2026 NFL Draft: Alabama QB Ty Simpson set to have private workout with New York Jets

Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is set to have a private workout with the New York Jets, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Simpson just held his Pro Day workout Wednesday.

“Alabama QB Ty Simpson is scheduled to hold a private workout this Friday with the Jets, per Field Yates,” Schefter wrote on Twitter/X. “The Jets own picks No. 2 and No. 16 in this year’s first round.”

The Jets are in need of a quarterback again, despite trading for veteran Geno Smith, bringing their former draft pick home. But experiments with Aaron Rodgers and former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson have fallen flat since they rid themselves of Sam Darnold, who just won a Super Bowl this year with the Seattle Seahawks.

Not only that, Simpson could be intriguing to the Jets as he could sit behind Smith for a season if necessary. New York also traded first round pick Justin Fields to the Kansas City Chiefs to clear out their QB room.

Simpson is regarded as the second best quarterback in the NFL Draft class this year, behind Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza is expected to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders.

This was Simpson’s first year as a starter and he finished with 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 64.5% completion percentage. Mendoza had 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, six interceptions and a 72% completion percentage.

There is more hype around Simpson these days, especially after ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky called the former Crimson Tide star “QB1” of the draft class. He explained earlier this week (and seemingly doubled down).

“I think Ty Simpson is QB1,” Orlovsky said on Get Up. “I think Ty Simpson is the best quarterback in this class. I think when you look at the body of work and what was asked of these two quarterbacks, you have to start with the question, who needed to do more to carry their football team to play well? Ty Simpson, and it’s not close. Between those two quarterbacks who took more games over throughout the course of the season? Ty Simpson, it’s not even close.

“And if we’re asking like, okay, we’re trying to see what you are as a player in college and what you’re going to be asked to do in the NFL, and what translates, I start with, what do you do in moments of panic with the football? Because that’s really what separates good to great.”