Ty Simpson
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Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
The Philadelphia Eagles are quickly becoming 1 of the most interesting and unpredictable teams to gauge heading into the 2026 NFL draft.
Anything, it seems, is on the table for the team with the NFL’s de facto alpha dog dealmaker in general manager Howie Roseman, who owns a war chest full of draft picks and has the league’s No. 1 most desirable piece of trade bait in 3-time NFL All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown.
In terms of thinking outside the box, NFL.com’s Rhett Lewis might be the closest to Roseman’s wavelength in his latest mock draft in which he has the Eagles making the “Biggest Splash” on Day 1 of the NFL draft by selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the 1st round (No. 23 overall) with an eye to an even bigger move coming down the pipe.
“While there has been no shortage of drama surrounding the Eagles and QB Jalen Hurts, I’m not advocating for drafting a replacement here, although Philly has had a habit of accumulating quarterbacks and then acquiring value by moving them down the line,” Lewis wrote. “This, however, feels like a potential landing area for Simpson via trade, especially if a team believes the Browns could be looking to select the Alabama product with their second first-round pick at 24. And instead of trying to predict which QB-needy organization will be desperate enough to make this move, I’m keeping the Eagles as a placeholder in this mock to highlight the tantalizing leverage they could hold when their turn comes around — setting Howie Roseman up perfectly to work some of his customary wheeler-dealer magic.”
Ty Simpson’s Combine Showing Upped Draft Stock
Simpson may have leapt into the 1st round with his performance at the combine, although that’s still been one of the most hotly debated topics around the draft in the run-up to the 1st round on April 23.
At this point, it seems like there is little chance Simpson will drop past the 2nd round, meaning teams look at him like an eventual starter.
Simpson was the only quarterback at the combine who received an “A” grade for his performance from USA Today.
From USA Today: “Ty Simpson starred (at the combine) and likely cemented his first-round status … Simpson was the clear-cut best quarterback on the field at the NFL combine. The Alabama product was near-perfect in on-field drills, displaying smooth mechanics and elite ball placement and accuracy at all three levels of the field throughout the session.”
Great Pedigree for NFL Quarterback
Simpson, 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds, is the son of longtime University of Tennessee-Martin head coach Jason Simpson, a former Southern Miss quarterback who has won 5 Big South and Ohio Valley Conference championships since 2005.
Ty Simpson spent his 1st 3 seasons as a backup to 2 future NFL quarterbacks in 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and Super Bowl champion Jalen Milroe, a 3rd round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2025.
In his lone season as a starter in 2025, Simpson threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions while leading the Crimson Tide to an 11-4 record and the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.