Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) passes against the Indiana Hoosiers in the first half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Coveted Cardinals QB Prospect Officially Enters Draft

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Donnie Druin | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 5:00 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals have some massive decisions to contemplate this offseason — especially after firing head coach Jonathan Gannon.

The ramifications from that will follow, but perhaps more than any other question general manager Monti Ossenfort has to answer is the future of the quarterback position.

And to add to the mix, Arizona's coveted college quarterback is officially entering the 2026 NFL Draft.

Ty Simpson Declares for NFL Draft

Simpson officially declared for the draft in a Instagram post. He's expected to be the third quarterback off the board after Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Oregon's Dante Moore.

Simpson just might be the man for the Cardinals, as Arizona picks third in the draft with the two spots above likely seeing passers taken.

The Cardinals seem to covet Simpson, as ESPN's Josh Weinfuss reports, "In theory, Arizona should be able to pick one of three from among Mendoza, Moore and Simpson. Who, though, in reality, will still be on the board when they go on the clock is the biggest question. Internally, Arizona has taken a liking to Simpson, a 6-foot-2 pocket passer."

What They're Saying About Ty Simpson

The Athletic's Dane Brugler offered this on the Alabama quarterback:

"Simpson put plenty of encouraging things on tape for NFL teams, and it is understandable why he would want to declare in such a light quarterback draft class.

"But the fact that he’s made only 15 starts is tough. There is a very short list of NFL quarterbacks who panned out with such meager college experience. In the last 10 years, here are the quarterbacks drafted after making 15 or fewer starts in college: Anthony Richardson, Mitchell Trubisky, Dwayne Haskins.

"However, Simpson is a unique case, because he is already 23 years old and grew up around a college program — his dad, Jason, has been head coach at Tennessee-Martin for two decades. Simpson is an efficient processor, and his mobility is an asset. He struggled with inconsistencies and turnovers over the second half of the season, but he also didn’t receive much help from Alabama’s middling offensive ecosystem."

Will Cardinals Even Look to Take QB?

Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort was noncommittal on Murray's future in the desert.

"As it pertains to Kyler; Kyler is under contract. Jacoby [Brissett] is under contract. Kedon Slovis is under contract. We just came off the last game of the year, and less than 24 hours ago we just left the field. There will be a time and place for those discussions," Ossenfort said.

"I think when you come off a season like we have, I'd say all options are on the table, whether it's quarterback or any other position. All options are on the table, and we're going to investigate all those to improve the team.

"And with every roster decision, we're going to always, as we always have, we're going to do what's in the best interest of the team."

We'll see what transpires this offseason, though Simpson very well could end up in Arizona.