2026 NFL Mock Draft With Top Ty Simpson Trade-Up Scenarios

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is an important piece to the first-round puzzle of the 2026 NFL draft.

As the class' QB2, multiple teams around the league should still be looking to invest in the game's most important position once Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is off the board with the No. 1 overall pick.

However, Simpson isn't viewed as a top-10 prospect, and a trade in the latter portion of the first round may be the best way to acquire his services.

The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns are logical landing spots since none of them currently have a long-term selection behind center. How those teams view Simpson and the approach toward his potential acquisition becomes fascinating, as they potentially jockey for position to obtain the one-year starter's services.

Simpson looked like a surefire first-round draft pick through the first half of the 2025 campaign, but he was then beset by injuries that limited his effectiveness.

Still, enough was seen during the early portion of the season to project the junior entrant as a future NFL starter, which is exactly why one of those aforementioned franchises must be aggressive to select him.

Mock Draft

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Sonny Styles (left) and Arvell Reese (right)

1. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
2. New York Jets: LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
3. Arizona Cardinals: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
4. Tennessee Titans: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
5. New York Giants: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
6. Cleveland Browns: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
7. Washington Commanders: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
8. New Orleans Saints: Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
9. Kansas City Chiefs: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech
10. Cincinnati Bengals: CB Mansoor Delane, Virginia Tech
11. Miami Dolphins: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
12. Dallas Cowboys: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta): OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
14. Baltimore Ravens: IOL Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
16. New York Jets (via Indianapolis): WR Makai Lemon, USC
17. Detroit Lions: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
18. Minnesota Vikings: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
19. Carolina Panthers: OT Spencer Fano, Utah
20. Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay): LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
22. Los Angeles Chargers: DL Keldric Faulk, Auburn
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Edge Malachi Lawrence, UCF
24. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville): WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
25. Chicago Bears: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
26. Arizona Cardinals (via Buffalo): QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
27. San Francisco 49ers: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
28. Houston Texans: DL Peter Woods, Clemson
29. Kansas City Chiefs (via LA Rams): OT Blake Miller, Clemson
30. Miami Dolphins (via Denver): OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
31. New England Patriots: WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee
32. Seattle Seahawks: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

Cleveland Browns Jump Ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers in 1st Round

AP Photo/Jeff Dean

Shedeur Sanders

If or when the New York Jets pass on Ty Simpson with this year's No. 16 pick overall—the team's second opening-round selection—the quarterback comes into play starting at the No. 20 slot.

The Pittsburgh Steelers currently own the 21st pick.

"I think they're trying to keep their cards close to the vest in hopes that Ty Simpson slips to them," Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio said three weeks ago. "All that Will Howard stuff is just smoke." 

Whether Florio is revealing good information or not, possible suitors have to take into account Pittsburgh's potential interest.

The Cleveland Browns currently reside three picks behind the Steelers with their second first-round selection. The Browns may be content going into this season with Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson competing for the starting job. Or, the new coaching staff can start fresh with its choice at quarterback.

Whatever the case may be, Cleveland can't go into this year's draft settled at the game's most important position. If Simpson is highly rated on the Browns' draft board and those within the organization believe he's a franchise option, neither Sanders nor Watson should dissuade the team from making a move to get its preferred quarterback.

Instead, general manager Andrew Berry can make a bold move by jumping ahead of the Steelers and snatching Cleveland's next starting quarterback away from a division rival.

Arizona Cardinals Find a Way Back into 1st Round

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Jacoby Brissett

Realistically, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns could pass on Ty Simpson and rely on short-term quarterback solutions. Once that happens, the race between the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals begins in earnest.

The Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and Seattle Seahawks are three obvious trade-up spots to get back into the first round. Those three organizations currently hold the 26th, 28th and 32nd overall picks, respectively.

In the Cardinals' case, a deal with the Seahawks seems unlikely between division rivals. However, the other two scenarios should be in play.

Arizona currently has Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew II as its quarterback options. They're two of the league's best backups, but neither should be looked at as anything more than a short-term bridge.

A trade-up is vital, because the Cardinals currently sit behind the Jets atop the second round.

The New York Jets own the 33rd overall pick, while the Cardinals sit at 34. Arizona's fondness for Simpson could drive its aggressiveness to draft him sooner rather than later.

"The Cardinals at three, I would say let's just see," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said last week. "We have seen far too often, we say alright obviously this quarterback is going to be taken late [in the first round] or he's more of a mid-round guy. Then a team falls in love with him and they say I don't care, I'm going to take him."

The third overall pick still seems rich when the Cardinals can land an elite prospect with that selection. But if Rapoport's assessment of the situation is correct and Arizona considers the possibility of taking Simpson sooner rather than later, a trade back into the first round feels inevitable.

New York Jets Use Ample Draft Assets to Acquire 3rd 1st-round Pick

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Aaron Glenn

The New York Jets already own this year's No. 2 and No. 16 overall draft picks. They could use the 16th pick and just select Ty Simpson outright.

However, some validity exists to stacking the class with the best overall talent, while still landing a potential franchise quarterback.

With the third overall pick, the Jets should choose a new defensive centerpiece, with Ohio State's Arvell Reese being the consensus favorite. The team desperately needs another weapon in the passing game, which is a logical target with the 16th selection.

From there, the Jets still own seven more draft picks this year, including a pair of second-round selections. Those don't even take into account the team's three first-round picks as part of the 2027 event. New York has the ammunition to ensure Simpson's acquisition.

An argument can be made that the Alabama quarterback may be available at the start of the second round. The Jets shouldn't rely on that possibility, not with the potential interest found among other organizations.

New York can offer far more in a trade-up to get a deal done and land its next starting quarterback.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn may have already named veteran Geno Smith as the team's starter. The 35-year-old provides experience, but he shouldn't be viewed as a steadying hand, as his time with the Las Vegas Raiders showed.

At this point, he's a veteran journeyman who should be seen as someone to set the table before letting a young quarterback take over the offense.

Simpson may need time to adjust after only one year of collegiate starting experience, which makes Smith's presence valuable.

At the same time, the Jets must understand that the quarterback position still needs to be resolved. The organization needs to show it's serious about the last point and can do so by moving back into the first round, drafting Simpson and obtaining a fifth-year contract option that is only available to those selected in the opening frame.