Jeff LegwoldFeb 27, 2026, 10:28 AM ETCloseJeff Legwold covers the Denver Broncos at ESPN. He has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years and also assists with NFL draft coverage, joining ESPN in 2013. He has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999, too. Jeff previously covered the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans at previous stops prior to ESPN.Follow on XMultiple Authors
INDIANAPOLIS — Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson said Friday at the NFL combine that he is prepared to show NFL talent evaluators that he is a “franchise quarterback.”
“First off, I think I’m ready, I’m a franchise quarterback,” Simpson said. “Alabama prepares you the most for the NFL … The Alabama locker room is as close to an NFL locker room as you can get.”
Simpson said he is healthy after battling some nagging injuries down the stretch this past season, including to his lower back and elbow as well as a fractured rib. He plans to throw Saturday during the on-field workout for quarterbacks. Mendoza is not expected to throw Saturday, so Simpson will be Kiper’s highest-ranked quarterback to participate in the combine workout.
“Lot of eating, lot of three meals, four meals a day,” Simpson said of his combine prep. “Lot of shakes, just getting in a routine of getting up in the morning, eating, drinking chocolate milk, eating lunch, eating the right meal, adding a shake to that, dinner, eating, adding a salad, just sticking to that.”
He was a one-year starter for the Crimson Tide (11-4) and finished with 3,567 yards passing with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions. But Simpson had 21 of his touchdown passes without an interception over his first eight games of the season and struggled some, including with the injuries. over the second half of the season as well as in the postseason with seven touchdowns to go with the five interceptions over the last six games.
Some scouts have pointed to some struggles in the SEC championship game, a 28-7 loss to Georgia when Simpson was 19-of-39 passing as well as a 38-3 loss to Indiana in the College Football Playoff when Simpson was 12-of-16 for 67 yards.
On his meeting with the Steelers, Simpson said “I love Coach [Mike] McCarthy, I love the Steelers.” He added he hasn’t paid much attention to player rankings or quarterback rankings as the draft approaches.
“It matters what happens April 24th and 25th,” Simpson said. “Knowing no matter where I’m projected, where I go, they’re going to get the best Ty Simpson.”
Jeff LegwoldFeb 27, 2026, 10:28 AM ETCloseJeff Legwold covers the Denver Broncos at ESPN. He has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years and also assists with NFL draft coverage, joining ESPN in 2013. He has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999, too. Jeff previously covered the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans at previous stops prior to ESPN.Follow on XMultiple Authors
CloseJeff Legwold covers the Denver Broncos at ESPN. He has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years and also assists with NFL draft coverage, joining ESPN in 2013. He has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999, too. Jeff previously covered the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans at previous stops prior to ESPN.Follow on X
Why Louis Riddick rates Ty Simpson so highly (0:57)Louis Riddick raves about why he thinks Ty Simpson has earned a spot as a top-15 pick in the 2026 NFL draft. (0:57)