Ty Simpson shares his thoughts on competing with Fernando Mendoza

For most of the college football season, and especially in the playoffs, Fernando Mendoza was tabbed as the clear-cut QB1.

The Indiana star ultimately won the Heisman Trophy and cemented himself as the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Notably, Alabama's Ty Simpson had a golden opportunity to enter the conversation as well. However, things didn't go as planned for him, as he had to miss the second half of a 38-3 blowout loss to the Hoosiers in the CFP after suffering a rib injury.

Talking to former NFL coach Jon Gruden, Simpson shared his thoughts on that matchup.

Ty Simpson wanted to prove himself against Fernando Mendoza

"Great player," Simpson stated. "(He's) a guy who is big, strong, can make all the throws. But I was excited because I knew how everybody perceived (him), and I was ready to go head-to-head with him and show why I should be in the conversation."

Clearly, things didn't go as planned. Mendoza, who ultimately led his team to an undefeated season and a national championship, completed 14 of 16 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns. Simpson, on the other hand, went 12-of-16 for 67 yards.

Fast forward to today, and Simpson will still likely be the second quarterback off the board. That said, it's still unclear whether he'll be taken in the first round or how long he'll have to wait after Mendoza gets his name called.

He was one of the most promising prospects in the first half of the season before an injury hurt his stock down the stretch. For better or worse, his career will always be intertwined with Mendoza's, so he will still have countless chances to prove that he's as good as the projected No. 1 pick, if not better.