Mel Kiper explains linking Ty Simpson to New York Jets in latest mock draft

ESPN’s Mel Kiper defended his NFL Draft spot for Alabama QB Ty Simpson: the New York Jets at No. 16 overall. All of the talk is about Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) going No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, but what about the former Crimson Tide star?

Simpson was solid in his lone year as the starter in Tuscaloosa. He led Alabama to the College Football Playoff and a first round win over Oklahoma before, ironically, being outplayed by Mendoza and the Hoosiers.

The Jets traded for Geno Smith, bringing the QB back from the Raiders after initially drafting him in 2013. He’s expected to start in 2026, giving Simpson an opportunity to sit and learn, should New York pull the trigger on the Alabama signal caller.

If Frank Reich, the offensive coordinator, loves Ty Simpson, why not?” Kiper said on Get Up. “He wants to be a Jet. You have Geno Smith there, will be 36 in October. Ty Simpson only had 15 starts. It’s a great situation where he can sit, watch and learn for a year with the New York Jets. Who says they’re gonna have a chance to get Arch (Manning) or Dante (Moore) next year? Who says Arch will even want to be a Jet? So get the guy. If you love Ty Simpson, you get him at 16. Be happy, bring him in and let him sit behind Geno Smith for a year.”

When he got his opportunity, Simpson was really good. He threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, five interceptions and a 64.5% completion percentage. Now, he spent four years at Alabama, but only started 15 games, all coming last year.

During Friday’s episode of Get Up on ESPN, Mike Greenberg posed a straightforward question to analyst Louis Riddick. He wondered if it would be ridiculous if Simpson were selected in the top 15 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Riddick didn’t hesitate.

“I don’t think that’s ridiculous at all,” Riddick stated. “I think when you look at his tape this year, and you consider all the factors, not just looking at his individual performance, but when you take in the level of health that he had throughout the course of the season, what he was battling, what was surrounding him, in terms of offensive line play, the efficiency of the run game, the consistency of the wide receivers.

“When you take all that into consideration and really break down his play from start to finish, from week one until the time that they got knocked out against Indiana, you look at this kid, and you go, ‘Hey, man, this is someone who I think we’re going to have to go ahead and pay a little bit of a higher price for him if we want to secure his services than maybe that we thought.’ It’s going to be justified.”