Ty Simpson, NFL Combine
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Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson speaking to the media at the 2026 NFL Combine.
As the month of March is coming to a close, the Pittsburgh Steelers still don’t have a definitive answer as to who their quarterback will be in 2026.
Will it be Aaron Rodgers returning for one final season? Last year’s sixth-round pick Will Howard out of Ohio State? Or will the Steelers be able to draft Alabama’s Ty Simpson at No. 21 overall?
ESPN’s Adam Schefter definitely believes Simpson will be a first-round selection.
Ty Simpson Generating First-Round Buzz Across NFL Circles
It actually started with Dan Orlovsky’s comments on ESPN’s Get Up, when host Mike Greenberg asked who was better between presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza and Simpson.
“I think Ty Simpson is QB1,” Orlovsky said. “I think Ty Simpson is the best quarterback in this class.”
ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum doubled down on that sentiment.
“In talking to clubs, this opinion is shared by other teams as well.”
It wasn’t mentioned whether the Steelers were among those teams.
Orlovsky continued, “I think when you look at the body of work and what was asked of these two quarterbacks, you have to start with the question, ‘Who needed to do more to carry their football team to play well?’ It’s Ty Simpson, and it’s not even close between those two.”
Pat McAfee then asked Schefter about those comments during the March 23 episode of The Pat McAfee Show.
“The one thing that I can say confidently right now — in talking to front offices… and it’s not going out on a limb — is that Ty Simpson will be a first-round draft pick. A first-round draft pick. That’s all I’m comfortable saying right now.”
Schefter also noted how quickly things can change leading up to the draft, referencing last year when Shedeur Sanders was projected as a first-round pick but slid all the way to No. 144 overall in the fifth round to the Cleveland Browns.
Steelers Could Be Forced to Move Up for Ty Simpson
The Steelers ultimately passed on Sanders last year, selecting defensive tackle Derrick Harmon at No. 21 overall. They later added quarterback Will Howard out of Ohio State at No. 185 as a developmental option behind Aaron Rodgers.
Howard has been viewed as a fallback option for 2026 if Rodgers decides to retire. But regardless of Rodgers’ decision, Simpson has consistently been one of the top prospects linked to Pittsburgh.
In nearly every mock draft since the end of the season, Simpson has been projected to land with the Steelers at No. 21. That could still happen — but with growing league-wide interest, Pittsburgh may need to move up to secure him.
The good news for the Steelers is they have the draft capital to make that happen, holding 12 total picks this year. The bigger question is how far they would need to climb.
Simpson is an intriguing prospect with all the physical tools to succeed. The concern is his limited experience.
He became Alabama’s full-time starter just last season, starting all 15 games and finishing his college career with 3,948 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions.