Mel Kiper Jr. Says Ty Simpson 'Makes Perfect Sense' for Jets, Defends QB as 1st-Round NFL Draft Pick

The New York Jets need a long-term plan at the quarterback position, and ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. believes that plan will come during the 2026 NFL draft.

Kiper projected the Jets to select Alabama's Ty Simpson with the No. 16 overall pick, which New York has as part of the Sauce Gardner trade with the Indianapolis Colts.

"He's worthy of being a first-round draft choice," he said (18:10 mark). "… To me, Ty Simpson checks a lot of the boxes other than elite-trait boxes. Competitiveness, smarts, accuracy, pocket awareness, being able to distribute the ball to multiple receivers, seeing the field and going through progressions. … I think for the Jets, it makes perfect sense."

Kiper explained the pick more in his full mock draft, where he also projected the Jets to take Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese with the No. 2 overall choice after the Las Vegas Raiders took Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza with the first pick.

"Let's be clear, though: I do have some concerns about Simpson," he wrote. "He has 15 career starts, which means this pick would come with a lot of risk. That's just not enough game experience. We also can't ignore his dip in performance in the second half of the 2025 season. But there's also no questioning his upside. Simpson has good pocket presence, and he fired 28 touchdown passes and only five interceptions this past season. If the Jets can surround him with talent on offense and develop him, he has a high ceiling."

The latest mock draft from B/R's Kristopher Knox projected the Jets to go a different direction with Miami pass-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 2 and USC wide receiver Makai Lemon at No. 16.

Simpson was the second quarterback in Knox's mock draft as well, but the Alabama product fell all the way to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21.

B/R's scouting report listed Tony Romo as a pro comparison for Simpson, which would certainly work for the Jets or another team late in the first round considering the former Dallas Cowboys signal-caller was a four-time Pro Bowler who threw for more than 4,000 yards four times and led his team to the playoffs four times.

Simpson led the Crimson Tide to the College Football Playoff this season while completing 64.5 percent of his passes for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five picks.

However, he struggled in the SEC championship game loss to Georgia as Alabama scored just seven points and then went 12-of-16 for 67 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions in an ugly 38-3 loss to Indiana in the CFP quarterfinals.

While he did lead Alabama to a victory over Oklahoma in the first round, it surely wasn't how he wanted to end his collegiate career.

But it seems like he will be the second quarterback taken in the draft after Mendoza, so he will have an opportunity to bounce back in the NFL.