Should Cardinals believe in the Ty Simpson hype ahead of 2026 NFL Draft?
· Yahoo Sports
GLENDALE – The link between the Arizona Cardinals and Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is starting to become unbreakable. Many draft experts see the franchise drafting the 23-year-old in the 2026 NFL draft, with some even thinking it takes him third overall. NFL.com Charles Davis wrote in his latest mock draft that he sees Arizona selecting Simpson with the team’s top selection, which is far from where former Crimson Tide QB is projected to go.
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Davis seems confident, but could this be Deja Vu for the Cardinals to a similar mistake they made nearly a decade ago?
Feb 28, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (QB17) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Davis on if Cardinals should take Simpson third overall:
“Last year, I opined in one of my early mocks that Jaxson Dart would go to the Giants with the third overall pick, but I didn’t stick with the pairing as the process unfolded. Dart, of course, ultimately ended up with New York after Big Blue traded back into the first round and selected the quarterback at No. 25. This year, I think Simpson ends up with the Cardinals, even if this is not the spot where they pick him.”
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
Entering the 2018 NFL draft, Arizona just lost long-term quarterback Carson Palmer and head coach Bruce Arians. The franchise and recently hired new coach Steve Wilks inherited a team that went 8-8 and wanted to continue the team’s upward trajectory. Instead of taking a Heisman Trophy winner in Lamar Jackson or investing in a lackluster defense, the front office decided to trade up and select Josh Rosen.
The former three-year UCLA Bruins QB was the fourth QB taken in the draft, behind Pro Bowlers like Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield. The Cardinals felt an urgency to fill the hole behind center that they traded up to take a prospect that turned out to be a major mistake. Missing out on Jackson is tough, but the more realistic area to be more hanged up on is missing out on defensive pieces like Minkah Fitzpatrick or Vita Vea, who were selected with the next two picks.
The decision caused the team to have the worst offense and 26th defense in the NFL, go 3-13, Wilks to be fired and the franchise to be picking first overall the following year’s draft and selecting Heisman winner Kyler Murray.
Apr 26, 2019; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill (left) alongside quarterback Kyler Murray prior to being introduced to the media in a press conference at the Cardinals Training Facility after being drafted with the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Regardless of how one views the polarizing two-time Pro Bowler, Murray helped the franchise from continue its downslide. Arizona is in a similar position entering this year’s draft. Coming of a 3-14 season and in need of a franchise quarterback. However, the 2026 NFL draft class is quite bare when it comes to quality QB prospect compared to 2018 or 2019.
The 2027 NFL draft is projected to have a much deeper class of starting caliber quarterbacks: Oregon’s Dante Moore, Texas’ Arch Manning, and many more. Taking Simpson third overall seems like an unnecessary risk, especially with him only starting one year in college.
The Cardinals seem content with tanking the 2026 NFL season, with them signing only one out of 20 free agents to a deal longer than two years. The franchise will have $100+ in cap space, with their current quarterback room both on expiring deals. Arizona is doing everything in its power to show fans and experts that next season is a buffer year, so taking a risk and selecting a player not projected in the top 20 seems unlikely.
General manager Monti Ossenfort could trade back, recoup assets and future first-round picks, and then select Simpson later. The notion that the front office will need to reach for the 6’4 QB is disingenuous. The Cardinals had one of the worst defenses and pass rushes in the second half of the 2025 season.
Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
With the 2027 NFL draft having a much more rich and deep quarterback class, taking Simpson with the team’s top pick handicaps and waste a chance to grab a defensive playmaker that the roster is desperate to add. Ossenfort could still very much trade up, with Arizona’s second-round pick, to the back of the first round and snag Simpson, a similar strategy that the New York Giants did with Jaxson Dart.
The franchise is doesn’t have the privilege to draft a flashy position like QB, RB or WR with its top pick. Ossenfort will need to start building from the ground up and fix last year’s team that was the worst in franchise history.
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