Louis Riddick reveals whether Ty Simpson should be a top 15 pick in 2026 NFL Draft

Ty Simpson’s draft stock might be climbing faster than many expected. Especially after his time with Alabama came to an end in a disappointing Rose Bowl performance.

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.”

That’s a significant endorsement for the former Crimson Tide star quarterback. Even if his lone season as a full-time starter was far from smooth.

Simpson opened 2025 on fire, throwing for 2,787 yards with 22 touchdowns and just two interceptions across his first 10 games. But his production dipped over the final five contests, as he battled injuries and inconsistency around him. Over that stretch, he totaled 780 yards, six touchdowns and three picks.

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Still, evaluators like Riddick continue to point to the context. Simpson dealt with a shaky offensive line, an uneven run game and wide receivers who fluctuated week-to-week. Yet in the College Football Playoff first round against Oklahoma, he engineered a 17-point comeback, finishing with 232 yards and two touchdowns.

“I believe when he throws out here at this combine, you’re going to see just how talented of a thrower he is,” Riddick added. “And I’m sure in the interviews, he is absolutely killing it.”

The Pittsburgh Steelers, who hold the No. 21 overall pick, have already been floated as a potential landing spot. Especially after hiring Mike McCarthy. But Riddick is suggesting Simpson may not last that long.

Elsewhere, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah noted Simpson likely has the “most at stake” during this pre-draft stretch. The debate isn’t whether he’s a top quarterback, it’s how high he ultimately goes.

If Riddick is right, the answer could be much higher than originally projected, possibly inside the top 15. Whether that’s to a team that has to trade up or not remains to be seen, but the NFL Combine could be the start of a meteoric rise for Simpson. 

— On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this article.