Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay, Dane Brugler all link Ty Simpson with one team

The draft stock of Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson continues to make for a hotly debated topic heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, which will get underway on the night of April 23. 

For mock drafts posted on Wednesday, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay of The Ringer and Dane Brugler of The Athletic all linked Simpson with the same NFC team. 

Will a team trade back into the first round to draft Ty Simpson? 

Kiper predicted that the Arizona Cardinals will send pick No. 34 and choice No. 65 to the Miami Dolphins for Nos. 30 and 94. Arizona could then grab Simpson with the 30th selection. 

"I'm not putting a lot of stock in Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew being anything more than bridge options," Kiper said about the Cardinals taking a flier on Simpson. "...You might have heard that Simpson has started only 15 games, and that lack of experience is a concern. But he is also accurate, mobile and smart in the way he dissects opponent defenses. He threw 28 touchdown passes to only five interceptions last season. Why not take a swing at the most important position in the game?" 

The easiest answer to Kiper's question is that numerous analysts and reporters have said for weeks that Simpson simply isn't a first-round talent regardless of a team's need at the position. At least one noteworthy member of the NFL community thinks that Will Howard of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a 2025 sixth-round draft pick, "is better than Ty Simpson." 

A different Cardinals-Dolphins trade regarding Ty Simpson

McShay thinks that the Cardinals will give the Dolphins pick No. 34, No. 143 and No. 183 for No. 30 and the right to draft Simpson. McShay also believes the New York Jets' interest in making Simpson the draft's 33rd overall choice is a reason the Cardinals will complete such a trade. 

"It would give them a full year to evaluate Simpson internally before deciding how aggressive they want to be in next year’s quarterback market," McShay said about the Cardinals adding the Alabama prospect to their quarterback room. 

Interestingly, Brugler agrees that Simpson will land with the Cardinals. However, Brugler also believes Arizona could wait to grab Simpson at overall pick No. 34 because the Jets will use choices No. 2, No. 16 and No. 33 to address other needs. Of course, such forecasts assume the Cardinals like Simpson enough to take him at any point before the draft's 34th pick is spent.