The Las Vegas Raiders are projected to replace Geno Smith with Indiana’s star quarterback Ty Simpson, but college football is not yet ready to let him go. The Alabama Crimson Tide would go over the moon if Ty returns to Tuscaloosa, but rivals are already circling him with million-dollar deals.

“Alabama QB Ty Simpson declared for the NFL Draft, but other college programs are still trying to get him to enter the transfer portal,” Al.com’s Nick Kelly reports. “One offered a deal that could total $6.5 million.”

Simpson wrapped up his 2025 season cradling a bitter Rose Bowl loss and a fractured rib in the game against Indiana. Four days later, he declared for the draft, putting an end to his collegiate career, as he looks forward to beginning his career in the pros.

While Simpson’s draft stock keeps on surging, with a projected top-five pick, college football is gauging his interest with a million-dollar deal. According to Kelly’s report, four programs are willing to splurge $4 million on him, while another camp is going as far as putting a $6.5 million deal on the table.

According to the Tuscaloosa News’ Colin Gray, Ty Simpson received a $6.5 million NIL offer from Miami. With Carson Beck going to the NFL after this season, the Hurricanes require a veteran arm. As for the other two programs offering $4 million, they are reported to be Tennessee and Ole Miss. Given the QB conundrum plaguing college football and the NIL-transfer portal scenario heating up, programs are ready to invest heavily in their players.

“Several teams chasing a shrinking pool of elite quarterbacks, combined with the pressure to field a CFP contender, could drive up the price for certain players who have yet to transfer and/or are considering the NFL Draft and are seen as transformative,” said attorney Darren Heitner, who has been involved in over 25 player contracts this cycle, per Kelly’s report. “It’s basic economics where leverage meets scarcity.”

It’s no secret that the 2025 season was not exactly the best for quarterback-nomics. Throughout the weeks, we found our gems in Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Georgia’s Gunner Stocker, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Alabama’s Simpson, and others; however, many of them are leaving for the pros. Naturally, with the competitive nature, demand for a natty-caliber QB has skyrocketed. But the supply is short.

Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby’s $5 million NIL deal (including a $1 million buyout clause) is reportedly the most lucrative CFB deal so far. But if Simpson chooses to return, his reported $6.5 million offer will become the highest NIL splurge.

With that, will Ty Simpson return to college football? So far, he has not made any public comments since Nick Kelly’s report was released. However, there’s also an issue with NFL Draft guidelines. According to industry sources, it is yet “unclear” if Ty can make a U-turn after declaring for the draft, with the deadline (Jan 14, 2026) looming so close. However, Carson Beck’s college career proves that a U-turn to college football can lead him to greater heights.

Ty Simpson may follow in Carson Beck’s footsteps

Carson Beck, who spent four years at Georgia, was all set to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. However, during the 2024 SEC championship game against Texas, he received a brutal hit, sustaining a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament. With his NFL dreams looking distant, he took a pause and returned to play for another season. But this time at Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hurricanes.

The 2024 season had him reach him at the cusp of the playoffs. But a return to the Miami Hurricanes, with a reported $4 million deal, made him reach closer to the national championship.

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While his interceptions plagued the roster, just as they did in the 2024 season, a 10-2 regular season record propelled the Hurricanes to the playoffs. Now, after defeating Oklahoma and the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Hurricanes are one step away from winning the national championship.

Another season worked wonders for Carson Beck’s legacy at Coral Gables. Can that journey push Ty Simpson to follow a similar path?