Matt Miller predicts Steelers to consider Ty Simpson in NFL Draft after Mike McCarthy hire

By hiring Mike McCarthy on Saturday, the Pittsburgh Steelers went against the grain with their history of head coach hires. Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin were all defensive-minded – and ESPN’s Matt Miller predicted that could impact Pittsburgh’s plans for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Miller said Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is likely to get consideration in the first round of the draft, which will be in Pittsburgh. The Steelers currently hold the No. 21 overall pick, and this year’s quarterback class has drawn mixed evaluations outside of projected No. 1 selection Fernando Mendoza.

Simpson is widely considered QB2 on the board after Dante Moore chose to go back to Oregon. While there’s still a chance Aaron Rodgers returns to Pittsburgh in 2026, Miller said the Steelers are still likely to consider Simpson if he’s still on the board. Should someone else take him, he expects wide receiver to be the focus.

“The Steelers’ needs once again center around the quarterback position – regardless of whether Rodgers is in the mix next season,” Miller wrote. “At pick No. 21, there will be consideration for Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson if he’s still on the board. His strong play in the pocket would fit well with McCarthy’s West Coast offense. But if Simpson is gone by the time Pittsburgh is on the clock, the wide receiver class could get a look.

“The Steelers still need someone opposite DK Metcalf. And USC’s Makai Lemon would be an ideal No. 2 with his route running and run-after-catch abilities.”

During his lone season as Alabama’s starting quarterback, Simpson completed 64.5% of his passes for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns, to five interceptions. He also had two rushing touchdowns and showed an ability to extend plays with his legs.

How NFL Draft experts evaluate Ty Simpson

Through the early part of the pre-draft process, Ty Simpson is generating first-round buzz. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. projected him to go No. 16 overall to the New York Jets in his Mock Draft 1.0 released earlier this week. Simpson is also Kiper’s No. 2-ranked quarterback behind Fernando Mendoza.

As for a comparison for Simpson, Kiper mentioned another former Alabama quarterback. He sees a bit of Mac Jones when he came out of college, though Simpson has more athleticism and is a better runner.

“Dan [Orlovsky] said around the middle of the first. I thought, hey, Mac Jones went in mid-first,” Kiper said Wednesday on NFL Live. “This guy’s a more athletic, faster version of [Mac Jones]. And you think about the first nine games – 21 touchdowns, only one pick. Went back to my notes, I was raving about this kid. I had him 16 on the board moving up, with an arrow moving up. Then, he had some struggles. The o-line didn’t get it done, they had no running game, Ryan Williams didn’t play up to the level expected. And he had some struggles. He had five fumbles over a seven-game period.

“But you really have to balance it all out. At the end of the day, I think Ty Simpson certainly deserves to be a mid-first round draft choice.”