Draft stock of Alabama’s Ty Simpson set to rise as Oregon QB elects to forgo NFL Draft

Nov 9, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) calls for the ball against the LSU Tigers during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

This week, Ty Simpson made his NFL Draft decision official by signing the paperwork to officially enter the draft, and a decision made by another college quarterback will potentially improve Simpson’s draft stock.

On Wednesday, Dante Moore announced that he is returning to Oregon for the 2026 season. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. projected Dante Moore to be an early first-round draft pick and had Moore as his No. 2 overall quarterback on his Big Board with Simpson at No. 3.

A lot of things will happen from now until the draft like Alabama’s Pro Day and the NFL Combine, but the news of Moore not turning pro makes Simpson’s decision look even better as he has one less quarterback prospect in front of him.

The reality is Simpson lit up college football after a shaky start at Florida State, and he played like a Heisman Trophy contender until he got a bit banged up. Simpson shared with On3’s Chris Low that he played through a bulging disc in his back, bursitis in his elbow and had a reaction to some medication that inflamed the lining in his stomach. It also didn’t help that he played on a team that was close to having the worst rushing offense in the SEC.

Another thing that Simpson revealed in that interview was that he received grades from 18 different NFL teams and that all but one had him as a first-round pick on their board.

In 2025, Simpson threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and finished with a 76.0 QBR. Turnovers became an issue at times this year as he threw five interceptions and lost five fumbles, but it sounds like there are NFL teams viewing him as a top draft choice.

With Moore returning to Oregon, that means there is room for Simpson or another quarterback to jump into the top few picks and be selected by a team that needs a quarterback. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza will likely be selected No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, but each pick after is a mystery at the moment.

Also, there is another big quarterback decision that is coming up soon. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who’s listed as the No. 4 quarterback on Kiper’s Big Board, is out of eligibility at the moment, and he is trying to return to college football for another season. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Chambliss is planning on filing suit against the NCAA this week in state court in Mississippi for a preliminary injunction to secure eligibility for 2026.

If Chambliss gets another year of eligibility, then this will make Simpson an even more intriguing prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. The need for quarterbacks in the NFL is there, but some of college football’s biggest names are returning or trying to return to college football.

Massive NIL offers could not get Simpson to return to college football, and with all the quarterback news that has come out over the last few days, Simpson’s draft stock is looking pretty good as the NFL Draft is approaching.