th picks in April’s draft.
Simpson spent four seasons at Alabama before earning the starting job last fall, and he is widely considered the No. 2 quarterback in this class behind Indiana Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. The Browns’ interest in him is not new. Cleveland reportedly conducted extensive pre-combine evaluation work on Simpson, per multiple reports.
Simpson’s Combine Performance and His Personal Connection to Browns Head Coach
Simpson did not run the 40-yard dash at the combine, but his throwing session at Lucas Oil Stadium left very little to complain about. CBS Sports graded his session an A, noting that he had only two poor throws on the day and showed “quiet feet with little wasted movement” in his footwork.
Alabama QB Ty Simpson's "J-E-T-S" Moment Goes Viral After Pre-Draft Meeting
Alabama QB Ty Simpson’s “J-E-T-S” Moment Goes Viral After Pre-Draft Meeting (Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah praised him.
“He’s had a really good throwing session.” Jeremiah described Simpson as “technically proficient” on each throw, while adding that he does not spin the ball quite as well as Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Simpson measures 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds, with a 30 7/8-inch arm length and 9 3/8-inch hand span.
First-year Cleveland head coach Todd Monken and Simpson’s father, UT-Martin head coach Jason Simpson, have a longstanding relationship. Speaking with reporters at the combine, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Simpson said:
“It’d be exciting. My dad and Coach Monk go way back. They talk often, he texted him when he got the job… If I had the opportunity to play for the Browns, it would be a dream come true. I think I would be in great hands with the team that they have, the organization.”
Former Alabama QB Ty Simpson is on a visit with the Browns, per sources.
The consensus QB2 in this year’s NFL Draft, Simpson is coming off a strong showing at the NFL combine. Cleveland owns the No. 6 and 24 picks. pic.twitter.com/fD21j1WSr6
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 5, 2026
Cleveland’s Quarterback Situation Makes Simpson a Realistic First-Round Target
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Alabama ‘s Ty Simpson (15) warms up before the College Football Playoff game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday Dec. 19, 2025.
The Browns had Deshaun Watson, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders on their roster heading into this offseason, but none of those three gave the organization a clear answer at the position in 2025. Watson missed the full season to injury.
The Ringer draft analyst Todd McShay said on the Up and Adams show that chatter around the league has raised the question of whether Simpson could go as high as sixth overall to Cleveland, though McShay himself expressed skepticism about the fit.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throws a pass in the first quarter of the NFL Week 18 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. © Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Simpson led the SEC with 473 pass attempts in 2025, completing 305 of them for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Alabama’s pro day on March 19 will give teams, including Cleveland, another chance to evaluate him before the draft begins April 23 in Pittsburgh.
The visit to Cleveland ahead of the draft does not commit either side to anything. But for a Browns franchise that has been searching for a real answer at quarterback for the better part of two decades, a prospect actively calling it a dream to play there, with a direct connection to their new head coach, is at minimum worth exploring.