It’s an annual tradition for the second tier of quarterbacks to suddenly be talked about as slam-dunk first-round selections in the draft. Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, and Tyler Shough were in that boat last year, and just one of them ended up being taken in the first round. Ty Simpson is the main subject of that conversation this year, so it’s no surprise he is being linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout the national media.
A panel on ESPN’s Get Up listed several teams that could make sense in the top round, and the Steelers were floated among them. Kimberley A. Martin then dropped an interesting nugget.
“I’ve heard he can go as late as 21 to the Steelers,” she said.
League circles, or at least the ones that Martin runs in, think that Simpson’s floor is Pittsburgh at No. 21. That’s a far cry from some wondering if he’ll even be drafted in the first round.
Would the Steelers do it if he falls to them? Draft insider Todd McShay claims he knows for a fact they wouldn’t. That is also in line with reporting from the P-G’s Gerry Dulac and ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who both say Will Howard is Plan B.
The Steelers met with Simpson formally at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine and sent scouts to no fewer than four of his 2025 games. In those four games, he had 829 passing yards, 10 TDs, and not a single INT. That may have left a good impression, but local insiders like Dulac insist Simpson isn’t what the team is looking for physically in the position.
If teams are viewing No. 21 as his floor, could that present a trade opportunity for the Steelers? Probably not because the free fall is on if he makes it past them. And there’d be no reason for Pittsburgh to trade back and accumulate picks unless that means picking up a 2027 pick in the process.
Alabama’s Pro Day takes place today, so we should know much more about the Steelers’ interest in Simpson (or lack thereof) after Wednesday’s workout. Omar Khan and both coordinators are reportedly scheduled to attend Ohio State Pro Day, so it will be telling if Mike McCarthy and Tom Arth make an appearance in Tuscaloosa.
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