Ty Simpson First‑Round Buzz
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is generating growing first‑round buzz in draft rumor cycles and has been linked specifically to the Arizona Cardinals in recent reports. (Bleacher Report) (bleacherreport.com) (FanSided) (fansided.com)
Ty Simpson has gone from Alabama’s one-year starter to a quarterback with real first-round traction less than a week before the 2026 National Football League draft. (bleacherreport.com) Bleacher Report said Wednesday that ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and The Ringer’s Todd McShay both projected Arizona trading from No. 34 to No. 30 to draft Simpson. ESPN also reported Arizona owns picks No. 3, 34, 65, 104, 143, 183 and 217 this year. (bleacherreport.com) (espn.com) Arizona’s interest is not just mock-draft noise. ESPN reported on April 10 that the Cardinals hosted Simpson on a predraft visit, one of two quarterbacks among 15 reported visitors. (espn.com) The quarterback angle stands out because Arizona’s official depth chart currently lists Jacoby Brissett as the starter and Kedon Slovis as the backup. The same depth chart lists Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride among the top skill-position starters. (azcardinals.com) That roster context helps explain why Simpson keeps surfacing in Arizona projections. A team with pick No. 3 can address another position early, then use No. 34 or a trade back into the late first round on a quarterback. (espn.com) (bleacherreport.com) Simpson’s case starts with his 2025 production at Alabama. ESPN’s game log credits him with 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdown passes, five interceptions and a 64.5% completion rate over 15 games. (espn.com) Alabama’s official bio adds that Simpson was an Associated Press and coaches’ second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection and a permanent team captain in 2025. Alabama also says he finished his career with five interceptions on 523 pass attempts, the program’s lowest interception rate. (rolltide.com) He entered the draft on January 7 after one season as Alabama’s full-time starter. National Football League Media reported that decision after Simpson helped lead the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff. (nfl.com) The split in opinion is still there. Bleacher Report framed Simpson as a rising first-round possibility, while other draft coverage this week has described him as one of the class’s more polarizing quarterback evaluations. (bleacherreport.com) (sports.yahoo.com) The next hard checkpoint is April 23 in Pittsburgh, when Arizona opens the draft at No. 3. If the Cardinals pass on quarterback there, the Simpson-to-Arizona talk will likely shift to pick No. 34 or a move into the back end of Round 1. (espn.com)
