Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson needed a strong pro day to convince 32 NFL teams he is worthy of being a first-round pick.

He may have done exactly that this week.

In front of scouts, Simpson showed why he remains a coveted prospect entering the 2026 NFL draft, even in a considerably weaker quarterback class than in other years.

The only question is where he ends up. While the New York Jets are one team who have been tied to the Alabama starter, there will be other squads with quarterback needs who could pursue the 23-year-old.

After his pro day, that number is expected to grow, too.

Simpson’s Pro Day

Scouts in Tuscaloosa weren’t exactly shocked by Simpson’s performance throughout his pro day. He didn’t “wow” guests the way former Jets second-overall pick Zach Wilson did.

He still did enough to impress those with concerns, though.

“I thought his arm was a little above average on tape, but it’s much stronger than I anticipated after seeing him up close,” an NFC executive told ESPN.

In 15 starts last season, Simpson completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He led Alabama to an appearance in the SEC championship game and a College Football Playoff victory over Oklahoma.

The good news for the 23-year-old is that his accuracy and arm strength are considered strengths coming into the NFL. He also arguably has the best pocket presence of any quarterback in the 2026 draft.

Simpson’s issues, though, are hard to ignore. Among first-round quarterbacks since 2010, only Cam Newton started fewer games than Simpson (15) and went on to have a quality NFL career. Most other young signal-callers with a similar number of starts struggled mightily in the NFL due to their lack of starting experience in college.

Is that enough for Simpson to drop in the draft?

According to ESPN’s Field Yates, that’s unlikely.

“Simpson is the clear-cut second-best QB prospect. His first half of last season was far too strong and there are too many teams that need a QB in the first round for him to not be selected on Thursday,” Yates said.

Yates also predicted there would be a 90% chance Simpson would go in the first round.

Will Simpson’s pro day be enough to entice an organization like the Jets to take him in the draft, even in the first? New York is in a rare situation because they do not necessarily need to take a quarterback this season. They can punt the decision to 2027 instead, thanks to their three first-round choices in that draft.

Other franchises, like the Pittsburgh Steelers, may be more inclined to make their push for a future starting quarterback as soon as this year.

Either way, Simpson appears to have helped his case during his pro day.