Some programs flood the country with quarterback offers with hopes that at least one sticks. But Texas is not one of them because Steve Sarkison and AJ Milwee are almost surgical when it comes to the most important position on the field. In fact, Texas has offered an extremely low number of high school QBs, just 16 in total since signing Maalik Murphy in 2022. But for the class of 2028, they just extended their offer to Graham Simpson, the younger brother of Alabama QB Ty Simpson. And you best believe that this is not because of the blue blood of Graham, nor is it because of the rivalry.

Simpson plays as a quarterback at Westview High School, and he is all sorts of a signal caller, a program drools on. Simpson recently earned the 2025 Tennessee Mr. Football Award for Class 3A after leading the Westview Chargers to a perfect 15-0 record and a state championship. More or less similar to his elder brother, Graham Simpson completed last season with 3565 passing yards and 43 TDs. 

The timing makes this move ever more interesting. Given that Arch Manning is back under center for 2026, Sarkisian is already mapping out a long-term plan in Austin. But by offering Graham this early, he is essentially staking his claim, and Graham has essentially proven his worth time and again.

Many consider Graham Simpson’s performance against Gatlinburg-Pittman in the BlueCross Bowl Victory the best in Tennessee history. Simpson set a new championship game record with 566 passing yards (510 in the first half alone), and tied the state championship record with 7 passing touchdowns. And remember that 99-yard-long touchdown pass to his teammate Donteze Joy? It was the longest in the history of Tennessee state title games.  

The chargers went on to win the game with a 62-21 scoreline. And Simpson, being the hero, was named the BlueCross Bowl MVP for his record-setting performance. These are some of the factors, aside from being the brother of Alabama’s starting QB, that make you a very attractive target for the blue-blood programs. As of now, he is under the radar of at least 20 Division I programs, including Alabama.

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So now Texas is also firmly in the mix. Arch Manning has just two years of eligibility remaining, and the timing is perfect. If everything goes well, analysts project him as a top pick in the 2027 or 2028 NFL Draft. So if he steps out, Simpson will be enrolling at Texas in the summer of 2028. He not only earned a reputation as a highly decorated player, but he also comes from a high-profile football family.

His father, Jason Simpson, has been a longtime college head coach at UT Martin, and his siblings are also athletes involved in the sport.

The path to being a Texas QB isn’t easy for Graham Simpson

The path of being the signal caller at Austin doesn’t come out easily. Even after belonging to an elite football family, Arch Manning wasn’t just given the starting role to lead the Longhorns. He had to wait for his time to come. He redshirted his first season, playing in only two games. In the 2024 season, Manning spent his time learning behind former Longhorns Starter Quinn Ewers.

He served as the primary backup, appearing in 10 games and making only two starts. That’s why the 2025 season made a lot of sense for him to start. Manning faced difficulties, a lot of them, there’s no doubt in that. But most of these issues originated due to a very weak Texas O-line. But Steve Sarkisian is already trying to fix these holes before the 2026 season start and Arch Manning gets some protection.

Maybe it’s too soon, but it’s safe to say that if Graham Simpson commits to Texas, he will throw snaps behind a strong O-line. But no one will hand Simpson anything. The team will fill the quarterback room with talent.

• Dia Bell (Class of 2026): He is a five-star recruit and Elite 11 Finals MVP from American Heritage High School in Florida. In 2028, he would be a Redshirt Sophomore or Junior, making him a solid competitor for the starting role.
• Ty Knutson (Class of 2027): A 6’4″ state champion from Smithson Valley (TX), committed to the Longhorns in February 2026. He would be a Sophomore or Redshirt Freshman in 2028.
• KJ Lacey (Class of 2025): Lacy is already in the mix. By 2028, he would be an experienced Senior or Redshirt Junior, providing a veteran presence amid the crowd.

Since Steve Sarkisian offers to just one or two QBs per cycle, Simpson might also need to compete with Neimann Lawrence of his class.