Fit is everything.
When it comes to the NFL draft, teams are hoping to find the right fit for each prospect. And when it comes to quarterbacks, nothing is more important than getting the right fit.
People will have all different kinds of takes about whether Ty Simpson will be a star or not when he turns pro. They’ll land all over the spectrum, but the truth is that none of those takes matter. If he gets with the right coaching staff and the right roster, he can reach whatever his ceiling might be.
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If he doesn’t, Simpson’s projected floor might even be too high. The situation often determines everything when it comes to quarterbacks. Let Sam Darnold and Geno Smith serve as examples of that. Time will tell whether Simpson gets that, but he doesn’t have a choice. His fate will be chosen for him when the phone rings on draft night.
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Here’s a look at some of the top landing spots for Simpson in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
2. New York Jets – Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
3. Arizona Cardinals – David Bailey, OLB/DE, Texas Tech
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
4. Tennessee Titans – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
5. New York Giants – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
6. Cleveland Browns – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
7. Washington Commanders – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
8. New Orleans Saints – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
9. Kansas City Chiefs – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
10. Cincinnati Bengals – Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
11. Miami Dolphins – Francis Mauigoa, OT/G, Miami (Fla.)
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
12. Dallas Cowboys – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
14. Baltimore Ravens – Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
16. Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
17. Detroit Lions – Spencer Fano, OT/G, Utah
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
18. Minnesota Vikings – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
19. Carolina Panthers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
20. Dallas Cowboys – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Kadyn Proctor, OT/G, Alabama
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
22. Los Angeles Chargers – T.J. Parker, DE/OLB, Clemson
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
23. Philadelphia Eagles – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
24. Cleveland Browns – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
25. Chicago Bears – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
26. Buffalo Bills – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
27. San Francisco 49ers – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
28. Houston Texans – Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams) – Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
30. Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos) – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
31. New England Patriots – Zion Young, DE/OLB, Missouri
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NFL mock draft: Top-10 surprises in latest first-round projection
32. Seattle Seahawks – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
Ty Simpson landing spotsNew York Jets
The Jets swung a deal for Geno Smith, but the 35-year-old isn’t the long-term solution for New York. Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn have done an admirable job rebuilding this roster since taking over, loading up on draft capital and using late-round picks to acquire quality talent. They spent on veteran leadership this offseason in an attempt to finally point the franchise in the right direction. However, none of that matters until they find the quarterback to lead the team into the future.
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New York won’t be able to draft Fernando Mendoza, but they are in a prime spot to select Simpson. They could do it with the second pick or wait until the middle of the first round. Simpson doesn’t project to land in the top-10, giving the Jets the opportunity to double-dip with a top defensive prospect and, potentially, their quarterback of the future.
You don’t have to dig too far into the archives to find a comparison. In fact, you don’t even have to leave MetLife Stadium. The New York Giants followed the same strategy in the 2025 NFL Draft, when they selected Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart in the first round.
If drafted by the Jets, Simpson would be afforded the chance to learn behind Smith in an offense that is well-positioned to add some top talent in the coming years.
NFL DRAFT TOP 30 VISITS: Alabama QB Ty Simpson set to visit Jets
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Arizona Cardinals
Mike LaFleur undoubtedly wants a quarterback that he can develop for the future, making Simpson an obvious fit. Unlike the Jets, the Cardinals don’t have the luxury of picking again in the first round after No. 3. Selecting the Alabama quarterback with a high pick like that will bring questions about whether the team extracted enough value out of the draft position, but no one will question anything if they are right.
The Cardinals just parted ways with Kyler Murray and have a brand-new coaching staff, calling into question whether LaFleur views this as a rebuild that’s on the ground floor. Arizona is seemingly stuck in the middle and will have to choose a direction come draft night.
If they go all-in on a quarterback like Simpson, he’ll be surrounded with a star tight end like Trey McBride as well as capable young receivers like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson.
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Given their spot in the order and where Simpson is projected to land, it’s hard to view the Cardinals as a likely landing spot barring a trade or a surprising pick at the top of the draft.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams aren’t known for being a major factor in the NFL draft, unless it’s because the team is dealing picks for established players across the league. That doesn’t mean they are incapable of finding top talent or allergic to investing in draft picks when necessary though.
Sean McVay’s team could easily go all-in and look to make a move for a prospect like Jeremiyah Love or they could decide to look towards the future by drafting someone like Simpson.
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Matthew Stafford is returning for another season, but it’s not a guarantee that he’ll be playing for much longer. It’s also not a guarantee that the Rams will be picking this high again in the coming years. Simpson could profile as a Stafford replacement after taking at least a year to learn behind the veteran.
L.A. has a loaded roster and would represent easily the best possible situation for Simpson to step into. He wouldn’t start right away, but it would be hard to turn down an opportunity to play for McVay with a star-studded group of players around him.
Cleveland Browns
Todd Monken has no shortage of quarterback options on his existing roster, but it remains to be seen if any of them are a fit for the new coach. He isn’t tied to any of them, meaning it would be relatively easy for Cleveland to make a move for Simpson. It also helps that the quarterback has ties to the newest Browns coach, given that Simpson’s father crossed paths with Monken during their time together at Southern Miss.
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As if that wasn’t enough, Monken also tried to recruit Simpson to Georgia before he committed to Alabama. Sometimes those connections mean nothing. In this case, it is hard to overlook. The Browns have a major need for skill-position talent on offense, but they also need a capable quarterback to lead the franchise into the future.
Cleveland can easily invest in the Ohio State receiver, Carnell Tate, or take an offensive lineman. What if Simpson is actually the guy they land on? Monken’s connection is key and positions the Browns to potentially know more about the Crimson Tide signal caller than anyone else.
They would have to sacrifice addressing other needs, but those could be easily patched up down the road. If they believe in Simpson, they would be crazy to pass on him.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ty Simpson landing spots: 4 NFL draft best fits for Alabama QB