Heading into the 2025 college football season, there were as many as seven quarterbacks with a first-round projection.
Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State’s Drew Allar, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, and Texas’ Arch Manning were all believed to be sure-fire Round 1 QBs, but in the 11 weeks since, Mendoza is the only player of the group still believed to have first-round buzz.
While the top of the 2026 draft board looks drastically different for most NFL teams than it did back in August, there are a few signal-callers who have jumped into the Round 1 conversation.
ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit has gotten an up-close look at many of them while hosting “College GameDay,” and the renowned college football analyst recently revealed who he believes to be the No. 1 passer in the 2026 draft class during Monday’s episode of “The Pat McAfee Show.”
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“I would say Ty Simpson,” Herbstreit said. “He’s not sexy, he’s not going to go to the combine, he’s not going to be, ‘Look at this guy,’ but he seems to be a guy that has an ability to read, recognize coverage, process, get the ball out. He can move around just enough to be able to be dangerous, to be able to keep plays alive.
“But we don’t have that huge 6-4, 240-pound guy that everybody is going to say, ‘Wow, I can’t wait to watch what this guy.’ Now, these guys are probably gonna go, and people are going to be enamored, like they were with Anthony Richardson and others when they see these guys that are big and strong and can spin it, but as far as seeing the field, processing [Simpson is No. 1].”
Simpson has led the Alabama Crimson Tide to an 8-1 record, including wins over No. 5 Georgia, No. 16 Vanderbilt, No. 22 Missouri, and No. 25 Tennessee, along with the No. 4 spot in both the College Football Playoff rankings and the AP top 25 poll while shooting up draft boards.
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The 6-foot-2 junior has thrown for 2,461 yards, 21 touchdowns and just one interception this season, ranking ninth in the country in touchdown passes and 16th in passing yards. He’s also one of just two QBs in the country with 20 or more touchdowns and one or fewer interceptions, joining UConn’s Joe Fagnano (25 TDs, zero interceptions).
Of the teams currently projected to pick in the top 10 of the 2026 draft, the New Orleans Saints (No. 2), Cleveland Browns (No. 4), New York Jets (No. 5), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6), and Miami Dolphins (No. 7) could all be looking for a new quarterback, and Simpson could be in play for all of them.
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