While all of the eyes may be on Fernando Mendoza and his NFL future, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has very quietly emerged as perhaps the safest Day 2 prospect in the NFL Draft. But while every QB-needy team will be looking at him, which team is he looking at the closest?
If you go by what one passionate New York Jets fan managed to find in an impromptu meeting with Simpson, the answer seems to be the Jets.
ESPN's Jake Asman asked Simpson a few questions at the NFL Scouting Combine about his meeting with the Jets and Simpson seemed very enthusiastic about the team. He spoke glowingly of head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Frank Reich before happily giving Jets fans the classic "J-E-T-S" chant.
“I really love the Jets. You know, really, really blessed to be able to have a meeting with them, and if I have the opportunity to play in New York, like I said they’re going to get the best Ty Simpson they can get," Simpson said.
Gang Green Simpson?
2025 was Simpson's first year as a starter and he performed pretty well over 15 games. He went 11-4 as a starter, completing 64.5-percent of his passes for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns with just five interceptions. For his efforts, he earned Second-Team All-SEC honors.
Simpson led Alabama to both the SEC Championship Game and the College Football Playoff, though his season and career ended in a heartbreaking blowout against Mendoza's Indiana Hoosiers.
© Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
But Simpson is widely seen as a very unimpressive prospect. Fans and analysts have dismissed the success he had as a by-product of Alabama's superior talent while also being unimpressed by his lack of playmaking ability on the ground.
For a New York Jets team that is not only in dire need of a quarterback, but one who can be above-average from the get-go, that might not make him an ideal fit for their team.
But if Simpson's goal is to simply be an NFL quarterback, then there's good news: The Jets are pretty much taking all comers now.