A surprise trade could land Ty Simpson in the first round. Discover which NFC team is reportedly targeting the Alabama QB with a surprising first-round move.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has been on the bubble of being a first-round draft selection after Indiana demolished the Crimson Tide 38-3 in the College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl.
Without any running game to speak of, Simpson had to do it all last season, leading Alabama to an appearance in the SEC championship and making the CFP.
Still, many league teams aren't high on the young quarterback in a weak draft class. It's a possibility that Simpson, the No. 2 quarterback in the draft, could wait to hear his name called in the second round on Friday.
Peter Schrager of ESPN thinks Simpson will go earlier. He's predicting the Arizona Cardinals will trade back into the first round to take Simpson with the No. 32 pick.
"I took you all the way to the last pick of the mock draft, but yes, I have Simpson going in Round 1," Schrager wrote. "To move back two spots, the Seahawks would happily add a sixth-round pick in a year when they have only four total selections.
"And the Cardinals would happily give up that late-rounder to (a) get Simpson and (b) get him with a fifth-year option. Simpson is slated to be in the green room at the draft, and though it might be a long night, I think he will come off the board on Day 1."
Schrager's mock draft appears to follow what Schefter is reporting could be a strategy employed by the Cardinals on Thursday night. Arizona and the New York Jets have an interest in Simpson.
"The two teams that seem to be most interested in Simpson are the Jets and Cardinals. The Jets hold the No. 16 pick in the middle of Round 1 and the No. 33 pick at the top of Round 2," Schefter wrote.
"The Cardinals hold No. 34 in Round 2, right behind the Jets. If Arizona wants to leapfrog New York, it could not only land Simpson but also get the fifth-year option on his rookie contract by taking him in Round 1."
The Jets and Cardinals would likely prefer to wait until the draft next year to take a quarterback. Top quarterbacks like Arch Manning and Dante Moore would be preferable to the concerns about the 2026 class.
But there's no guarantee the Cardinals or Jets will be in a position to draft a top quarterback next April. Simpson might be a developmental candidate, but he has the tools to be a starter in the league.
If new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur is worth his paycheck, he can develop Simpson.