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The quarterback spent more than 40 minutes slinging passes Wednesday in front of NFL scouts and executives. He’d already thrown at the combine back in February, but he wanted another crack at it in Tuscaloosa.
“Why not?” Simpson said. “Go have fun. Go sling it. You watch the tape of the pro day, there wasn’t any easy throws. I didn’t want to make it easy.”
Most draft analysts have Simpson pegged as the second-best quarterback available behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. At least one evaluator thinks he’s actually the top QB in this class.
The invitation to attend the draft in Pittsburgh came through – Simpson’s still deciding whether he’ll make the trip. His performance on the field and throughout the pre-draft process has convinced plenty of people that he’s going in the first round.
“Absolutely,” Simpson said. “I feel like I’ve done everything I can, but it’s not up to me. I just know that wherever I go, I’m going to give it my all and make sure I’ll put my best foot forward.”
There’s going to be a lot of questions around my name. I know what I’m capable of, and I know whoever gets me is going to get a good player and a guy who loves football and a guy who loves the team and loves being a part of something bigger than himself.
Simpson’s numbers from last season tell two different stories. He completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns – but his final five games averaged just 156 yards passing with six touchdowns and three interceptions.
Turns out he was playing through injuries. Gastritis dropped his weight below 200 pounds before the College Football Playoff; he left Alabama’s blowout loss to eventual national champion Indiana in the Rose Bowl with a rib injury.
He weighed 211 pounds at the combine.
Now he’s fully healthy heading into the final phase of the draft process. Simpson’s already met with two teams: the Los Angeles Rams and the New York Jets. The Rams pick 13th overall – the Jets select second and 16th.
The Jets are bringing their entire brain trust to Tuscaloosa on Thursday night for dinner with Simpson, followed by a private workout Friday morning, according to ESPN. General manager Darren Mougey, coach Aaron Glenn, offensive coordinator Frank Reich and quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave will lead the contingent. They’re coming from Lubbock, Texas, where they’re attending the Texas Tech pro day on Thursday.
“I feel great,” Simpson said. “Just getting back to normal – sleep, recovery. Things in the season you get caught up in because you’re watching tape, you’re practicing, you’re trying to cram everything in to make sure you’re ready for Saturday. I feel healthy as an ox.”
Simpson’s draft stock continues to be a talking point leading into next month’s event. With his health back, he’s hoping teams see what he showed early in the 2025 season – a quarterback capable of elite play. He’s confident he can convince teams he’s worthy of being one of the first players chosen.
“When I go into a program, I’m program-changing,” Simpson said. “I don’t just make myself better, I make other people better. If you draft me, and you want me to be your franchise quarterback, I’m not just coming in to look after myself. I’m looking after the whole team and making sure I leave it better than I left it.”
