The 2026 NFL Draft quarterback conversation just got a little more complicated.
For months, Alabama’s Ty Simpson has been widely considered the No. 2 quarterback prospect in this year’s draft class, especially after Oregon’s Dante Moore opted to return to school. With Moore out of the picture, Simpson looked like a near-lock to hear his name called on Day 1. But in the first mock draft of the season from NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, Simpson is not among the 32 projected first-round picks.
That’s a notable shift-and one that raises eyebrows.
Jeremiah’s mock features just one quarterback in the first round: Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who he has going No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. That’s it.
No Simpson. No one else under center.
Just Mendoza.
Now, it’s worth noting that Jeremiah hasn’t explicitly said Simpson isn’t his QB2. It’s possible he still views him that way and simply projects a draft scenario where teams prioritize other needs early.
But leaving Simpson out of the first round altogether flies in the face of most evaluations and, more importantly, the feedback Simpson reportedly received before declaring for the draft. That feedback, by all accounts, suggested he was a first-round talent.
And here’s the thing: teams need quarterbacks. Always have, always will. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where only one QB comes off the board in the first round-especially when you consider how many franchises are in flux at the position heading into 2026.
In fact, over the last 12 NFL Drafts, only once has there been a single quarterback selected in the first round. That was back in 2022, when the Pittsburgh Steelers took Kenny Pickett and no other QB followed. Even last year, when the class was considered top-heavy, we still saw two quarterbacks go in the first round-Cam Ward at No. 1 overall to the Titans, and Jaxson Dart at No. 25 to the Giants.
So if Simpson were to slip out of the first round, it wouldn’t just be a surprise-it would be a genuine shakeup in how teams are evaluating this class.
It could also have ripple effects for Alabama’s draft legacy. The Crimson Tide have had at least one player selected in the first round in 17 straight drafts, a streak dating back to 2009. That run has become a symbol of Alabama’s NFL pipeline, producing blue-chip talent year after year.
Even without Simpson in the first round, though, Jeremiah’s mock keeps the streak alive-just barely. He has offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor going No. 24 overall to the Cleveland Browns.
Proctor’s draft stock has been a bit of a rollercoaster due to some inconsistent tape, but his physical tools and athletic upside are undeniable. He’s a massive presence on the edge and moves far better than a man his size should.
That kind of raw ability tends to keep a player in the first-round conversation, even if the film isn’t always perfect.
Still, the bigger storyline here is Simpson. If Jeremiah’s projection proves accurate, it could signal a shift in how NFL teams are valuing quarterbacks in this class-or at least how they’re valuing Simpson.
Is it his tape? His mechanics?
The system he played in? Those are the questions evaluators will be digging into over the next few months.
One thing’s for sure: the quarterback storyline in the 2026 NFL Draft is far from settled. And Ty Simpson’s path to the first round, once seemingly clear, now looks a little more uncertain.