Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2026 draft class. He is widely regarded as the QB2 behind Fernando Mendoza. But ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky has relentlessly praised Simpson, calling him the top quarterback in the class. Simpson finally responded to all of the good press he’s received from Orlovsky.
Simpson sat down for an interview with Kay Adams on Thursday morning before the draft. He explained that proving the doubters is one of his main sources of motivation.
“I play better with a chip on my shoulder, it gives me something to prove people wrong about,” Simpson said via Up & Adams. “…it gives me an edge and it puts a fire underneath me to go out and prove these people wrong.”
Adams joked that Orlovsky should change his tune, since he has been hyping Simpson up over the past few weeks.
“He has his right to his own opinion, but I appreciate Dan standing on the table for me and I respect him a lot,” Simpson added. “He played the position and knows and understands how hard it is to play quarterback, especially at a high level in the NFL.”
Simpson also gave a measured answer when asked about the possibility of not being drafted in the first round.
If Simpson does fall out of the first round, it may not be because of his ability to play football.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that some NFL teams believe Arizona could scoop Simpson up at pick 34 without getting jumped. Multiple teams have done their homework on Simpson during the pre-draft process, which makes it difficult to tell where he’ll end up.
Simpson should be one of the best storylines to follow during the first round on Thursday night.
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