TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The chatter around Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has shifted from “Heisman hopeful” to “massive question mark” faster than a nicked-up signal-caller can hit the turf. After a brutal 38-3 loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl and a late-season fade that left scouts scratching their heads, Simpson’s draft stock is in flux. But while the general consensus cools, FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt is turning up the heat, predicting the Pittsburgh Steelers will snag the polarizing passer at No. 21 overall.
The “Pedestrian” Prospect with Elite Upside?
If you listen to the noise, Simpson is a mid-round talent with average athleticism and a terrifyingly small sample size—just 15 collegiate starts. But Klatt isn’t buying the skepticism. He sees a diamond in the rough who just needs the right system.
“I’m higher on Simpson than most,” Klatt said this week. “You can make the argument that someone’s going to trade up and get Ty Simpson. This guy makes all the throws.”
The numbers back up the arm talent, even if the durability flags wave red. In his lone season as a starter, Simpson threw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns against just five interceptions, completing 64.5% of his passes. Those aren’t game-manager numbers; they’re playmaker numbers.
“I know he’s not a huge player. But if you turn on the tape and watch some of the throws he makes, they are NFL throws. Anticipatory throws, he throws with great leverage on the outside. He was phenomenal for big stretches.” — Joel Klatt, FOX Sports Analyst
The Injury Factor: Context or Excuse?
Simpson’s slide wasn’t just about bad reads; it was about a battered body. He started the 2025 campaign on fire—21 touchdowns and one pick through nine games—before the wheels fell off. We now know he was gutting through a lower back injury and elbow bursitis long before the fractured rib knocked him out of the Rose Bowl against the Hoosiers.
For the Steelers, a franchise that has been hunting for stability under center, Simpson represents a calculated risk. He isn’t the physical freak that some modern QBs are, but his ability to layer the ball and anticipate windows is exactly what Mike Tomlin’s offense has been missing. If the medicals check out at the Combine later this month, Pittsburgh might just land the steal of the first round while the rest of the league overthinks the “sample size.”
Draft Implications
With Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza locking up the QB1 spot and likely headed to the Raiders or Jets, Simpson sits alone in the second tier. If Pittsburgh passes at 21, Simpson could slide deep into Day 2. But if Klatt is right, the Steelers aren’t just drafting a quarterback; they’re drafting a solution.
