Joel Klatt claims Ty Simpson has No. 1 overall pick potential in 2026 NFL Draft

One week into the 2025 season, there were more questions about Ty Simpson than answers following a disappointing outing in Alabama‘s 31-17 season-opening loss at unranked Florida State. Two months later, the Crimson Tide’s first-year starting quarterback is drawing major Heisman Trophy buzz.

Simpson, a former five-star recruit and the No. 25 overall prospect in the 2022 cycle according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, is currently listed as the odds-on favorite to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy with +300 odds per BetMGM. He’s just ahead of Indiana‘s Fernando Mendoza (+325) and Ohio State‘s Julian Sayin (+400) among the midseason frontrunners for college football’s top individual honor.

But as fourth-ranked Alabama (6-1, 4-0 SEC) enters Week 9’s showdown at South Carolina, Simpson is also catching the attention of NFL personnel. So much so that FOX Sports‘ Joel Klatt boldly declared the Crimson Tide’s redshirt junior QB is already serious consideration as the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

“(Alabama has) got a quarterback right now in Ty Simpson that I think has a really good chance to be the No. 1 overall pick,” Klatt said Wednesday during his weekly appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “Don’t be surprised if Simpson’s your No. 1 pick though. It’ll be him and Fernando Mendoza will be looked at as that No. 1 pick.”

Since that first week, when he completed just over 50-percent of his passes against FSU, Simpson has been among the most efficient QBs in college football week-in and week-out. In fact, Simpson’s 18 touchdowns to one interception leads the SEC and is tied for sixth nationally, while his 160.07 quarterback rating against SEC competition is tops in the league.

Booger McFarland dubs Ty Simpson best QB in America

A lot has gone right for the Crimson Tide during its current six-game win streak but nothing more than quarterback Ty Simpson.

In fact, ESPN’s Booger McFarland has been so impressed he felt comfortable declaring Simpson as the best QB in the country.

“Ty Simpson is the best quarterback in America,” McFarland said earleir this week. “No disrespect to Fernando Mendoza at Indiana. But he is playing at a high level.”

McFarland is not the only one with the thought. Simpson came out atop the On3 Heisman Trophy Poll after Week 8, sitting just ahead of Mendoza. This was his second consecutive week holding the No. 1 spot, finding a great deal of individual success due to Alabama’s turnaround.

— On3’s Griffin McVeigh contributed to this report.