Renner S 2026 Nfl Mock Draft Ty Simpson Declares Lands Late In Round

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 9, 2026, 12:11 AM

renner s 2026 nfl mock draft ty simpson declares lands late in round

Picks 1 through 18 are set in the NFL Draft ... for now. Something tells me this is going to be an eventful draft season of trades for a number of reasons. That's because it's not a particularly strong crop of first-round talent. That means we'll see teams willing to move first-rounders for proven players. I'd argue the last time we saw a first round this weak was 2022, and that year set the record with 18 trades involving first-round picks.

That said, I'll play it straight with no trades, at least until we get past the Jan. 23 deadline for players to officially declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. Note: This is the current NFL Draft order after Week 18 (via Tankathon). Pro Football Network has the Pittsburgh Steelers landing Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at 26th overall in their latest 2026 mock draft. Simpson officially declared for the NFL Draft on Wednesday, and his decision could immediately adds another layer to what could be a pivotal offseason for the Steelers. There’s still a slew of question marks regarding the Steelers’ plan at quarterback, however.

“Will Aaron Rodgers retire this offseason? That’s a question the NFL has seemingly been asking for the last four or five years. I’ll believe it when I see it, but even if he returns in 2026 for his 22nd year in the league, the Pittsburgh Steelers will eventually need to look for his successor in the... “Ty Simpson is only a one-year starter in college, but he’s pretty advanced given his limited playing time. A backup to Jalen Milroe last year, Simpson isn’t quite as athletic or has as strong an arm as his predecessor, but he’s a much more polished passer. He identifies soft spots in zone coverage well and exploits them accordingly.

He does a good job of finding the open man, and he’s an accurate thrower of the football.” Simpson is coming off a strong redshirt junior campaign, his first full season as the starter for the Crimson Tide. He helped guide Alabama to a Rose Bowl appearance while throwing for over 3,500 yards and 28 touchdowns, showing steady growth as the year went on and flashing traits that NFL teams look for... With Pittsburgh expected by many around the league to at least explore the quarterback position in this draft, Simpson is a name that could make sense given where the Steelers currently stand. After some speculation over the last few weeks, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has officially made his decision to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. The announcement ends persistent rumors that Simpson could return to school for his final year of eligibility or explore the transfer portal.

Instead, he is betting on his talent and one full season as a starter to convince NFL teams he belongs among the elite quarterbacks in the class. With his decision finalized, the discussion now shifts toward where Simpson fits in a quarterback group that has been dominated at the top by Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore. The central question is whether Simpson can realistically close the gap and challenge either of them for QB1 status when the draft process concludes. According to PFSN’s consensus Top 10 quarterback rankings, Simpson currently ranks as QB3 in the 2026 draft class behind Mendoza and Moore. From a production standpoint, Simpson’s profile is strong. He recorded a PFSN CFB QB Impact Score of 85.4 during the 2025 season, placing him in the 97th percentile among qualifying college passers and inside the top 25 nationally.

His PFSN Draft Hub evaluation grade of 84.92 places him on the fringe between Day 1 and Day 2, ranking 35th overall in the class. Those numbers firmly establish Simpson as an NFL-caliber quarterback and a legitimate early-round option. However, they also highlight the current separation between him and the quarterbacks sitting at the very top of the board. College football's lasting memory of Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is a humbling one. The face of Alabama's quarterfinals defeat to Indiana, Simpson left early with a rib injury and didn't return. Fodder for Fernando Mendoza's immaculate season, Alabama was dismantled 38-3, leaving Simpson's stock in flux.

There were rumors that Simpson would return and attempt to bring a championship back to Tuscaloosa. With Keelon Russell and Austin Mack waiting in the wings, the transfer portal seemed to be calling, too. Instead, Simpson made the bold decision to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, testing the merits of a midseason hot streak in a weak quarterback class. Simpson gained first-round hype early in the season for a handful of exceptional throws, intriguing intangibles and a unique ability to make plays under pressure. He looked like the best player on the field against Wisconsin, Vanderbilt and Missouri before adversity hit. With the NFL's regular season drawing to a close, compiling a 2026 mock draft has gone from complete guesswork to ...

educated guesswork. With the top of the first-round order still not set and the underclassmen declaration cutoff almost a month away, there are still many moving parts that need to be settled before the full picture... But the parts are moving more slowly, at least, with the College Football Playoff beginning and the top 18 slots nearly two weeks away from being set. And as the action on the field gears down, that's when draft season truly ramps up. With that in mind, here's our latest 2026 NFL mock draft projection: If the Giants do secure the top overall pick, they might as well start the bidding for the selection right after Week 18.

With Jaxson Dart in tow and a robust pass rush, there's no reason for Big Blue to hang onto this spot when it has myriad other needs that don't necessarily align with the top... The Jets could seize on that opportunity by flipping their own top-five pick and the Indianapolis Colts' selection from the Sauce Gardner trade, which is rapidly becoming more valuable amid the team's spiral. After a season of stasis, Gang Green would have every reason to strike out for Mendoza, a high-floor passer who also could help bring a cultural sea change. With much of the offensive line in place and Garrett Wilson at his disposal, the Jets could actually propel themselves a good distance in 2026 if they're able to bring aboard Mendoza as a... The Silver and Black host the Giants in Week 17 in a matchup that likely will decide who secures the No. 1 overall pick.

Given the way things are going, the Raiders might be the front-runners for the slot. The expansive scope of an undeniable rebuild is setting in for Las Vegas, which has to decide whether to make more expansive leadership changes after already firing Chip Kelly. And while the current setup hardly feels conducive to success for an inexperienced young quarterback, the front office has the cap space to go on a free-agent spending spree and fast-track a facelift at... Moore could still return to Oregon for another year, but his composure and ability to thrive both within and outside of structure will make him a coveted prospect if he takes the leap. Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has officially declared for the NFL Draft, per Pete Nakos, and his decision could immediately adds another layer to what could be a pivotal offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh had sent a scout to watch Simpson earlier in the season.

Simpson is coming off a strong redshirt junior campaign, his first full season as the starter for the Crimson Tide. He helped guide Alabama to a Rose Bowl appearance while throwing for over 3,500 yards and 28 touchdowns, showing steady growth as the year went on and flashing traits that NFL teams look for... With Pittsburgh expected by many around the league to at least explore the quarterback position in this draft, Simpson is a name that could make sense given where the Steelers currently stand. Much of that conversation revolves around Aaron Rodgers. At 41 years old, there is a growing belief that what fans are watching now could be Rodgers’ final run at a Lombardi Trophy. Even if he elects to return for another season, the Steelers are approaching a point where preparing for the future at quarterback is no longer optional.

Drafting a young passer who could sit, develop, and learn behind a future Hall of Famer would align with that timeline. Pittsburgh did draft Will Howard, the 2024 College Football Playoff champion, last year, but the former sixth-round pick remains third on the depth chart and has yet to see the field in a meaningful... While there are still believers that Howard deserves a real opportunity and could become a late-round sleeper, the reality is that teams rarely pass on drafting quarterbacks simply because of a Day 3 pick... Simpson’s path to the draft is also familiar territory for the Steelers. He took over for Jalen Milroe at Alabama, a quarterback Pittsburgh was heavily linked to during last year’s draft process before ultimately passing multiple times. Now, once again, an Alabama quarterback with upside is entering the conversation at a time when the Steelers’ long-term plan under center remains unclear.

Renner S 2026 Nfl Mock Draft Ty Simpson Declares Lands Late In Round

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