INDIANAPOLIS — The flashbulbs popped and the murmur of the media room fell quiet. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson leaned into the microphone at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine and delivered a fast-breaking storyline. As speculation mounts ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, Simpson confirmed a direct, personal link to the Cleveland Browns and their newly hired head coach, Todd Monken.
A Southern Connection
I stood just feet from the podium when Simpson spoke. The chilly Indianapolis wind howling outside the convention center didn’t match the heat of the draft rumors swirling indoors. Most prospects deliver canned, robotic answers, but Simpson opened up and genuinely smiled. His father, Jason Simpson the long-time head coach at UT-Martin and a Southern Miss alum is close friends with Monken. Monken coached at Southern Miss from 2013 to 2015, and the two football minds talk regularly.
This isn’t a casual passing acquaintance. Monken recruited Ty heavily during his previous stint as the offensive coordinator at Georgia. Now, in 2026, Monken controls the playbook in Cleveland. The Browns sit in a fascinating spot with an open, highly scrutinized quarterback room currently featuring Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson. General Manager Andrew Berry loves SEC talent, and Simpson checks the boxes.
“It’d be exciting. My dad and Coach Monk go way back. They talk often, he texted him when he got the job… If I had the opportunity to play for the Browns, it would be a dream come true. I think I would be in great hands with the team that they have, the organization. And then Coach Monk and what he does with quarterbacks and the offense is super friendly. I think that he is going to coach me hard and he’s going to do it in the right way.”
— Ty Simpson, Alabama Quarterback
Draft Board Math: Do the Browns Pull the Trigger?
Simpson enters the draft as the consensus No. 2 quarterback prospect behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. He led the SEC with 305 completions and threw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns last season. But here is the catch: he is a one-year starter who battled recurring rib injuries down the stretch, knocking him out of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal.
One-year starters carry massive risk. Will Andrew Berry spend a premium first-round pick on a quarterback when the offensive line desperately needs elite tackles? Probably not. The Browns hold picks No. 6 and No. 24. A first-round selection demands an absolute, franchise-altering commitment.
If Simpson slides into the early second round hovering near pick No. 39 the calculus completely flips. Snagging a high-upside SEC arm on Day 2 gives Monken a piece of clay to mold without the Day 1 pressure. Simpson stayed patient at Alabama through the transfer portal frenzy. He waited his turn behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe, earned the job, and proved his toughness. Monken publicly respects that exact brand of loyalty.
What’s Next for Cleveland’s Roster
The Browns face immediate pressure to fix an offense that sputtered last season. With free agency opening in early March, Monken and Berry must decide if they trust an open competition between Sanders and Watson, or if they want fresh blood in the building. Cleveland needs blindside protectors first. But if Simpson falls out of the first round, expect Monken’s phone to ring.
