Measurables
- 6‘2 Height
- 208 lb. Weight
2025 Stats
- 306/474 Passing (64.6%)
- 3,561 Passing Yards
- 7.5 Yards Per Attempt
- 28 Passing TDs
- 5 INTs
- 102.5 Passer Rating
- 30 Big Time Throws (6%)
- 17 Turnover Worthy Plays (3%)
- 8.6 Average Depth of Target
- 30 Sacks / 186 Pressures = 18.1% Pressure To Sack Rate
- 2.95 Time To Throw
- 46.4 Grade vs Pressure (45.3 Passing Grade)
- 70 Carries
- 292 Rushing Yards
- 4.2 Yards Per Carry
- 2 Rushing TDs
- 7 Fumbles
- 158 Yards After Contact (2.26 Per Carry)
- 17 Missed Tackles Forced
Awards/Accolades
- Manning Award Finalist (2025, Best QB Award)
- Walter Camp Award Semi-Finalist (2025, Nation’s Most Outstanding Player)
- Maxwell Award Semi-Finalist (2025, Top Player in College Football)
- Davey O’Brien Award Semi-Finalist (2025, Nation’s Best College QB)
Strengths
- Very accurate at all depths up to 30 yards, throws with excellent touch and placement at these depths. Shown ability to reliably fit the ball into very tight windows past defenders to his target.
- Knows where to go with the ball pre-snap, does a good job of coverage ID and works through his progressions quickly. Can handle some pre-snap audibles and protection checks despite inexperience (only 15 College Starts). Has success against a variety of coverages.
- Great on Quick timing Passing concepts, smooth and compact motion that gets the ball out quickly further aids him here.
- Has some snaps of faking out defenders with his eyes to open up passing lanes elsewhere.
- Good at stepping up against outside pressure and is able to maintain accuracy with rush coming at him from the side.
- Good Arm Strength, can throw balls with zip in tight windows if need be or opt for touch passes over defenders.
- Has solid straight-line track speed for QB. Can scramble when needed.
Weaknesses
- Deep ball accuracy beyond 30 yards was an issue. Lacks touch and anticipation from that depth. Could be miscommunication issues at times, could be injury related (more on that later) but the ball simply isn’t being thrown consistently accurately from 31 yards and beyond.
- Can wait on his targets to get through their break on outside throws, causing throws to be late. Strong rhythm passer elsewhere, but being late on outside throws can create dangerous pick and return opportunities.
- Pressure up the middle can rattle him. Accuracy decreases when forced to move laterally or doesn’t have room to step into and isn’t the best at escaping the pocket. Needs more discipline and awareness in pocket movement versus interior pressure to be able to adjust, set feet properly, and throw instead of throwing from compromised footwork when facing interior pressure.
- Can be caught staring at Receiver. Needs to be more consistent in looking off receivers which he can do well, but doesn’t do it always and can cause veteran DBs to follow his eyes to a target.
- Several 2025 Injuries:
- Lower Back Injury midseason
- Gastritis from Anti-Inflammatory Prescription from Lower Back Injury, Caused Weight Loss
- Elbow Bursitis (inflammation in elbow during SEC Championship Game vs Georgia)
- Fractured Rib (X-Ray confirmed fracture mid-game vs Indiana in Playoff Quarter Finals)
- Only 15 Collegiate Starts and will be a 23 Year old Prospect (24 in December 2026)
Draft Projection
Round 1-2 Grade
Ty Simpson is a complicated evaluation. Early on in his debut season for the Crimson Tide the consensus was he was a Round 1 Quarterback Prospect with a chance at the 1st Overall Pick. However as the season went along his play took a turn. His longer deep ball touch worsened, he struggled to escape the pocket as easily, and his anticipation on out breaking routes regressed.
Perhaps it was injury related regression? Perhaps it was more of Simpson’s shortcomings and limitations with his inexperience showing up with defenses getting more tape on him? NFL evaluators will have to be diligent in their film study to see what the causes of this regression was and how much was related to his injuries.
What should NFL scouts and General Managers value more? 7 game dominance spanning all the way to Week 8? Or 7 and a half game Weeks 9-Rose Bowl regression?
His stats before and after the midway point of the season are jarring.
- 153/218 Passing = 70.2% —> 153/256 Passing = 59.8%
- 1,931 Passing Yards (8.9 YPA) —> 1,612 Passing Yards (6.3 YPA)
- 18 Passing TDs —> 10 Passing TDs
- 1 INT —> 4 INTs
- 123.09 Passer Rating —> 84.64 Passer Rating
- 20 Big Time Throws —> 10 Big Time Throws
- 5 Turnover Worthy Plays —>12 Turnover Worthy Plays
- 17.3% Pressure to Sack Rate —> 18.7% Pressure to Sack Rate
- 26.7% Scramble Rate —> 14.3% Scramble Rate
The latter two, and especially the scramble rate decreasing dramatically, certainly could point to Simpson playing through pain and adjusting his playstyle accordingly. Considering the timing of his statistical regression lining up to the timeline of Simpson’s injuries, there is a strong likelihood of the two being linked in my opinion. The Scouting Combine medical checks will be crucial for Ty Simpson to see how he is recovering after this quartet of injuries and conditions. If he passes these medicals with flying colors it would do wonders for his draft stock should NFL teams also come to the conclusion that his regression was predominantly injury related.
In my initial Big Board Top 100 rankings, there were rumors of Simpson’s injuries but they had not been substantiated, so he was lowered to #53 on my Big Board with a Round 2 Grade after seeing his regression. With the current knowledge of his injuries, I can look upon that tape with kinder eyes. But even still, that tape can’t be entirely thrown out and Simpson only has 15 Collegiate Starts and 602 dropbacks. That is similarly small sample size to Anthony Richardson (13 Collegiate Starts, 455 dropbacks) who was famously inexperienced yet young coming out of Florida.
I will adjust my Round 2 Grade of Ty Simpson to Round 1-2 with the context of his injuries coming to light and assuming he has a good medical check in Indianapolis to alleviate any concerns about future injury or lingering issues. But there is certainly red flags here and a small sample size to bank on. If he is available when the Colts pick in Round 2 (47th Overall barring trades), there could be a major debate on whether or not the Colts should take the Bama passer to add to the Colts QB room.
Can beggars be choosers when the Colts have a QB coming off a torn Achilles, another recovering his sight from a freak orbital bone injury (both QBs with lengthy prior injury histories), and a 2025 Round 6 rookie with basically 1.75 games of snaps in the NFL (albeit with some promise)?
Or should the Colts prioritize trying to add to their roster at other needs in Round 2 to help whoever is under center for the Colts have a better chance at winning?
With General Manager Chris Ballard and Head Coach Shane Steichen both on the hot seat as they enter year 10 and 4 respectively with the Colts scant to no playoff appearances and subsequent success, this decision if they are afforded it could decide their fates in Indianapolis.
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